Footstools
1930s American Hollywood Regency Vintage Footstools
Upholstery, Wood
1950s Italian Hollywood Regency Vintage Footstools
Wrought Iron
2010s Australian Hollywood Regency Footstools
Sheepskin
Late 20th Century Hollywood Regency Footstools
Upholstery, Wood
Late 20th Century Hollywood Regency Footstools
Upholstery, Wood
1980s American Hollywood Regency Vintage Footstools
Fabric, Upholstery, Wood, Trimming
Late 20th Century Hollywood Regency Footstools
Upholstery, Wood
19th Century French Louis XIII Antique Footstools
Oak
2010s Australian Hollywood Regency Footstools
Sheepskin
Mid-20th Century Hollywood Regency Footstools
Upholstery, Wood
20th Century American Hollywood Regency Footstools
Upholstery, Cane, Rattan
1980s Hollywood Regency Vintage Footstools
Cotton
Late 20th Century Chinese Hollywood Regency Footstools
Iron
20th Century American Hollywood Regency Footstools
Upholstery
Late 20th Century Moroccan Hollywood Regency Footstools
Upholstery
Mid-20th Century American Hollywood Regency Footstools
Chrome
2010s Australian Hollywood Regency Footstools
Sheepskin
1990s Hollywood Regency Footstools
Upholstery, Wood
2010s Australian Hollywood Regency Footstools
Sheepskin
1990s Unknown Hollywood Regency Footstools
Fabric
1950s French Hollywood Regency Vintage Footstools
Brass, Steel
Mid-20th Century American Hollywood Regency Footstools
Upholstery
1930s Italian Hollywood Regency Vintage Footstools
Fabric, Wood
Mid-20th Century American Hollywood Regency Footstools
Brass
Mid-20th Century Italian Hollywood Regency Footstools
Iron
20th Century Hollywood Regency Footstools
Wood
Late 20th Century Hollywood Regency Footstools
Upholstery, Wood
18th Century and Earlier Italian Louis XIII Antique Footstools
Wood
Mid-20th Century Hollywood Regency Footstools
21st Century and Contemporary American Hollywood Regency Footstools
Silver, Silver Leaf
1950s Hollywood Regency Vintage Footstools
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary American Hollywood Regency Footstools
Silver, Silver Leaf
1970s American Hollywood Regency Vintage Footstools
Steel
1980s Hollywood Regency Vintage Footstools
Leather
21st Century and Contemporary Hollywood Regency Footstools
Metal
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.