Styling With Great Little Stools and Hassocks
Today's 'tuffets' can be extra seating, side tables or elegant functional sculptures
Little Miss Muffet sat on her tuffet, but I wonder if it looked as good as any of these? Stools and hassocks — aka “tuffets” if you are writing nursery rhymes — are some of the most versatile pieces of furniture in the house. They are so small, you can slip them in as extra seating, foot rests or little side tables just about anywhere.
But the most amazing thing about them is how such a little piece of furniture can add so much style to a room. As I gathered photos for this ideabook I was impressed by the significant impact the style of these tiny pieces of furniture made on the overall look of a space. See what I mean:
But the most amazing thing about them is how such a little piece of furniture can add so much style to a room. As I gathered photos for this ideabook I was impressed by the significant impact the style of these tiny pieces of furniture made on the overall look of a space. See what I mean:
This upholstered stool is all feminine curves and attitude. Perfect for a lady's boudoir. Sitting on this, I think I would have to get out my long, movie-star-style cigarette holder. Move over, little princess pooch!
I love the unique semi-circle upholstered stools here. Split apart, they line up nicely around this coffee table. But you could also use them pushed together for an ottoman-sized piece.
Sitting two low stools side by side in front of a fireplace makes a great spot to enjoy the heat and doesn't block the view. Great style with the wood wrapping all the way up the sides and a little above. Come to think of it, those raised sides are a great safety feature. They would keep me from sliding off sideways after that second glass of wine!
Entire walls of stone need something very warm and fuzzy to offset them. This pair of hassocks covered in oversized loops of wool fills the bill.
These drum-shaped stools are so stylish they manage to hold their own in a room with very large and distinctively styled furniture. Their ornate little frames pick up on the design of the coffee table legs, and they fit right in.
This fun little stool works well with the interesting shape of the white piece of art above and is put into use as a pedestal. The angled composition of its boards adds whimsy to the room.
With no other leather furniture in the room, adding a touch of it via the two small stools adds a den or club-room ambiance. They are small enough to move easily and would make perfect footrests pulled in front of the chairs.
Nonupholstered stools work well as little tables. These are very elegant in front of this sofa. And because there are also side tables to hold your drinks, these could be used as a seat to perch on in a pinch — well, for somebody slim, anyway.
These ribbed stools show up in lots of places. In the previous photo, one was slipped into a small space. Here they can be scattered wherever you need them along a built-in curved bench.
Two or three stools in front of a couch can easily take the place of a coffee table. The strong lines of these wood stools fit with the minimalist look of the fireplace and furniture.
Three hassocks in a row — their pattern carefully matched — almost fool the eye into thinking they are one long bench.
Notice how the X-shape of these legs picks up the lines in the area rug.
These hassocks continue the curved lines of the sofa and coffee table. They also managed to slip in another little stool by the fireplace. That's a lot of seating!
Stools tucked in at the end of a dining table add another seat without making the room feel crowded. The natural wood of this stool was a great choice combined with the live-edge wood dining table.
Stools placed next to a window provide great seating for enjoying the view without blocking it for the rest of the room. These little stools are very ornate and make me think of a British colonial home in Africa.
Why stop at one kind of stool in your room? A Chinese blue-and-white ceramic stool provides a nice side table, while the leather hassock is a comfy footrest. The combination gives this room a "collected-from-my-travels" look.
What would be more fitting than a stool with faux bois legs in a bathroom with a wood bath?
Christopher Guy Designs
This Christopher Guy stool is the perfect one for a lady's vanity. Just sitting on this would make me feel sexy before I even got my makeup on!
Two minimal side-by-side wood stools underline this piece of art and feel almost like sculpture themselves. Their simple shapes allows the beautiful wood grain on them to stand out.
Never underestimate the style impact of a stool. The sleek curves of this one echo the curves in the stone. A strong design statement for a tiny piece.
Have you found a jewel of a stool that made all the difference in your space?
More: Modern Icons: The Eames Walnut Stool
Great Idea: Hostess Stools
Global Icons
Have you found a jewel of a stool that made all the difference in your space?
More: Modern Icons: The Eames Walnut Stool
Great Idea: Hostess Stools
Global Icons