Meg, our lead designer, loves to incorporate multi-functional pieces in her designs and it also makes sense for our staging team to invest in furniture pieces that can perform double duty. We use benches in bedrooms at the foot of the beds, as well as in a smaller living room to stand in as a coffee table. One of the most versatile pieces in our inventory is a storage ottoman. As we approach the holiday season, I think it might be time to grab a few of these little guys for your own home.

why we love ottomans

Small ottomans are great because they act as a storage solution, as well as provide additional seating. While the sky is the limit to what you store in your ottoman, I typically use them for extra blankets as well as toy storage in my main living spaces. I would love to be one of those moms with labeled bins for my kids’ toys but that’s not how I operate. I love the idea of picking up the random kid toys on the floor and tossing them directly into an ottoman. It’s such a stylish solution and most of my guests would never know the contents. Ottomans are also great to pull out for additional seating options. Particularly when hosting gatherings, it’s nice to be able to pull out these small space-saving stools to allow for more seating and then tuck them back away when you don’t need them. {source}

how to style ottomans

I love the look of small storage ottomans tucked under a console table. By tucking them away, you are not taking up any precious floor space and it also can provide some softness and warmth in an otherwise wide open space. Another idea is to use the ottomans as designated seating in your living room. A pair of ottomans in front of a fireplace can look beautiful and again, gives more places to gather. Depending on the size of the ottoman, they can work wonderfully at the end of a bed to provide storage and a drop zone in the bedroom and I’ve also seen some ottomans used as side tables. The options are endless.

where to find ottomans

Stylish storage ottomans are pretty easy to find and are relatively inexpensive. There are some great options at Target and other big retail stores and we always recommend swinging through your local HomeGoods. Because of their versatile nature, I would recommend sticking with an ottoman that has clean lines and a neutral fabric so that you can use the piece in several rooms of the home. Wicker and leather are also really cool options and don’t necessarily lean towards any specific design style.

If you’re starting to worry about the number of bodies in your home for the upcoming holiday season, it might be worth it to invest in some storage ottomans. They add more temporary seating, as well as act as a storage bin, which will come in handy as you’re scrambling to hide all the stuff before your guests arrive.

SOURCES:
Top - left, middle, right

Middle - left, middle, right

Bottom - left, middle, right