A
footstool is a piece of
furnitureFurniture is the mass noun for the movable objects intended to support various human activities such as seating and sleeping in beds, to hold objects at a convenient height for work using horizontal surfaces above the ground, or to store things...
, the purpose of which is to support one's feet. There are two main types of footstool, which can be loosely categorized into two categories, those designed for comfort and those designed for function.
Footstools for comfort
This type of footstool is used to provide comfort to a person seated, for example, in a
chairA chair is a raised surface used to sit on, commonly for use by one person. Chairs often have the seat raised above floor level, supported by four legs. A chair without a back or arm rests is a stool, or when raised up, a bar stool or high chair . A chair with arms is an armchair and with...
or
sofaSofa may refer to:In general:* A piece of furniture also called a couch* Sofa slave-soldiers in the Mali Empire and its successor states.In music:* Any of four bands of overlapping eras:...
. It is typically a short, wide, four-legged
stoolA stool can refer to:*A type of chair without back and arm rests** In West Africa, a throne** A bar stool ** A footstool* A flush toilet, in some dialects* Feces:* A living stump capable of producing sprouts or cuttings...
with a padded top,
upholsteredUpholstery is the work of providing furniture, especially seats, with padding, springs, webbing, and fabric or leather covers. The word upholstery comes from the Middle English words up and holden, meaning to hold up. The term is applied to domestic furniture and also to in automobiles and boats...
in a fabric or
animal hideHides are skins obtained from animals for human use. Examples of animal hide sources are deer and cattle typically used for producing leather, alligator skins, snake skins for shoes and fashion accessories and wild cats, minks and bears, whose skins are primarily sought for their fur...
, such as leather. This type of footstool is also a type of
OttomanAn ottoman is a piece of furniture consisting of a padded, upholstered seat or bench having neither back nor arms, often used as a stool or footstool, or in some cases as an improvised coffee table. Ottomans are often sold as coordinating furniture with armchairs or gliders.An ottoman can also be...
and it often referred to simply as an
OttomanAn ottoman is a piece of furniture consisting of a padded, upholstered seat or bench having neither back nor arms, often used as a stool or footstool, or in some cases as an improvised coffee table. Ottomans are often sold as coordinating furniture with armchairs or gliders.An ottoman can also be...
. It allows the seated person to rest their feet upon it, supporting their legs at a mostly horizontal level, thus giving rise to use of the term
footrest, for this item.
Footstools for function
This type of footstool, also known simply as a
stoolA stool can refer to:*A type of chair without back and arm rests** In West Africa, a throne** A bar stool ** A footstool* A flush toilet, in some dialects* Feces:* A living stump capable of producing sprouts or cuttings...
, is used as a short stepladder or to support a person's (usually a child's) feet that do not reach the floor when seated. In the former case, the footstool is used by placing it on a flat surface and standing on it to extend one's reach. In the latter case, the footstool is placed under the feet of a sitting person so that the person's feet may rest comfortably on it. An example of the latter is the type of
pianoThe piano is a musical instrument which is played by means of a keyboard. Widely used in Western music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music, and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
footstool used in conjunction with a piano bench. It is also used to make the blood circulation of your body flow more freely than sitting down.