No Place Like Home -- Karen Wight

When I was at UCLA, one of the “easy” classes was titled “Byzantine

History: The Rise and Fall of the Ottoman Empire.” There were two

classes in the series, which fulfilled general requirements and helped

my GPA. I took both classes, slightly raised my grade-point average and

learned quite a bit about a part of the world that in the late ‘70s

seemed remote and removed.

Fast forward to 2002 and my history lessons have come in handy both

geographically and politically. But that’s not my point. The point is

furniture, and my favorite (and in my opinion the most versatile) piece

is the ottoman. With a small “o,” the ottoman is a low cushioned seat

without back or arms. The French thought the style was somewhat Oriental,

hence the name. The big “O” is a Turk in Asia Minor sometime in the

1400s. Don’t confuse the two.

The small “o” variety appears in almost every room in my house. In the

living room, my ottoman sits in front of the fireplace. It is low, so it

doesn’t block the view of the fire; it is very soft, which makes it a

favorite roost; and having it on casters means I can easily move it

around to accommodate the crowd.

In the girls’ bathrooms, the ottomans (not “men”) are rolled

underneath their vanities. The purpose is to have a place to put on

makeup or do your hair. I’m afraid they are used more as vehicles that

speed across the tile floor. The idea was good in concept.

In the family room, the ottoman serves as the coffee table. I gave up

on the official version of the coffee table in this room because I can’t

keep the kids’ feet off while they watch television. I acquiesced and

gave in to family pressure. Shoes still need to come off before they

perch.

A pair of small ottomans can roll under a sofa table and add color and

flair without being in the way. Casters make an ottoman very mobile

(maybe too mobile in my house) and a great piece of furniture that can be

used for seating, eating or a meeting.

Sorry.

Ottomans (the first letter in a sentence must be capitalized but do

not think I am discussing little men) can be small and tucked away in a

convenient corner or stored under a table. Large ottomans can be the

anchor for the room and be used for a variety of purposes.

I have a friend who just put a 5-foot square ottoman in her family

room. She covered it in a beautiful red and bronze washed chenille. It is

the focal point of the room. She added pillows out of the red and bronze

fabric to her more neutral sofa and the look is great. Because the

ottoman is so large, she had the top tufted, so in addition to fashion

and function, she now has texture. It’s perfect.

Ottomans in a bathroom can be slipcovered in towel fabric and can be

easily washed. Put a large tray on an ottoman and he will lose his

balance. Just kidding, that would be the big “O” kind. A tray on an

ottoman can serve as a place to serve food or drinks.

There are always the obligatory feet, but with an ottoman anything

goes. It’s my kind of furniture.

* KAREN WIGHT is a Newport Beach resident. Her column runs Sundays.