British Tapestry Footstools
Antique Mid-19th Century English Early Victorian Footstools
Ceramic, Tapestry, Walnut
Antique Mid-19th Century English Early Victorian Footstools
Ceramic, Tapestry, Walnut
Recent Sales
Antique Early 18th Century English George II Stools
Tapestry, Walnut
Antique Mid-19th Century English Victorian Footstools
Tapestry, Hardwood, Walnut
Antique Late 19th Century English Empire Footstools
Tapestry, Zebra Wood
Antique 19th Century English Regency Footstools
Tapestry, Wood, Trimming
Antique 19th Century English Victorian Footstools
Tapestry, Mahogany
Vintage 1980s English Louis XVI Footstools
Tapestry, Wood
Antique Late 19th Century English Arts and Crafts Footstools
Wood, Tapestry
Antique Mid-19th Century English High Victorian Ottomans and Poufs
Tapestry, Walnut
Antique 19th Century English Black Forest Footstools
Pearwood, Tapestry
Antique 19th Century English Black Forest Footstools
Tapestry, Pearwood
Antique 19th Century English Black Forest Footstools
Tapestry, Pearwood
Antique Mid-19th Century English Victorian Footstools
Walnut, Tapestry
Vintage 1930s English Victorian Footstools
Wood, Tapestry
Antique Mid-19th Century English Victorian Footstools
Tapestry, Walnut
Antique 19th Century British Victorian Footstools
Tapestry, Mahogany
Antique Late 19th Century English Late Victorian Footstools
Tapestry, Oak
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British Tapestry Footstools For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much are British Tapestry Footstools?
Finding the Right Footstools for You
Antique and vintage footstools might add a dose of fun to your living room, but they’re also hard workers.
Even as they’ve morphed into objects with plenty of functions over time, the footstool has a royal past. In Ancient Egypt, a footstool was used to climb onto an elevated chair or placed under someone’s feet as he or she was seated in a temple or private residence. Footstools were also in use during the Ottoman Empire. In fact, the ottoman, an upholstered seat or small bench that initially had no back or arms, was the main seating furniture in a home. Ottomans were a way to merge floor seating with cushions and mats.
Poufs, which originated in France, are also thought of as convenient seating furniture as well as occasionally serving as a side table, if needed. (Although, a pouf is typically not as firm as an ottoman.)
Over the years, footstools have taken on varying purposes. They have been used as small portable chairs, for example.
During the 18th century, a footstool might have been long with a low profile, which rendered it perfect for fireside seating. Victorian footstools were small but not unassuming, as furniture makers of the era would upholster the pieces so that they paired with the nearby sofa or wingback chairs. Footstools have even become a storage solution at home, with designers outfitting them with compartments. Today, a footstool might be used to organize quilts and blankets or other textiles, especially if you’re trying to keep things uncluttered in a small apartment.
Footstools are now available in all sorts of provocative colors, upholstery and more. No one is going to put a velvet footstool out on the curb, right? When shopping for your own footstool, try to find one that meets the height of your sofa or other seating (or is a tad lower). It should also be sturdy but not a heavy, clunky piece that’s a chore to move around.
The footstool is both decorative and functional. Not unlike a good throw pillow, interior designers have found numerous uses for this versatile, vibrant furnishing. Find yours in the growing collection of antique and vintage footstools today on 1stDibs.
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