The term ottoman (referring to the footstool) was introduced into English in 1806 and possibly came from the same French word for a type of fabric. During the 18th century when the Balkans were under Turkish rule, the ottoman's typical use in a reclining position was associated in Europe with the East in line with fashionable Turkish influence. The word ottoman as associated with the footstool is widely believed to have come about in the late 18th century when Egypt, then a part of the Ottoman Empire, was invaded by the French. Physical punishment called "pain walks" were common during that time period so the furniture may have been created for resting tired feet. The footstools, since then, became increasingly popular in Europe.

An ottoman is an armless, backless piece of padded, upholstered, seating furniture that is commonly used as a stool, footstool, or an improvised table. Some ottomans are hollow and can be used for storing blankets. They are often placed at the end of a chair where users can use them to place their tired feet on. Other objects can also be placed on it, like a TV remote, magazines, books, food, or even a baby when changing diapers. It may usually be overlooked in many homes but it is a very useful piece of furniture.

Aside from being a footstool, there are plenty of other ways to use it. It can be used as an improvised table where you could place frequently used object such as the TV remote while watching TV; stack magazines or newspapers for reading while drinking coffee; used as an extra seat or a stool you can move anywhere for convenience; a pedestal for reaching high places; and hollow ones can be used for storing blankets or any object that would fit so you can retrieve it easily.

The advantage of ottomans compared to other seating furniture is that they can be easily moved around and, depending on its size, you can hide it out of sight when not in use and take it out when needed. It can also slide under a table or desk if you don't want it getting in the way of cleaning or something. If you're looking for an extra bed and you have more than one of these, you can easily position them side-by-side until you get the length you are looking for. Pull out a pillow along with a blanket (possibly stored inside one of them) to use as a cover and you have another place where somebody can rest peacefully.

Ottomans have grown increasingly popular over the years since it has more uses than most other Home Elegance furniture in the household. It is smaller than most so it can fit virtually anywhere and it's pretty light so you can slide it and move it anywhere around the house. You can use it for decorating the house as well. Say for example, instead of a cocktail table or coffee table, you can actually use an ottoman instead. By simply using a tray or another strong flat surface, you can have the ottoman work as a Home Elegance coffee table or cocktail table. You can put fabric over it that would match the color and design of your sofa so it would look great around on your living room.