Ottomans & Pouffes

Designer Ottomans and Pouffes for Contemporary Living Rooms

Ottomans, pouffes and footstools are some of the most flexible pieces of living-room furniture. A compact design can provide somewhere to rest your feet or offer occasional seating, while a larger upholstered pouf can sit at the centre of a sofa arrangement and perform a role closer to a soft coffee table.

RB12's collection of designer ottomans and pouffes brings together Scandinavian, Italian and contemporary European furniture from GAN, Bolia, Saba Italia, Design House Stockholm, AYTM and Bonaldo, alongside selected designs from Conform, Northern and Domingo.

The collection ranges from compact upholstered cubes and coordinated footstools to highly sculptural textile pieces designed to become a visual feature within the room.

GAN Pouffes

GAN forms the largest collection of pouffes currently available on the page, with fifteen designs spanning wool, felt and textile-led furniture.

The GAN Sail Pouffe, designed by Héctor Serrano, takes the relaxed form of a beanbag and constructs it from just two triangular pieces of fabric. Made from 100% new wool with a polystyrene filling, its generous 110 × 110 × 120cm proportions create a substantial informal seat.

For a more compact sculptural piece, the GAN Ruff High Pouffe uses thick felted wool wrapped around a cylindrical form. Designed by Romero & Vallejo, its distinctive outer structure gives a relatively simple seat a much stronger decorative identity.

The wider GAN range includes Sail Square, Glaoui, Silai, Bandas, Mangas, Nuances, Raw, Chaddar and Reversible pouffes, giving this category particularly strong depth in textile-led contemporary furniture.

Design House Stockholm Pouffes

Design House Stockholm brings a more playful interpretation of Scandinavian design to the collection.

The Design House Stockholm Knot Pouf is one of the most recognisable products within the category. A several-metre-long knitted tube is tied into a compact knot, turning the construction itself into the defining visual feature of the piece.

Available in a broad choice of colours, Knot works particularly well as an accent within a relatively restrained living room, introducing shape and colour without the scale of another armchair.

RB12 also offers the Design House Stockholm Lulu Pouf, a more figurative and sculptural piece designed to function as both practical furniture and a decorative object.

Bolia Pouffes and Footstools

Bolia brings a distinctly Scandinavian approach to ottomans, combining simple forms with extensive upholstery choice and pieces designed to coordinate with the brand's sofas and armchairs.

The Bolia Sora Pouf is particularly versatile. Its firm foam construction allows it to work as an extra seat or footrest, while an optional travertine tabletop allows the same piece to perform more like a coffee table.

Sora is available in two square sizes and features removable covers, making it a strong example of how a pouf can sit somewhere between upholstered seating and an occasional table.

The Bolia Mielo Footstool serves a more traditional purpose, coordinating with the Mielo seating collection and providing a dedicated upholstered footrest alongside the armchair.

Saba Italia Pouffes

Saba Italia offers contemporary Italian pouffes with soft proportions and a furniture-led approach to upholstery.

The Saba Italia Pixel Pouf adapts one of the geometric modules from the wider Pixel sofa collection into a compact standalone piece.

Designed by Sergio Bicego and measuring 42 × 42 × 40cm, Pixel can be used as an occasional seat, footrest or soft accent beside the corresponding sofa. Its fully removable cover adds practical flexibility.

The Saba Italia Beauty Chair/Pouf offers another interpretation of flexible upholstered seating, while the Geo Pouffe provides a softer rounded option within the wider Saba collection.

AYTM Pouffes

AYTM brings two distinctly sculptural Danish pouffes to the current range.

The AYTM Stilla Pouf uses the drop-shaped form found throughout the Stilla collection. Its upholstery includes recycled PET, while the firm structure means the piece can also be used with a tray as a soft occasional table.

The AYTM Sessio Pouf provides another contemporary Scandinavian option where the pouf is intended to contribute shape and texture rather than simply match an existing sofa.

Bonaldo Pouffes

Bonaldo offers larger Italian pouffes designed as part of substantial living-room furniture systems.

The Bonaldo Maximilian Pouffe belongs to the wider Maximilian modular seating collection and carries the same generous upholstery and tailored detailing into a separate low element.

The Bonaldo Aliante Pouffe provides another substantial Italian option for larger living-room arrangements.

These designs work particularly well where the pouf needs to feel like an integral component of the main seating rather than a small decorative accessory.

