Welcome to our guide to ottomans! Sometimes you need to rest your feet, and there is just nowhere to put them, so it’s great when a chair has just a bit something extra to help you really kick back. A wonderful addition to almost any living room is an ottoman.

An ottoman allows you to really put your feet up and can add another level of comfort to a chair or couch. An ottoman, by definition, is typically a short and padded piece of furniture that is often used as a footstool, though they do have other uses. Ottomans often look like little furniture cubes, but can come in other shapes and styles.

Not all ottomans are square; round and octagonal are other popular shapes for ottomans. Also, while most ottomans appear solid, with hidden storage under the seat, there are a number of open bottom designed options. Although an ottoman is often used as a footstool there are a number of things an ottoman can be used for, like as an additional bench or seat, depending on the strength of the construction.

Some ottomans can be quite long, and even be used as benches. Also, an ottoman can be used as a coffee table or end table if you want your tables to have a softer appeal. Quite often ottomans are sold paired with a seat or are made to match another piece of furniture.

They are made to either match exact patterns or at least compliment their accompanying chairs. However, this is not always necessary. An ottoman can be an accent piece, working to contrast or even stand on its own as an independent piece of furniture.

A lot of ottomans are hollow and can be used for storage. These kinds of ottomans have a removable top revealing the compartment inside. If your living room is in need of a bit of something extra, but you are not sure what the room is in need of, consider an ottoman.

The ottoman is a more versatile piece than many people think. From complimenting a seat with some extra comfort, acting as an independent piece of seating, being a soft coffee table, to even being able to store items, an ottoman is quite a useful piece of furniture.

Want to see more living room ideas? Check out our definitive guide to living room design.

Here we can see a simple matching ottoman with a very fluffy top. This ottoman is large enough to let someone really kick back and extend their legs. It also is sturdy enough to work as an extra seat.

Here is a simple square ottoman that matches the furniture well in this simple and uncluttered living room.

The ottoman here is longer and a bit taller than the matching chair. This way the person sitting in this chair can really lay back and have plenty of elevated foot room. See more of this home here. Designed by Locati Architects.

This accent chair matches the pattern of this rectangular ottoman. The floral pattern lends a feminine touch to this vaguely country style living room.

This is a simple and basic ottoman that matches the minimalist chair in this sleek and modern living room. While this kind of ottoman does not have storage like many do, it serves the minimal look and design. See more of this home here. Designed by JM Architecture.

Here is a basic and uncomplicated ottoman that matches the comfy and inviting living room chair. A sturdy ottoman can also be used as extra seating during gatherings.

This large ottoman is a great addition to this large and cozy chair, and is also large enough to provide more seating options if there is ever need for it.

This wide and square ottoman accompanies a big and comfortable sofa. This ottoman is great for expanding the area of this sofa when you are kicking back and watching the game or taking a cat nap. See more of this home here. Designed by JM Architecture.

Here is a very large square leather ottoman with two matching sofas. Because it matches both sofas, this ottoman can work with either of these furnishings.

This nice and cozy seat has a matching square ottoman and is sitting in the corner of this room. The ottoman adds a lot to this chair, making it more inviting and adding a splash of color to the room.

In this room there are two ottomans sitting apart from the other chairs. Rather than serving as foot rests for any chairs, these ottomans are seats on their own around a glass coffee table. See more of this home here. Source: Zillow Digs™ / Listings

In this living room, two ottomans act as seats on the opposite side of a table from matching sofas. This is a great way to form a circle of seating without creating unnecessary clutter.

In this bright and simple living room, one ottoman sits between four chairs. The pattern and color scheme of the chairs match so well that the ottoman can fit with any of the four.

Two ottomans sit near the fireplace in this living room. These serve as great seats for sitting by the fire. They are small enough that they can also be moved and used as foot rests for any of the chairs in the room at a moments notice. See more of this home here. Designed by Clay Construction

There are two round and interesting blue ottomans in this living room. These pouf style ottomans may not match the rest of the seating, but they add an incredible pop of color to balance out the orange.

This living room has two different kinds of ottomans; a coffee table style ottoman and two more narrow bench-style ottomans. See more of this home here. Designed by CEILTRIM, inc.

In this room there is a brown leather ottoman being shared between two chairs. Another orange ottoman that does not match any particular seat still fits well into the design. See more of this home here. Designed by Jaffa Group.

This small living room is furnished with a single leather chair. The ottoman in this room makes this already comfy chair even harder to resist.

This bright and cool living room has a roomy and comfy chair that is paired with a long and soft ottoman, making this chair very welcoming.

A basic ottoman accompanies this accent chair. The chair and the ottoman bring a visual appeal to this living room. See more of this home here. Designed by The Inman Company

This white chair has an ottoman that does not match the chair, but still in the same color palette. Because of the color, the ottoman still looks very good, and fits the theme of this room well. See more of this home here. Designed by Garrison Hullinger Interior Design

This room has a single, small and round ottoman matching the comfy, welcoming, and roomy chair.

This sleek and modern all-white living room has a long and low ottoman that serves as a footstool and a table.

This blue accent chair is accompanied by a small matching ottoman. Both are elegant, and the ottoman brings a bit more comfort to a fancy wingback armchair.

A matching ottoman sits next to this large white sofa. It can be moved easily to be a foot stool when not used as a seat. See more of this home here. Designed by BERLINRODEO