Taken separately, both ottomans and coffee tables are extremely versatile and useful so what would happen if you combine the two? Well, you get a new piece of furniture that’s even more functional and which you can use in at least two different ways.

Ottoman coffee tables are cool and pretty easy to work with, especially if you like casual decors because no matter how much you try you could never make a space look completely formal if there’s an ottoman coffee table at its center.

That’s actually one of the things that we love most about these hybrid pieces. No matter how you put it, they have an intrinsic dose of casualness and comfort. We’ll show you how to make the most of that.

How to choose an ottoman coffee table

Before you go ahead and buy the first ottoman that you see, it would be bet to take some time and think about any of the important features that you want it to include. Not all ottomans can double as coffee tables and not all that do are suited for your own specific needs.

The primary function of the ottoman

First of all, let’s talk about this particular combo. Yes, an ottoman can function as a coffee table in some cases but do you want it to primarily be used as a table or as an actual ottoman? Determining this helps you to discover other important aspects of its design. If you want an ottoman that you might occasionally repurpose as a table, it’s not really worth focus in on how well it can mimic a table. It’s more useful to focus on comfort in this particular case.

Storage ottoman coffee table

Both coffee tables and ottomans can offer a variety of storage options. It’s up to you to decide whether or not this is something you can use in your life and which type of storage is best suited for your needs if it’s the case. Take some time to figure out exactly what you need to store in your new ottoman/ coffee table. Books would fit nicely on a shelf while small things like remotes, cables and so on would sit best in a drawer for example.

Size

The size of any piece of furniture is important. Since we’re talking about a multifunctional piece in this case, you should make sure that the size is comfortable and practical no matter how you use it. As an ottoman it should be comfortable and as a table it should be functional and practical. It should also suit the room and the layout.

As a general idea, the length of a coffee table should be about one half or two thirds the length of the sofa. The height is also measured in relation to the sofa. Coffee tables are usually the same height as the sofa seat cushions but since we’re talking about an ottoman table, it would be better for it to be a bit lower than that. This way you can feel comfortable when you put your feet up.

Shape

Both coffee tables and ottomans come in a variety of different shapes. The most common ones are rectangular, square, round and oval. Choose the shape based on the other pieces of furniture around it, the overall décor of the room as well as any specific needs. For instance, if you have small kids, look for something that doesn’t have sharp edges and corners.

There are also a bunch of other novelty shapes that you might find interesting. For example, you could have a hexagon or inverse pyramid shape that could look cool in your living room.

Style

Look for an ottoman or a coffee table that suits your style. If you like clean and simple designs, look for something modern or contemporary. If you prefer something cozy and inviting, perhaps a rustic or traditional design would suit you. Eclectic designs are sometimes the best at combining good features from two or more styles.

Upholstery for an ottoman coffee table

Regardless of size, shape, or style, you have a variety of different upholstery options to consider. Some give you a more casual look while other are better suited for more formal and elegant environments. Fabric is the most versatile material of all. It comes in an infinite number of colors and lots of different textures, patterns, and prints.

Leather, on the other hand, can also offer some diversity in terms of texture and color. It’s more elegant and has a more luxurious and sophisticated look and it can also offer other advantages as well such as durability or the fact that it’s easier to clean and more resilient than fabric.

There are a few other options to consider, a bit less common but still worth checking out like velvet, suede or rattan for example.

Ottoman coffee table decor ideas

Bon Pouf – the Cube version

Whether you use it as an ottoman, a coffee table or both the Bon Pouf Cube looks really cute. It comes in 7 quirky and interesting colors and patterns like blossom pink or honey yellow. It’s a great companion for the sofa and it also goes great with a comfy lounge chair.

The Bon Pouf Round

If you prefer rounded shapes in small doses, check out the Bon Pouf Round by Hem. It’s a 50cm x 41cm pouf which you can use in a variety of different situations. It can be an ottoman for your sofa or armchair or an extra seat for a guest. You can even group up several poufs in the middle of the living room instead of a typical coffee table.

The Gendron leather ottoman table

The genuine leather upholstery gives the Gendron ottoman a super elegant and refined look. At the same time, its extra wide shape make it a great alternative to a typical coffee table. Pair it with a sofa or a sectional to create a setup that’s both stylish and super comfortable.

The round Huskins cocktail ottoman

Round ottomans, just like round coffee tables, make the area around them feel inviting and cozy. The Huskins ottoman measures 41.73’’ in width which is just about right if you want to use it in combination with a sofa or an L-shaped sectional. The tufted top isn’t flat so use a tray if you plan to serve drinks or snacks.

The velvet Tyson pouf

It’s a mix between a pouf and an ottoman and it can also function beautifully as a coffee table. The Tyson pouf is a 22’’ wide beauty with a distinguishable gold-tones stainless steel ring around the base. It also features velvet upholstery which makes the colors look super rich and glamorous.

