If you have ever searched for a footstool and ended up looking at ottomans — or the other way round — you are not alone. In Britain the two words are used almost interchangeably, and shops do not help. But there is a real difference, and knowing it makes shopping much easier.
The short answer
An ottoman is a low, upholstered piece of furniture, usually with a padded top and often with storage inside. It is soft, it is designed to be sat on, and it often has a hinged lid.
A footstool is the older, simpler idea: a small stool for resting your feet on. Traditionally it is wooden or has wooden legs, it is firm rather than padded, and it is only as big as it needs to be.
The rule of thumb: if it is padded and big enough to sit on properly, most people would call it an ottoman. If it is small, firm and clearly for your feet, it is a footstool.
Side by side
| Footstool | Ottoman | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical size | 30–45 cm wide | 60–120 cm wide |
| Top | Firm — wood, or a thin cushion | Padded and upholstered |
| Frame | Usually solid wood | Wood or board, covered in fabric |
| Storage | Sometimes (removable lid) | Very often (hinged lid) |
| Sitting on it | Fine for a moment | Designed for it |
| Best room | Hallway, bathroom, small living room | Living room, bedroom, large sofa |
| Ease of cleaning | Wipe with a damp cloth | Fabric — harder to keep clean |
When a footstool is the better choice
- You are short of floor space. A 35 cm wooden stool fits in gaps an ottoman cannot.
- The room is busy or wet. Kitchens, bathrooms and hallways are not kind to fabric.
- You have children or pets. Solid wood wipes clean and can be sanded back. Fabric cannot.
- You want it to last. A solid wood stool is repairable for decades.
- You want to move it easily. A small stool can be picked up with one hand.
See our range of wooden footstools and storage stools.
When an ottoman is the better choice
- You want a proper spare seat. An upholstered ottoman is comfortable for a whole evening.
- You want a soft landing for children. Padded edges are kinder than wood.
- You are matching a fabric sofa. An ottoman can be upholstered to match.
- You want to store bulky things. A large ottoman swallows blankets and bedding.
What about a pouffe, a hassock and a tuffet?
British furniture has collected a lot of words for the same small thing.
- Pouffe — a soft, round, low seat, usually with no frame at all. Popular in the 1970s, back in fashion now.
- Hassock — an old English word for a firm cushion or low stool, originally used to kneel on in church.
- Tuffet — an archaic word for a low seat or mound. You will really only meet it in nursery rhymes.
- Footstool — the plain, practical term. In America the same thing is usually called a foot stool or folded into ottoman.
If you are shopping on a UK site, search for footstool. If you are shopping on a US site, search for ottoman or foot stool. Same idea, different vocabulary.
One practical warning about upholstered pieces
In the UK, upholstered furniture sold for use in the home has to meet specific fire safety requirements, and it must carry a permanent label saying so. This applies to ottomans, padded footstools and anything with foam or fabric filling. It does not apply to all-wood furniture with no upholstery.
If you are buying an upholstered ottoman, buy from a seller who can confirm compliance. If you would rather not think about it at all, an all-wood stool sits outside the rules entirely.
Which should you buy?
If you have a large living room and want a soft, generous spare seat: an ottoman.
If you have a small home, a hallway, a bathroom, children, pets, or a limited budget you want to spend once rather than twice: a solid wood footstool or storage stool.
Most British homes, honestly, need the second one. Have a look at our full range — everything is solid wood, made in our own workshop, and delivered from our UK warehouse in two to three working days.