Your bedroom is the last place most of your visitors will see however it is your sanctuary and place of calm after you have shed the last vestiges of your day. When you need peace and quiet your bedroom should be the place to encourage rest and placidity where you can reflect upon the triumphs and challenges of your life. Your focus should be on comfort, order and function so that nothing can disrupt your need for sleep and relaxation. So, what better than making an investment in an ottoman, altogether an essential piece of your bedroom furniture.

According to the Encyclopaedia of Furniture by Joseph Aronson, an ottoman is defined as an “upholstered seat or bench having neither backs nor arms, so named after the Turkish influence in the early 18th Century”. Many people will not know that back in the Nineteenth Century ottomans were used as backless chairs in Middle Eastern council chambers. They were also made popular in Europe after members of both Napoleon and Nelson’s forces brought ottomans back from Egypt and the Ottoman controlled Eastern Mediterranean following the English victories over the French at the Battle of the Nile (1798). Ottomans and ornate footstool furniture entered the fine houses of Western Europe thereafter from the early days of the Nineteenth Century.

In your bedroom an ottoman adds a high degree of style especially when you select colours and textures to coordinate with your surroundings. Today comfort and softness are built in to the bedroom ottoman with rigid foam cushions and polyester wadding surrounding a hardwood frame. The upholstery choice is between fabric or leather with shade variations to suit. For those with a smaller budget an ottoman in faux leather is the perfect compromise. These are ideal for the bedrooms of children where surfaces can be easily wiped clean after a spillage. If your choice is a fabric upholstered ottoman then an easy-care solution may be a stain protected fabric which similarly helps protect against grease and grime.

Those with bigger bedroom budgets should consider an ottoman upholstered in the finest leather. A choice of Capri, a semi aniline, grained leather from Italy conveys feelings of calm that are reflected in the subtle hues of this most sought after and exquisite material. By combining contemporary shades with softness of texture your bedroom is greatly enhanced by the addition of an ottoman upholstered in Capri leather.

Not only are ottomans fine pieces in their own right they are also functional and provide storage solutions. Bedroom wardrobes are traditionally where linen and clothing are stored however this constant logistical problem is solved by the clever internal storage solution within any ottoman. Beneath the opening lid is deceptive storage space for extra bedding, laundry and pillows. With easy access your bedroom ottoman is on hand to provide you with sheets, duvets and throws. Not only does it enhance the quality of your room, your bedroom ottoman effectively solves one of your major household storage issues – at a stroke!

The author has over 20 years’ experience running companies involved in furnishing fabrics and furniture manufacturing in the UK and writes extensively about footstools and contemporary furniture.