An Ottoman Is A Must Have Item

If you haven't noticed, ottomans are everywhere.  It is not surprising since they have so many uses.  Of course, the original use for an ottoman was as a footrest.  You may also have heard an ottoman referred to as a hassock or pouf.  The ottoman originated in Turkey in the late 18th century.

In today's home décor ottomans make great accent pieces.  They can still be used as footrests, but are more often used today as additional seating, as coffee or side tables or to provide for much needed storage space.  Ottomans come in many shapes and sizes and can range in price from $100 to $1,000 or more.  Many DIYer's have even made their own ottomans out of plywood, foam and fabric.

Lets take a look at some of the stylish offerings available and see them in use.

These zebra ottomans would make great accent

pieces in any room.  They would look especially great

 as seating in front of a fireplace or

placed side by side at the end of a bed.

Here is an ottoman being used as a footrest. 

Paired with a matching side chair this

makes for a cozy reading area.

With the addition of a tray a large sturdy ottoman

makes a wonderful coffee table.

Ottomans also work well as space-saving

side tables in a small room.

This bench ottoman allows for storage of 

extra bed linens or off season clothes.

Storage ottomans can even be used to store

 files in an office space.

Here small ottomans tuck under a coffee table

when not being used for added seating.

Colorful Moroccan poufs make for fun

seating in a child's room.

 

So do you have an ottoman in your house?  How do you use yours? 

Columbus Day Weekend Projects

I couldn't have taken off four better days weather wise.  I had big plans and many projects I intended to complete.  Saturday I did my usual yard sale shopping.  I don't know what I am going to do with myself when winter arrives and the yard sales go the way of the dinosaur at least temporarily.

A year ago I purchased a primitive style desk covered in many layers of paint at a yard sale.  I paid $5 for it.   With all of my other obligations it has sat in my garage since then.   This weekend I took it out and set my mind to completing its transformation.  I used paint stripper to take off what I could.  Then I sanded it down with my electric sander and course grit paper.  I spray painted it cream and added some nice deco style silver knobs to the drawer.  What a feeling of satisfaction.  To shed light on the situation I hung up a 1960's wicker swag lamp.

Moving my new gem to its spot in the corner of the Master Bedroom meant making space for it.  It gave me incentive to do much more.  I also moved in from the garage a mid century modern stand I bought at the Thrift Store a while back.  It too was only $5.  It needed just a bit of a wipe down and I added two storage baskets to the bottom shelf.   I made a wall unit out of it by combining it with a bookshelf I had found on one of my Auction House excursions.  I don't remember what I paid for it but I am sure it was cheap.  Above the wall unit hangs another yard sale find.  It is a Maio City Scene I found for $2.  To update it I painted the frame a nice glossy black.

 
At the far corner of the room sits my $12 recovered Estate Sale chair, $5 Thrift Store ottoman and $5 Flea Market floor lamp.  I can't wait to curl up in my new reading corner with a good book and a cup of coffee.  Maybe next time I take a few days off I will get to enjoy that pleasure.