Footstools for Armchairs

A dedicated footstool is generally designed to work closely with a particular armchair, matching its seat height, upholstery and overall proportions.

The Bolia Mielo Footstool, for example, coordinates directly with Bolia's Mielo seating, while the Conform Globe Footstool complements the brand's reclining lounge-chair collection.

This type of footstool is the best choice where the primary aim is to extend the comfort of an existing armchair rather than introduce independent occasional seating.

What Is the Difference Between an Ottoman, Pouf and Footstool?

The terms overlap considerably, and furniture brands often use them differently. In general, a footstool is specifically intended to support the feet beside a chair or sofa, while a pouf is usually an upholstered standalone piece that can also provide occasional seating.

Ottoman is a broader term and can describe anything from a compact upholstered footrest to a much larger central living-room piece.

The best approach is therefore to choose around size, firmness and intended function rather than relying entirely on the product name.

Pouffes as Extra Seating

A compact pouf can provide occasional seating without requiring the space of another armchair. This is particularly useful in smaller living rooms or when extra seats are only required occasionally.

The Saba Italia Pixel Pouf is compact enough to move relatively easily around the room, while larger pieces such as the GAN Sail Pouffe provide a much more relaxed individual seat.

Pouffes as Coffee Tables

Some larger, firmer pouffes can perform a role similar to a coffee table when paired with a suitable tray or dedicated tabletop.

The Bolia Sora Pouf is particularly well suited to this because it can be specified with an optional sand-travertine tabletop.

The AYTM Stilla Pouf is another design intended to offer the flexibility of a soft seat and occasional table.

If you primarily need a hard surface for drinks and serving, however, explore RB12's dedicated coffee tables and side tables.

Round and Sculptural Pouffes

Rounded pouffes can soften living rooms dominated by rectangular sofas, rugs and tables. They are particularly effective when used between several seating pieces because the lack of sharp corners makes the arrangement feel less rigid.

More sculptural designs such as the Design House Stockholm Knot Pouf and GAN Ruff High Pouffe can act almost like decorative objects while still providing functional seating.

Ottomans and Pouffes for Small Living Rooms

In a smaller living room, a pouf can be more flexible than adding another full-size chair. It can provide a footrest most of the time and become an extra seat when guests arrive.

Compact designs can also be repositioned around the room or tucked beside a sofa when not required. Always check the individual width and depth, as some of the larger pouffes within the RB12 collection have dimensions closer to lounge furniture than small occasional seating.

How to Choose an Ottoman or Pouf

Begin by deciding how the furniture will be used. A footrest should relate closely to the height and depth of the sofa or armchair, while occasional seating needs a sufficiently supportive construction.

If you intend to use the piece in place of a coffee table, choose a firmer design and consider whether the manufacturer offers a compatible tray or hard tabletop.

Next, consider size. A large square pouf can anchor a generous modular sofa arrangement, while a smaller round or sculptural design may work better beside an individual armchair.

Finally, choose upholstery that either coordinates with the main seating or provides intentional contrast through colour and texture.

Should a Pouf Match the Sofa?

A pouf does not need to use exactly the same upholstery as the sofa. Matching pieces create a coordinated arrangement, but contrasting colour or texture can help a smaller piece become a deliberate accent.

A neutral designer sofa can work well with a stronger textile pouf from GAN or Design House Stockholm, while coordinated footstools from Bolia and other sofa brands provide a more uniform look.

Creating a Complete Living-Room Seating Area

Use the ottoman or pouf in relation to the rest of the seating rather than treating it as an isolated accessory.

Pair a coordinated footstool with one of RB12's designer armchairs, place a larger pouf between an outdoor sofa and lounge chairs, or combine a compact sculptural pouf with a conventional coffee table.

A designer rug can then help define the complete seating arrangement, while cushions and throws introduce further colour and texture.

Shop Designer Ottomans and Pouffes Online at RB12

RB12 offers an extensive collection of designer ottomans, pouffes and footstools in the UK, with contemporary Scandinavian, Italian and textile-led designs for living rooms, bedrooms and relaxed seating areas.

Explore the Design House Stockholm Knot Pouf, GAN Sail Pouffe, GAN Ruff High Pouffe, Bolia Sora Pouf, Bolia Mielo Footstool, Saba Italia Pixel Pouf, AYTM Stilla Pouf, Bonaldo Maximilian Pouffe and other contemporary living-room seating from leading European design brands.