Gout Footstool
Late 20th Century Unknown Empire Ottomans and Poufs
Fabric, Wood
20th Century European Stools
Rattan, Wood
Recent Sales
Antique Late 19th Century English Victorian Footstools
Mahogany
Antique 1870s English Victorian Footstools
Ebony, Walnut
Antique Late 19th Century American Victorian Footstools
Leather, Mahogany
Antique Late 18th Century British Georgian Footstools
Leather, Wood
Early 20th Century English Footstools
Brass
Antique Mid-19th Century British Victorian Footstools
Walnut
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Stools
Upholstery, Oak
Antique 19th Century North American Victorian Footstools
Mahogany
Antique 1830s English William IV Footstools
Oak
Early 20th Century Austrian Art Nouveau Footstools
Wicker, Bentwood
Antique 19th Century French Neoclassical Footstools
Textile, Wood
Antique Late 19th Century French Louis Philippe Footstools
Brass
Antique 19th Century English Regency Stools
Giltwood, Upholstery
Antique 19th Century Swedish Empire Footstools
Wood, Upholstery
Antique 19th Century French Footstools
Antique 1840s Footstools
Antique 19th Century English Footstools
Mahogany
Antique 19th Century American Footstools
Walnut, Pine, Leather
Antique Early 19th Century English Regency Footstools
Antique Early 19th Century English Regency Footstools
Brass
Gout Footstool For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a Gout Footstool?
Finding the Right Footstools for You
Antique and vintage footstools might add a dose of fun to your living room, but they’re also hard workers.
Even as they’ve morphed into objects with plenty of functions over time, the footstool has a royal past. In Ancient Egypt, a footstool was used to climb onto an elevated chair or placed under someone’s feet as he or she was seated in a temple or private residence. Footstools were also in use during the Ottoman Empire. In fact, the ottoman, an upholstered seat or small bench that initially had no back or arms, was the main seating furniture in a home. Ottomans were a way to merge floor seating with cushions and mats.
Poufs, which originated in France, are also thought of as convenient seating furniture as well as occasionally serving as a side table, if needed. (Although, a pouf is typically not as firm as an ottoman.)
Over the years, footstools have taken on varying purposes. They have been used as small portable chairs, for example.
During the 18th century, a footstool might have been long with a low profile, which rendered it perfect for fireside seating. Victorian footstools were small but not unassuming, as furniture makers of the era would upholster the pieces so that they paired with the nearby sofa or wingback chairs. Footstools have even become a storage solution at home, with designers outfitting them with compartments. Today, a footstool might be used to organize quilts and blankets or other textiles, especially if you’re trying to keep things uncluttered in a small apartment.
Footstools are now available in all sorts of provocative colors, upholstery and more. No one is going to put a velvet footstool out on the curb, right? When shopping for your own footstool, try to find one that meets the height of your sofa or other seating (or is a tad lower). It should also be sturdy but not a heavy, clunky piece that’s a chore to move around.
The footstool is both decorative and functional. Not unlike a good throw pillow, interior designers have found numerous uses for this versatile, vibrant furnishing. Find yours in the growing collection of antique and vintage footstools today on 1stDibs.
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