The Rosina storage ottoman with faux leather upholstery

Having an ottoman that you can use as a coffee table is already a very convenient combo. Add to that the ability to also store things inside and it becomes the perfect piece of furniture for the living room. The Rosina storage ottoman is all of those things combined, all in a beautiful and elegant package.

The Northside ottoman with a woven design

If you want something other than your typical coffee table but you’re not a fan of the classic ottoman either, check out the Northside, an ottoman unlike the ones we’ve seen so far. It has a plywood frame which is wrapped in woven banana leaf and four stubby little legs. It also has a top that you can lift and reveal a hidden storage compartment.

The round Degregorio leather ottoman

In case you want something small or compact or something that you can use in combination with an accent table, check out the Degregorio ottoman. It’s round and measures only 16’’ in diameter. It’s also supported by four super slender metal legs which give it a lightweight appearance.

Pair an upholstered table with a tray

Because ottoman coffee tables are upholstered (otherwise they’d just be tables) their surface is not exactly great for displaying or keeping things on, especially when it comes to vases, glasses and other stuff. To solve this problem, you can use a tray.

Try an ottoman and accent table combo

If a tray is not exactly a suitable alternative for you, a better option can be to have an accent table that fits neatly over the ottoman, sort of like a sleeve. It would be similar to a C-table which complements the sofa but with its own particularities.{found on signaturedesignskitchenbath}.

Enjoy the elegance of a leather-upholstered ottoman

An ottoman is better suited for a living room that wants to look cozy and welcoming compared to a coffee table and it all has to do with the upholstery. We like the contrast showcased here between the fabric-upholstered sofa and armchairs and the leather-upholstered coffee table ottoman.{found on jdesigngroup}.

The tray can be built into the ottoman for convenience

We mentioned that you can use a tray if you want to have a flat surface on which to keep items on your ottoman coffee table but we didn’t mentioned the fact that the tray can be a structural part of the table/ ottoman. Check out this interesting design which has a special place at the center for a removable tray.{found on eminentinteriordesign}.

If a single ottoman is too small, get a couple of them

Sometimes an ottoman is too small to be useful as a coffee table. You can easily surpass this issue by simply using two ottomans instead of one. Actually, if that’s not enough either, add one or two more. They can each serve as individual hybrid pieces or you can link them together to make a bigger piece.{found onnitzandesign}.

Some ottomans have almost perfectly flat surfaces

Not all ottomans have soft and thick upholstery. It’s actually those that don’t fit these criteria that make the best coffee tables. Their almost flat surfaces are practical and they’re soft and cushy enough to sit or to rest your feet on comfortably.

Tufted ottomans make great coffee table alternatives

Tufted ottomans are super common and popular and for good reason. They’re the perfect combination of elegant and cozy and they make great coffee table alternatives. Check out how beautifully this one complements the sitting area with its chic color and simple and versatile design and form.

Ottomans are best-suited for casual living room setups

Of course, before you jump to the idea of throwing out your old coffee table and replacing it with an ottoman, you have to make sure that this combination of elements suits your lifestyle. An ottoman coffee table is great for someone who likes to put their feet up and watch TV but no so much for someone who likes to serve drinks and snacks on the coffee table.

A coffee table can be repurposed into an ottoman

Speaking of old coffee tables, you should also consider the option or repurposing yours into an ottoman rather than replacing it entirely. After all, a coffee table already has the right size and frame and all you have to do is add some foam and upholstery fabric/ leather. You can even leave the base exposed if there’s a shelf you can use for storage down there.

Flat upholstered ottomans are very similar to coffee tables

If you’re not a big fan of button-tufted ottomans, there are always other design options which you can explore. How about an ottoman coffee table with a flat upholstered surface? It has a neat and simple look and the design is great if you want to put an emphasis on a cool fabric pattern.{found on gmconstructioninc}.

The ottoman can match your sofa for a unified look

There’s also the option to match the ottoman coffee table to your sofa or sectional. There are actually furniture sets which include all these modules and you can also always repurpose a footstool into a table if you like the way it fits into the big picture.

3 DIY ottoman coffee table ideas

Simple DIY wood ottoman table with casters

If you want to build yourself an ottoman that you can also use as a coffee table, this is a really nice design. It’s simple, easy to put together and versatile. It’s made out of wood and it doesn’t look bulky or heavy and it has casters so you can easily move it whenever it’s needed or take it out of the way when you’re cleaning. The dimensions for the one featured on morelikehome are 24 1/2″ wide x 17 1/2″ tall (not including casters) x 24 1/2″ deep but as with any DIY project these can be customized as needed.

