The things that matter most in an ottoman coffee table are size in relation to your sofa, a firm and stable top, upholstery that can cope with daily use, storage that is easy to open, and legs or a base that suit your flooring. If a table passes on those five points, it will serve as a footrest, a surface and a storage box for years without complaint.<\/p>\n
An ottoman coffee table blurs the line between seating and a table, so it is worth being more careful than you might be with a standard wooden or glass design. Our collection of modern footstools and ottomans UK<\/a> homes use every day includes upholstered pieces in a range of sizes, and this checklist will help you narrow down which one suits your room. It sits alongside our wider range of modern living room furniture UK<\/a> customers can browse by room and style.<\/p>\n Ottomans are often larger and chunkier than they look in photographs, and because they are upholstered, they carry more visual weight than a slim table of the same footprint.<\/p>\n Start with these measurements:<\/p>\n Mark the footprint on the floor with masking tape and live with it for a day or two. It is the simplest way to check that the room still flows.<\/p>\n This is the question that separates a good ottoman coffee table from a comfortable footstool that cannot hold a mug. Press down on the centre and the corners. A useful ottoman should have a firm, flat top that returns to shape quickly and does not dip when you set something on it.<\/p>\n If you plan to put drinks on it regularly, you will almost certainly want a tray. A rigid tray in wood, metal or lacquer gives cups a level base and protects the fabric. Look for an ottoman with enough surface area to hold a tray while leaving some upholstery visible around the edges, otherwise it starts to look like a tray on a box.<\/p>\n The fabric is where most of the long term wear will show. Consider who will use it and how.<\/p>\n Woven fabrics with a tight weave hold up better than loose, open textures, which can snag on jewellery, buckles or pet claws. Mid tones and flecked fabrics hide marks more readily than very pale or very dark solid colours.<\/p>\n Velvet looks rich and feels soft underfoot, but it shows pressure marks where feet or trays have rested. Many people like the lived in look this gives. If you prefer a uniform finish, a quick brush restores the pile.<\/p>\n Leather and good quality faux leather wipe clean easily and suit busy homes. They are firmer to the touch, which helps if the ottoman will mainly be used as a table. Check the stitching along seams and corners, where wear tends to show first.<\/p>\n Boucle is on trend and adds a soft, tactile quality, but the looped surface can catch. It suits calmer households where the ottoman will be used mainly as a footrest and display surface.<\/p>\n If your ottoman sits in front of a fabric sofa, choose a complementary rather than identical upholstery. A slight change in texture or tone adds depth without looking mismatched. Our modern fabric sofas UK range<\/a> is worth browsing alongside ottomans if you are planning both pieces together.<\/p>\n Hidden storage is one of the main reasons people choose an ottoman over a standard table. How it opens makes a big difference to how often you will use it.<\/p>\n Ask what you will store. Throws and cushions need depth. Board games need a flat base. Remote controls and chargers are better in a small tray or divider than loose in a deep box. A lined interior protects contents and makes the box easier to clean.<\/p>\n An ottoman that sits directly on the floor looks solid and hides dust, but it is heavy to move and can feel bulky in a small room. Raised legs lift it visually, make cleaning underneath easier and let a rug show through.<\/p>\n Check the material and finish of the legs. Wood suits traditional and Scandinavian rooms, while metal in black, brass or chrome leans contemporary. Castors add mobility but can roll on hard floors; lockable castors solve that. On carpet, wider feet or glides stop the ottoman sinking and leaving deep impressions.<\/p>\n Shape affects how the ottoman works in daily use as much as how it looks.<\/p>\n If you are weighing an ottoman against a hard table, our wider selection of modern coffee tables UK<\/a> homes choose is a helpful point of comparison, particularly if you want a firmer surface for laptops or dining.<\/p>\n An upholstered table will pick up crumbs, dust and the occasional spill. Before you commit, find out:<\/p>\n A few habits help. Use a tray for drinks, vacuum the top with a soft brush attachment once a week, and blot spills straight away rather than rubbing them. Turning a rectangular ottoman round from time to time also spreads wear more evenly, especially if one end gets more foot traffic.<\/p>\n Households with young children often find ottomans reassuring, since there are no hard corners at head height. The trade off is that small hands can open storage lids, so a slow closing hinge is worth looking for.<\/p>\n Pet owners should favour tightly woven fabric or leather over loops and loose weaves. If a dog or cat is likely to sit on it, choose a darker or flecked colour and a firmer top that will not sag.<\/p>\n For households that entertain often, an ottoman doubles as extra seating. Check the weight it can take and make sure the frame feels solid when you sit on the edge.<\/p>\n An ottoman is a large block of colour and texture in the middle of the room, so it has a strong influence on the overall look. A few approaches work well:<\/p>\n Repeat the ottoman colour somewhere else, perhaps in a cushion or a print, so it feels connected to the room.<\/p>\n If you are choosing a new sofa at the same time, it helps to plan both pieces together so their sizes and fabrics work as a pair. Our guide to what to look for in a UK corner sofa set<\/a> uses a similar checklist approach for seating and is a useful companion if you are choosing both at once.<\/p>\n Run through these final checks:<\/p>\n1. Measure the Space Before Anything Else<\/h3>\n
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2. Check How Firm the Top Is<\/h3>\n
3. Think Carefully About Upholstery<\/h3>\n
Fabric<\/h3>\n
Velvet<\/h3>\n
Faux Leather and Leather<\/h3>\n
Boucle and Textured Weaves<\/h3>\n
4. Look Closely at the Storage<\/h3>\n
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5. Consider the Base and Legs<\/h3>\n
6. Choose a Shape That Suits Your Layout<\/h3>\n
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7. Plan for Everyday Care<\/h3>\n
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8. Think About Who Uses the Room<\/h3>\n
9. Make Sure It Suits the Rest of the Room<\/h3>\n
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A Quick Summary Before You Choose<\/h3>\n
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