Footstools
19th Century French Louis XIII Antique Footstools
Oak
Mid-19th Century Italian Empire Antique Footstools
Mahogany
1820s French Empire Antique Footstools
Mahogany
19th Century American Empire Antique Footstools
Mahogany
18th Century and Earlier Italian Louis XIII Antique Footstools
Wood
Mid-20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Footstools
Fabric, Mahogany
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Footstools
Aluminum
21st Century and Contemporary South African Campaign Footstools
Zebra Hide
1860s English High Victorian Antique Footstools
Leather, Oak
21st Century and Contemporary South African Campaign Footstools
Zebra Hide
1980s Unknown Vintage Footstools
Fabric, Wood
19th Century French Antique Footstools
Mahogany
1980s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Footstools
Cotton
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Footstools
Wood, Rattan
2010s American Footstools
Oak
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Footstools
Upholstery
21st Century and Contemporary North American Modern Footstools
Upholstery, Wood
Late 19th Century Empire Antique Footstools
Mahogany
1960s American Empire Vintage Footstools
Upholstery, Wood
1950s American Empire Vintage Footstools
Upholstery
19th Century American Empire Antique Footstools
Brass
20th Century Empire Footstools
Upholstery, Mahogany
Late 19th Century American Empire Antique Footstools
Upholstery, Walnut
Late 20th Century North American Empire Footstools
Mahogany
Mid-20th Century French Empire Footstools
Gold Leaf
Mid-20th Century North American Empire Footstools
Fabric, Mahogany
Early 20th Century Austrian Empire Footstools
Fabric, Wood, Walnut
Early 20th Century French Louis XIII Footstools
Brass
19th Century French Empire Antique Footstools
Mahogany
Antique and Vintage Footstools
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.