---
title: "Ottoman Cushions: Footstool Tops, Sizes, Tufting and Foam"
url: "https://cushionguide.com/cushions/ottoman-cushions/"
section: "The Cushion Atlas"
author: "Harlan Pruitt, The Elder of High Point"
author_url: "https://cushionguide.com/masters/harlan/"
published: "2026-01-22"
updated: "2026-01-22"
keywords: "ottoman cushion, footstool cushion, ottoman cushion replacement, round ottoman cushion, tufted ottoman cushion, floor sofa ottoman, custom ottoman cushion"
---

# Ottoman and footstool cushions, made for the base you already love

*An ottoman carries more than any chair in the house: feet, trays, cats and grandchildren. Its cushion ought to be built like it knows that.*

> **The quick answer:** An ottoman cushion is a loose top made to the exact size of a footstool or ottoman base, or a full floor sofa ottoman, commonly 39 x 39 in (100 x 100 cm). Standard foam is 4 in (10 cm) thick in a zippered cover; tufted tops are fiber-filled and sewn closed. Order a set at once so it shares one dye lot.

![Tabby cat paw resting on the piped edge of a chocolate brown pebble-textured upholstered footstool](https://cushionguide.com/media/ottoman-cushions/tabby-paw-chocolate-pebble-footstool-piping-1600.webp "A real paw on the real fabric: chocolate pebble weave with self piping on a footstool the cat has claimed.")

## What an ottoman cushion does for a room

An ottoman is a low seat with no back. Some hold blankets inside, some carry a tray and stand in for a coffee table, and some are the leg rest of a floor sofa. The cushion on top is the part that wears, and a loose top can be replaced or re-covered without touching the base.

Three kinds come across our cutting table: a loose top for a wooden or rattan footstool, round or square; an outdoor ottoman cushion that belongs to a patio set; and the big 39 in square ottoman that rides alongside a [modular floor sofa](https://cushionguide.com/cushions/modular-floor-sofas/). If yours sits in the family room, [living room cushions](https://cushionguide.com/cushions/living-room-cushions/) is the next door down the hall.

## Sizes on the cutting table, and how to measure an ottoman

|   |   |
|---|---|
| Loose top, square | Length and depth of the top, edge to edge, to the nearest 1/4 in; mark rounded corners |
| Loose top, round | Diameter and thickness, with a photo of the base |
| Floor sofa ottoman | 39 x 39 in (100 x 100 cm), alone or with a straight or L-shaped backrest |
| Patio ottoman (real order) | 22 x 21.5 x 4 in with rounded corners, listed with the set |
| Standard thickness | 4 in (10 cm); 2 in (5 cm) is the thinnest standard foam |
| Extra thick | Up to 12 in (30.5 cm) in large sizes; over 6 in (15 cm) is custom |
| Largest tufted square | About 48 x 48 in (122 x 122 cm) |
| Cover | Zippered on foam tops, hidden on the back edge or underside; tufted tops are sewn closed |

## Box edge, knife edge and the buttoned top

The box edge, a band around the sides with piping top and bottom, is the ottoman classic. It stands square on a wooden rim and shows off a contrast welt, like the chocolate piping in our photo with a tabby's paw resting on it. A knife edge, sewn flat with no band, reads softer and suits a small round footstool.

Tufted tops are the traditional dress. The buttons are set by hand and pull the filling down so it can't wander. Rounded corners, a pull loop at the side, a round top on turned legs: put each on the drawing with its size, and the workshop cuts to it. See [box edge or knife edge](https://cushionguide.com/guides/box-edge-vs-knife-edge-cushion/).

## Fabrics that take feet, trays and cats

An ottoman gets shoes, coffee and claws. Choose for the life it leads.

- [Velvet](https://cushionguide.com/fabrics/velvet/): the workshop's is synthetic, so it resists crushing better than cotton velvet. Velvet remembers the hand that brushed it; brush it one way.
- [Corduroy](https://cushionguide.com/fabrics/corduroy/): cozy, but ribs can split under hard daily use, and the shade shifts with pile direction and light.
- [Bouclé and teddy](https://cushionguide.com/fabrics/boucle-and-teddy/): soft and pebbled, like the forest green cover in our gallery; loops can snag on claws.
- [Performance and pet-friendly weaves](https://cushionguide.com/fabrics/performance-and-pet-friendly/): the honest pick for a footstool the cat claims every afternoon.
- [Outdoor acrylic](https://cushionguide.com/fabrics/outdoor-acrylic/): for the patio ottoman, wherever rain can reach.

