Benches and ottomans can be called accent furniture, which fills the emptiness and places decorative accents in the space of the room, giving the interior of the room a complete look. Usually the benches/ottomans have a soft seat (filler - foam rubber, holofiber, PU, etc.). Sometimes there are also hard benches with a metal casing and a plastic seat.

Benches and ottomans make the interior cozier and more comfortable: some models serve as storage, used as a coffee table and even can be used as an additional place to accommodate guests in the room. Such furniture is most often used in the hallway and bedroom, less often in the living room and kitchen.

Types of Benches and Ottomans

Bench has a soft seat, designed for one or two people. Such furniture can be either with or without a backrest. The bench can be equipped with storage drawers. Ottoman, in fact, is an armchair with a soft seat, but without backrest and armrests, designed for one person. Unlike a bench, the ottoman may not have legs and a frame.

The ottomans can be divided into several types:

• Ottoman with storage - the internal space of this model is used as a place for storing various things, for example, household items. Such furniture is equipped with a lid or a door.
• Ottoman transformer - occurs in several executions. Some products consist of several stools, which, following the matryoshka principle, form a soft pouff in the form of a cube. Other models in the unfolded state turn into an armchair or a single bed (this applies to bench-transformers). And some puffs are transformed into a chair.
• The Moroccan Ottoman - does not have a carcass, legs and is a pillow of a conical shape, made of leather patches ("petals"). Can be used as a seat, footrest, bedside table and even a coffee table. The Moroccan pouf is easy to clean, has a wide variety of colors and looks great in any room.

Important: Moroccan ottoman is not very comfortable for seating, but its decorative qualities are undeniable.

Shape

There are oval, round, square and cylindrical padded ottomans. Benches also have different shapes, but most often are rectangular. Furniture with rounded contours visually softens the sharp corners of the interior, models with sharp corners divide the space of the room into several parts, which is convenient when zoning the room.

Frame

• Wood is eco-friendly, beautiful and durable, but expensive material.
• Vine, rattan - a kind of wood, combining attractive appearance and strength. From such materials wicker ottomans and stools are made.
• Particleboard and MDF - resemble a tree, but are much cheaper. By nature and duration of service inferior to natural wood. In this case, the EAF still emits toxic substances.
• Metal - the most durable and durable, but heavy material.
• Plastic is a lightweight material characterized by a variety of shapes and colors, but is too fragile.

Upholstery

The upholstery of benches and ottomans can be different, it's choice depends on individual preferences, as well as on interior features.

Models with velvet upholstery are pleasant to the touch and fill the room with warmth and comfort, but are easily polluted and complex in care. Silk and jacquard look luxurious, but have a high price (appropriate option for living room, bedroom). Benches/ottomans with leather upholstery give the interior a restrained look and at the same time withstand the most intensive use (hallway, kitchen, office).

Important: the quality of upholstery can be distinguished by paying attention to the seams - they should be even. Thin threads on thick fabric or coarse threads on thin upholstery indicate a low quality of the product.

When choosing a bench/ottoman, you should make sure that the upholstery was treated with special water- and dirt-repellent substances. This will preserve the original look of the product for a long time.

Seats

You can find ottomans with a folding or removable seat - a lid, designed to cover a storage for small items. Each of the seats has its advantages: a removable lid will not break off from the puff, and the flap will not be lost. On the other hand, the folding seat requires a more accurate handling, and using a removable cover it's enough to be just attentive.

Room of choice

In the hallway fit Benches or Ottomans, which have inside a place where you can store gloves, keys, items for the care of shoes (brushes, gels, creams) and a horn. It is much more comfortable to put on shoes, while sitting on such furniture. In bedrooms, the bench is often at the footboard of the bed and serves to accommodate bedspreads, decorative pillows and clothes during rest. People can sit down on bench when they dress. The ottoman is used as a seat for easy use of the dressing table. Since the mirror is high, then the ottoman should have a sufficient height. In the living room, on the contrary, the low benches and ottomans are more suitable, since the ottoman, being next to the sofa, plays the role of a stand under the feet. Therefore, it should be below the seats of the sofa or armchair. An interesting solution will be a bench with a backrest - a kind of armchair, but without armrests. You can relax, on such furniture, leaning back and watching TV. Large and stiff benches can be used instead of a coffee table. For the same purpose, a soft ottoman is also suitable, which is supplemented by a tray for greater rigidity, since on a soft surface it is easy to overturn a cup. The bench and pouf are very suitable for rest area (readings). Benches designed for the kitchen have a somewhat greater height. Usually their frame is made of metal, and the seat is covered with natural or artificial leather, which can withstand frequent cleaning.

Style

Benches and ottomans are often decorated with appliqués, embroideries, rhinestones, patterns, carvings in accordance with the style in which the product is made. Such models are especially good for creating an original accent in the overal setting of the room.

Models with smooth lines and curved legs will fit well into old styles (classic, baroque, rococo), benches and ottomans, which have simple geometric shapes suitable for interior design in the style of high-tech or minimalism. Art Nouveau products combine sophistication and simplicity.

The frame of the bench and ottoman is made of valuable types of wood (old styles) or metal (high-tech). In accordance with the style, the upholstery is also performed: for example, velor is found in rococo models, and the skin in modernist and hi-tech products.

Color

Benches and puffs are usually chosen according to the color of armchairs, sofa or bed, so as not to disturb the harmony of the interior. You can combine contrasting colors: an ottoman (bench), sofa cushions and curtains have one color, armchairs and a sofa - the other.

Another option is to allocate an ottoman as an independent decor element, which acts as a bright color spot (lemon yellow, raspberry, turquoise).

Hardware and additional features

Drawers and shelves - come in different designs. Some ottomans have several drawers, which allows you to store various things in order. There are benches equipped with open shelves under the seat, which provide quick access to any thing, but do not protect from dust and extraneous views.

Wheels - allow you to easily move the bench or ottoman, which is especially true for models with boxes.

Tips for choosing Bench and Ottoman

• Benches/ottomans should be safe for health.
• The product should be stable: pay attention to the quality of the legs and wheels(if applicable).
• It is necessary to make sure that there are no defects in the model. Check the reliability of the connections and retractable mechanisms.
• It is recommended to choose a bench / padded stool without sharp corners - this will reduce the risk of accidental injury (it is important if there are kids in the family).

You can also check our other shopping guides: "10 Tips how to choose a right sofa for your living space", “How to choose living room sofa“, “How to choose dining room furniture?”