the.com/ottoman bench
Furniture that can't decide if it's a seat, a table, or a treasure chest.
means A long, low upholstered seat without a back or arms, often padded on top and sometimes hinged to open for storage, used for sitting or resting the feet.
from The name traces to the Ottoman Empire, where low cushioned seating ran around the walls of a room rather than standing as separate chairs. As this style of furniture spread into 18th-century Europe, the word 'ottoman' was borrowed along with it — 'Ottoman' itself coming, through French and Italian, from 'Osman' (Arabic 'Uthman'), the name of the dynasty's founder. The 'bench' simply names its long, low shape; the storage lid is a later, thriftier addition.
- name origin
- Named for the Ottoman Empire's low cushioned seating
- secret storage
- Hollow versions swallow blankets you forgot you owned
- footstool gig
- Doubles as the throne for tired feet
- no back
- Designed for lounging, not posture lectures
- divan ancestor
- Descended from Turkish couches that lined whole walls
ottoman empire — ruled from 1299-1922, spanning three continents from north africa to the balkans
chesterfield ottoman — iconic button-tufted footstool popularized in 19th century england, still mass-produced today