The Nantucket Charm Edit
Wicker Storage Ottomans
A coffee table, an extra seat, and somewhere to hide the throw blankets — the hardest-working piece in a small coastal room.
Every summer house runs out of somewhere to put the blankets.
A storage ottoman solves three problems with one purchase: it takes a tray and becomes a coffee table, it takes a pair of feet at the end of the day, and it swallows the throws, the beach towels and the board games nobody wants to look at. Woven pieces first, then the upholstered tray-top ottomans.
Texture First
Wicker & Water Hyacinth
Handwoven lids, wood feet, and the warm basket texture that keeps a blue-and-white room from going cold.
Indoor Furniture
Best Choice Products Handwoven Water Hyacinth Storage Ottoman Footstool
Handwoven water hyacinth on little wood feet with a lift-off lid — a footstool, an extra seat, and a hamper for throw blankets all at once. The texture is what keeps a blue-and-white room from going cold.
Indoor Furniture
HULALA HOME Woven Rattan Rolled-Arm Storage Bench with Cushion
Hand-woven seagrass with rolled English arms and an ivory cushioned lid that lifts to real storage — the end-of-bed bench I'd pile with a folded quilt and two linen pillows, or set in a wide hallway under a piece of art.
Outdoor Furniture
Safavieh Anguilla Wicker Storage Ottoman — Natural with Wood Lid
A round natural wicker ottoman with a lift-off acacia-wood lid that hides pillows and throws — the double-duty coffee-table-slash-storage piece I'd anchor a wicker porch with, navy cabana pillows tumbled on top.
Before You Order
How to Choose Yours
- 1. Two thirds of the sofa. A coffee-table ottoman should measure roughly two thirds the length of the sofa it faces, with 14 to 18 inches of walking room between them.
- 2. Decide what goes inside first. Throw blankets need depth; board games and beach towels need a flat, wide interior. Read the interior dimensions, not the outside ones.
- 3. Lift-off lid or hinged. A lift-off lid is sturdier and easier to tray; a hinged lid is faster for something you open daily.
- 4. Woven inside, all-weather out. Water hyacinth is warmer and cheaper for a living room. For a porch or sunroom, pay up for resin wicker so humidity doesn't swell it.
- 5. Always add a tray. A brass or rattan tray turns a soft top into a real surface — and it's the difference between "styled" and "a stool with a drink balanced on it."
Soft Tops
Upholstered & Tray-Top
Tufted linen, ivory bouclé and navy velvet — the ottomans that stand in for a coffee table in front of a slipcovered sofa.
Indoor Furniture
Tufted Cream Linen Storage Ottoman Bench with Nailhead Trim
Indoor Furniture
24KF Large Square Tufted Linen Storage Ottoman Coffee Table with Wood Shelf — Ivory
Indoor Furniture
Upholstered Entryway Storage Bench with Rustic Oak Base & Basket Shelf
Questions We Get
Storage Ottoman Questions
- Can a storage ottoman really be used as a coffee table?
- Yes, as long as you give it a hard surface. Set a brass, lacquer or rattan tray on top and it holds drinks, books and a candle exactly like a coffee table — with blankets and board games hidden inside. A round ottoman is also the safest choice in a room with small grandchildren, because there is no sharp corner at head height.
- What size storage ottoman should I buy?
- For a coffee-table ottoman, aim for roughly two thirds the length of your sofa and leave 14 to 18 inches of walking room between the two. As a footstool beside a chair, an 18 to 22 inch cube is plenty. At the foot of a queen bed, look for a 40 to 48 inch bench.
- Is wicker or water hyacinth better for a storage ottoman?
- Water hyacinth is softer, lighter and warmer in tone, and it is the better value for an indoor footstool. Resin or all-weather wicker is the one to choose for a porch or sunroom, because it will not swell or mildew when the humidity climbs and the windows are open all summer.
- Will a woven ottoman hold up as a seat?
- A lift-off lid ottoman is meant for occasional seating, not daily perching. Check the stated weight rating before you plan on it as an extra chair at Thanksgiving; upholstered ottomans on a solid wood frame carry adult weight far better than a hollow woven lid.
- How much does a good storage ottoman cost?
- Handwoven water hyacinth footstools start around $79. Upholstered linen and bouclé storage ottomans with a tray top land between $118 and $200. A large all-weather wicker ottoman with a solid wood lid runs closer to $300.
- What is the easiest way to style one?
- Three things, always: a tray, something tall, and something soft. A brass tray, a stack of two or three books with a small bowl of shells on top, and a folded throw over one corner. That is the whole trick, and it takes about a minute.
The Coastal Cottage Styling Guide
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