## Foam, fiber, and how high to build

A foam top is high-density foam, cut slightly larger than its cover so the cover looks full, and the cover comes off to wash at 86°F (30°C). High-density foam gives the flat, structured top you want under a tray, at about 6 to 7 on a 1-to-10 firmness scale. A tufted top has no foam core at all: siliconized polyester fiber balls, packed tight and deliberately overfilled so it stays plump.

Height is where folks surprise themselves. Within 2 to 5 in, thickness moves the price far less than length and width. Past that it climbs: a 24 x 24 in velvet cushion lists at twice the price at 12 in as at 6 in. Put your feet up and let the [seat height calculator](https://cushionguide.com/studio/seat-height-calculator/) do the arithmetic.

## The ottoman that came out a warmer brown

A buyer in the US loved her brown velvet teddy sofa and, some time later, ordered the matching 39 x 39 in ottoman on its own. It arrived a warm brown. The sofa was a cooler brown with a green undertone. Two replacement covers went out, and neither matched. In the end the workshop refunded the cost of the cover.

Nobody was careless. Each fabric roll is dyed in its own batch, and batches vary a little in tone. Velvet sheen makes a small gap look large. Order the whole set at once and it comes off one roll; add a piece later, and send a photo or an offcut of the original with a request for a batch match.

## Mistakes I'd rather you didn't make

- ✗ Ordering the ottoman months after the sofa and expecting the same dye lot.
- ✗ Measuring the old cushion instead of the base.
- ✗ Leaving rounded corners off the drawing of a patio set.
- ✗ Giving a color only in a message when the listing has no color selector. Put it in the order note too.
- ✗ Choosing a tufted top and planning to machine-wash the cover.
- ✗ Going to 12 in thick without checking the price and your knees.

> An ottoman cushion ordered months after the sofa can come off a different dye lot. Order the set together, or send an offcut of the original.
>
> — Harlan

## Styling a footstool, and where to read next

A round top on turned legs wants one rich color and a rug beneath; the wine chenille round in our gallery sits on a Persian rug for good reason. A rattan cube on a terrace wants a crisp box cushion, navy piping on navy, so it reads from across the yard. A floor sofa ottoman can do more than hold feet: add a straight or L-shaped backrest and a metal bar and it becomes a lounge chair, and the corner sofa ottoman unfolds to about twin size for a guest.

Read [dye lots and matching cushions later](https://cushionguide.com/guides/dye-lots-matching-cushions-later/) before adding to an old set, and [tufted or plain cushions](https://cushionguide.com/guides/tufted-vs-plain-cushions/) before choosing buttons. For rounds and stars in the room, see [floor cushions](https://cushionguide.com/cushions/floor-cushions/) and [star poufs](https://cushionguide.com/cushions/star-poufs/).

> **Tailor's margin:** Ottoman tops on rattan or polished wood can creep. Ask for ties or a non-slip base when you order, not after the cushion lands on the floor.

## Buyer questions

**A common question:** I already have the floor sofa. Can I buy just the ottoman to match it?

**The workshop's answer:** Yes. Choose the ottoman-only option, or ask for a custom link in your sofa's color. The ottoman is 39 x 39 in (100 x 100 cm) and comes with its filling, on its own or with a straight or L-shaped backrest and a metal bar. Buyers add one months or even a year later, and later orders are made to match.

**A common question:** How big is the floor sofa ottoman, and does it fold open?

**The workshop's answer:** It's 39 x 39 in (about 100 x 100 cm): one connected piece of two stacked layers that opens flat into a longer rectangle, in the same foam as the sofa. The layers can be made as separate pieces on request, and the matching straight backrest is about 39 in (100 cm) long.

**A common question:** Could I add a back to the ottoman and use it as a chair?

**The workshop's answer:** Yes. An L-shaped or straight backrest turns the ottoman into a lounge chair or a small L-shaped sectional. The backrest is a separate piece held from behind by metal bars, it can be bought later through a custom link, and the connected layers let the chair lie flat or fold back up.

