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Design Dilemma: Designing with Poufs

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The pouf — or ottoman if you prefer — has come a long way over the years. Increasingly, designers are moving away from purely utilitarian ottomans  to more imaginative and whimsical pieces that function as art at the same time that they provide a place to rest the feet. The beauty of the pouf is that it is a multi-functional piece of furniture that can work as extra seating, a footrest, sometimes a table or extra storage, but that isn’t large. That means this little piece of furniture can be the perfect opportunity to add some humor to a home without making a major commitment.  Plus, poufs can easily be moved around the room or house and recovered, meaning this serviceable object is awash with numerous design possibilities. Just check out the knitted Flock Urchin poufs above by Christien Mendertsma. The knitted stools come in three sizes and an array of colors adding color, texture, plus an air of hipness to any room. They run between $800 and $1680, depending on size and are available at Nova68.com.

Tato Tattoo by Maurizio Galante for Baleri Italia includes four original photographic images printed on an ecological elastic fabric cover which stretches to fit the form of the ottoman, allowing the image to become three dimensional. The fabric choices include images of a bunny, snake, skull and flamingo. The pouf runs about $830 and is available at LivingSpace.

Piero Gilardi “Sasso” seat, or “rock” seat, can function as a stool or ottoman. Made from expanded polyurethane painted with Guflac, it is soft, water-proof and weather resistant. The Sasso comes in a larger size that functions more as a seat, as well as smaller stones closer to ottoman size. The Gufram Sassi series is available at Stardust.com for $1630.50.

Tanya Aguiniga also uses the rock theme, but to totally different effect with her “soft rocks” which come in several different shapes. The rocks are made of upholstery foam scraps, goatland wool, and various wool yarns. Consult Aguiniga’s online store for prices.

The Nendo Dew pouf, manufactured by Moroso, takes strips of leather of different widths and weaves them together to add an unusual three-dimensionality to the pouf’s surface. Contact Moroso for more information.

Looking for even more texture in your pouf? Check out the flora pouf, below, covered in hundreds of laser-cut wool flowers. The piece is available at ModernDose.com for $549.

And if these prices seem out of your reach, don’t fret. Kilim and flokati ottomans can be found on Ebay and woven and rattan poufs can be found at West Elm, Etsy.com, Pier One Imports and Urban Outfitters. There’s no need to spend hundreds of dollars just to put your feet up in style.