Turtle Footstool
Recent Sales
Vintage 1970s British Mid-Century Modern Footstools
Leather
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Footstools
Wicker
20th Century Footstools
Wood
20th Century English Ottomans and Poufs
Antique 19th Century French Footstools
Oak, Upholstery
Vintage 1970s Mid-Century Modern Ottomans and Poufs
Leather
Vintage 1960s English Mid-Century Modern Footstools
Leather, Glass
Late 20th Century German Organic Modern Footstools
Leather
Vintage 1970s German Mid-Century Modern Footstools
Leather
Vintage 1970s American Hollywood Regency Benches
Upholstery, Wood, Lacquer
Vintage 1960s British Footstools
Leather
Vintage 1950s English Mid-Century Modern Footstools
Antique Early 1900s American Folk Art Footstools
Velvet, Wood
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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