**A common question:** Can I get the corduroy bean bag chair without its pouf, or just the pouf by itself?

**The workshop's answer:** Yes. The chair normally comes as a set with its round pouf ottoman, but either piece can be ordered alone through its own listing or a custom offer. The pouf comes in the corduroy colors, except black.

**A common question:** Will a new ottoman cover match the cushions I bought from you before?

**The workshop's answer:** Close, but not always identical. Older fabrics may be discontinued, and even the same corduroy looks deeper from one angle and yellower from another. Used covers also look lighter than new ones. Ask for close-ups of the nearest tone to compare with what you have before you reorder.

**A common question:** Does a thicker ottoman cushion cost more?

**The workshop's answer:** A little within 2 to 5 in, where length and width matter more. Very tall pieces cost far more: a 24 x 24 in velvet cushion lists at twice the price at 12 in as at 6 in, and covers more than 6 in (15 cm) high are quoted as custom.

## Questions from the footstool

### Can I replace only the top cushion on an ottoman base I already own?

Yes. A loose top is made to the size of your base, and the base itself is never touched. If the old foam is still sound, a cover-only order made to fit that foam costs less than a new filled cushion.

### Should an ottoman top be tufted or plain?

Tufted is the traditional look: hand-set buttons, fiber fill packed tight, sewn closed. Plain foam gives a flatter top that holds a tray, with a zippered cover that comes off for washing. Choose by whether the cover must come off.

### How thick should a footstool cushion be?

4 in (10 cm) is the standard and suits most footstools; 2 in is the thinnest standard foam for a slim pad. Covers taller than 6 in (15 cm) are custom, and 12 in is possible in large sizes.

### What should I send to order a round ottoman top?

The diameter and the thickness you want, plus a photo of the base. Rounds are ordered by those two numbers, and the largest round the workshop makes is about 49 in (125 cm) across.

### Which fabric holds up best to a cat on the footstool?

A tight, washable weave in a mid-tone with a zip-off cover, from the performance and pet-friendly range. Loopy bouclé snags on claws, and corduroy ribs can split under hard use. No fabric shrugs off claws forever, so a removable cover matters.

### Is the corner floor sofa ottoman fixed to the sofa?

No. It is a separate, unattached piece you can set on either side, and it may arrive in its own package. The sofa sections themselves can also be separated and arranged however you like.

## Related at the atelier

- [Ottoman Cushion in Navy Palm Print on a Rattan Cube](https://cushionguide.com/readings/navy-palm-print-box-cushion-rattan-cube-ottoman/): An ottoman cushion turns a rattan cube into real extra seating when it is a box cushion cut exactly to the top, with no overhang.
- [Ottoman Cushion in Wine Chenille for a Carved Round Base](https://cushionguide.com/readings/wine-chenille-round-cushion-carved-wood-ottoman/): A round ottoman cushion is made from the frame's diameter and a thickness deep enough to sit on, cut exactly to the rim so the carved wood still shows.
- [Can I buy the corduroy bean bag chair without the ottoman, or just the pouf?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/bean-bag-chair-without-ottoman-pouf-sold-separately/): The corduroy bean bag chair and its round pouf ottoman can each be bought alone, even though they normally come as a set.
- [Is the ottoman included with the corner floor sofa, and is it attached?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/corner-floor-sofa-ottoman-included/): Yes, the corner floor sofa listing includes the ottoman and both couch sections pictured on the listing.
- [Replacement cushions for a nursery glider, piece by piece](https://cushionguide.com/guides/glider-rocker-replacement-cushions/): To replace glider rocker cushions, measure each piece on its own: the seat's front width, back width and depth; a T-seat's letters so A + B + B = C; the back's top width, bottom width and height…

*Sit well. — Harlan*

---

Written by Harlan Pruitt (https://cushionguide.com/masters/harlan/) for CushionGuide (https://cushionguide.com/about/). The site explains made-to-measure cushions and the partner workshop makes them; measurements are in inches first. This Markdown mirrors the page at https://cushionguide.com/cushions/ottoman-cushions/