Furniture Favorites: Upholstered Ottomans

Lately as I cruise around Houzz I'm been drawn to pictures of upholstered ottomans. I had not given them a whole lot of thought in the past, but now I'm noticing how versatile they are. Sometimes they serve as a soft low table in the middle of a living room, and they can unite otherwise disparate pieces of furniture (i.e. a few occasional chairs with a settee; a pair of upholstered wingbacks with a modern sofa). Often times they seem to serve as the center of a circle, with furniture radiating out around them.

If you opt for a cushy upholstered ottoman in lieu of a coffee table, you'll probably want to have a nice sturdy tray on hand to place on top of it for drinks, perhaps a vase of flowers, or to keep a few magazines or books neatly stacked. Here are some examples of how to use an upholstered ottoman, ranging from elegant and formal to casual and relaxed.