How to style an ottoman, with Meaghan Hunter, Neptune art director and stylist.
Ottomans have an elusive pull for interior designers. They provide a solution to room flow, an opportunity for decoration, and an additional seat. Whether used as a practical extension of a sofa or placed centrally in a living room as the axis around which everything else revolves, the ottoman offers a chance for creativity.
Our timeless designs use traditional joinery techniques and are expertly upholstered to add texture and variety to living spaces. From the more traditional buttoned style of the Arthur stool to the versatile Ophelia, with its concealed drawers that turn into handy top trays, each design can be styled to suit any interior.
Historically used as a central piece of seating in public rooms during the Ottoman Empire, today the ottoman’s versatility lends itself to a more decorative piece of furniture. You might use yours as a platform to create a cohesive display of favourite books and trinkets, for serving up afternoon tea, and as a useful surface for playing board games.
Read on for Meaghan’s five key things to consider when it comes to your choice of display pieces.
NO.1
If you have a square ottoman, visually divide the space into quarters; for a rectangular design, work in thirds. Don’t be afraid to leave empty space, especially if you’ve chosen a patterned upholstery fabric. With a more decorative fabric, leave at least one third clear to appreciate the pattern. For a larger, neutral ottoman, aim to cover three quarters of the surface with lifestyle books and one quarter with a moveable tray.
NO.2
Decorate your ottoman in layers. There are three things I always include: a square tray in which you can group together an odd number of personal objects; lifestyle books
(with their spines turned out to the room) piled at least three to four high; and a scented candle on top, alongside a pretty box of matches.
NO.3
Always place your tallest pile of books at the furthest point from your feet and then, when positioning smaller items on top, work in a diagonal format. With a candle and matches on one pile and then, on the opposite, maybe a couple of shells or a pretty paperweight.
NO.4
Use lifestyle books to seasonally dress your ottoman. Swap the top books over regularly to change the colour palette or theme (I love having gardening books on top in spring, and cosy cabin books in the autumn). They will also work as conversation starters with guests.
NO.5
Avoid tall objects. Instead of a vase of flowers, for instance, opt for a smaller bud vase with a single stem or a little posy of flowers. I’d also avoid over-filling the ottoman and ensure your tray and piles of books are easily moveable so you can still put your feet up.