An ottoman is a low, upholstered piece of furniture, traditionally used as a footstool but now just as often used as extra seating, a coffee table substitute or, when it has a hinged lid, hidden storage. It has no back or arms, which makes it flexible to move around a living room as needed.
Paired with a sofa, an ottoman can extend the seat depth as an informal footrest, provide a soft edged alternative to a hard coffee table, or, with storage inside, hold blankets and other living room items out of sight. See our living room ideas for ways to use an ottoman around a sofa.