Pouf-inspired handmade ottoman

If you want something that looks more like a pouf than a table, check out this lovely ottoman design from makingniceinthemidwest. It has a simple shape and it can customized with your choice of fabric for a personalized look. If you’re wondering what’s inside it, the answer is 3 comforters. They were folded into quarters and rolled tightly together, then secured with duct tape. This gives the ottoman a nice and solid structure and also keeps it very soft and comfortable.

Storage ottoman with a removable top

Here’s a more eclectic design for a storage ottoman made from wood. It looks like a cube which is a shape that suits for ottomans and coffee tables alike, thus being perfect for this hybrid piece. It has casters for added mobility and a top that you can lift up to reveal a secret storage area inside where you can keep extra cushions, pillows and other things.

Beautiful ottoman coffee table ideas available on the market

The elegant Avalon ottoman table

So far we focused on ottoman coffee tables and their role in the living room but that’s not the way to use these versatile furniture pieces. An ottoman table can actually fit great in pretty much any room of the house, including the bedroom, the office or even the bathroom and the Avalon is a great example.

The Laguna ottoman/ table/ bench

Some ottomans are more than just multifunctional. For example, the Laguna can serve either as a bench or as a coffee table but it also has a built-in storage nook inside for personal things, an extra blanket, remote controls, magazines and other things.

Ottoman coffee table with built-in shelf

As far as the storage capabilities of an ottoman coffee table go, there aren’t that many options. There’s the hidden storage nook option which you’ve already seen and there’s also the open shelf version featured by this chic piece which we found on Amazon.

Upholstered ottoman table with nailhead trim

The nailhead trim gives this coffee table ottoman a refined and elegant look and also helps to outline its frame with includes an open storage shelf. It’s lovely that the shelf is covered in fabric and matches the top and the frame. This detail helps to create a cohesive design. Available on Amazon.

The Inspire ottoman with secret drawers

Some ottoman coffee tables are more practical and storage-efficient than their design initially suggests. The Inspire ottoman table is a perfect example in that sense. The bottom shelf suggests a practical design from the start but then you also discover the secret tiny drawers and that changes everything.

A round ottoman with soft and delicate lines

We were so focused on all the cool design features of these ottoman coffee tables that we didn’t even notice their shape. Sure, rectangular ottomans and tables are very common and practical but sometimes a round one is needed to balance out the rest of the room’s decor. This one would be perfect. Found on Amazon.

Colorful ottoman with a floral design

One of the coolest things about having an ottoman which also doubles as a coffee table is that you can choose a bold pattern or color and turn it into a center piece for the whole room. Try to find a print that matches your own style. Perhaps a floral design would blend nicely with your cozy living room. Available on Amazon.

A stylish coffee table with an ottoman top

A lot of times when it comes to hybrid pieces one function tends to take over the other. In other words you end up with something that’s more ottoman than coffee table or vice versa. However, that’s not always the case and designs like this one actually manage to balance out these two functions quite nicely. Found on Amazon.

The Amen ottoman table with hidden storage

This is another very well-balanced ottoman coffee table design. The Armen has a removable top which reveals a very generous storage area inside and which can also be placed upside down in which case it becomes a tray, perfect for when you need a flat solid top. Just flip the lid to make the switch. Moreover, the ottoman table has hidden casters.

Old coffee table turned into an ottoman bench

If you’ve already decided to replace your old coffee table with something new, don’t throw it out just yet. Instead of getting rid of your old table consider giving it a makeover and potentially transforming it into something unique. There’s a really cool project on blesserhouse that can give you a good idea of how this works.

Kitchen table turned into a tufted ottoman

You don’t need a coffee table specifically if you want to make an ottoman out of it. A simple kitchen table could also work. The legs are obviously too long but you can cut them down or replace them and only keep the top and the frame. Check out makeit-loveit if you want to see a similar transformation.

DIY upholstered ottoman table

Here’s another great example of an old coffee table transformed into a stylish upholstered ottoman. Besides the actual table for this project you also need some foam, adhesive spray, a sharp utility knife, upholstery fabric of your choice and a staple gun. Check out the full tutorial on thiswestcoastmommy for more details.

Coffee table – ottoman conversion

Continuing on a similar route, there’s also a super inspiring project on theshabbycreekcottage that we’d like to share with you today. In this case the table was kept intact and then topped with some foam and fabric. Before that however the frame was painted white which goes better with the color of the upholstery and with the sofa as well.

Farmhouse-inspired ottoman table

Building your own ottoman coffee table from scratch isn’t that difficult either. You can mix and match your favorite parts to get a design that really suits your style and your living room. We really like the farmhouse vibe that this one has. You can find the full list of supplies needed to make something like this on ambersimmons along with detailed instructions.