The Lowly Footstool 
ITS NEGLECTED POSSIBILITIES AS A 
FACTOR IN HOME DECORATION—THE 
QUALITIES THAT MAKE IT USEFUL 
AND ATTRACTIVE AND THOSE THAT 
CONDEMN IT TO EARLY SHABBINESS 
by Katherine Pope 
r N securing ultimately a thoroughly attractive house, little 
A things cannot be neglected, even the smallest object on view 
being of importance. The artist of the home will pay loving at¬ 
tention to detail, count a trifle something more than trifling if 
it is to aid in finish, accord. 
A recent experience in going over my own home has discov¬ 
ered to me the “consequence” of that lowly and unregarded piece 
of furniture—the footstool. Since which awakening I have ob¬ 
served hassock, cricket and stool in private dwelling and public 
shop, noted mistakes, looked for opportunities. 
Since a footstool should be first of all useable, and seldom 
fine, easily scratched and marred woods, satin, plush and velvet 
seem badly out of place. If one affects in one’s furniture pol¬ 
ished mahogany (personally, I am so weary of this phrase that 
it has influenced my feelings toward that which it names), then 
by all means choose for footstool the sort with 
cushion bulging out and protecting the wood, 
a sort that appears to be taking the place of 
the stool recently to the fore, where there was 
a minimum of upholstery and a maximum of 
polished surface. My recent survey of the 
shops disclosed less and less of mahogany ex¬ 
panse, but sensible leather in use where the 
foot is to rest, or a durable tapestry, durable 
both as to texture and soiling. And I found 
that old English oak was employed in excel¬ 
lent models, this wood, or rather finish, imme¬ 
diately proclaiming its fitness for the unpre¬ 
tentious footstool. No footstool should go in 
for pretentiousness — unless in the finicky fine 
boudoir of a finicky fine lady given over to 
satin slippers and silken hose. But as it is 
with everyday needs of worthy, everyday folk 
we are dealing, we may leave out of the ques¬ 
tion the finicky fine boudoir and footstool. 
The model I liked best of all inspected was 
made of the old-English oak and leather of a rich, dark brown, 
mottled with black. It was of medium size, sloped a little, the 
leather top was fashioned of squares and rectangles sewed to¬ 
gether, the cover padded 
and held down by flat 
metal buttons the shade 
of the leather. It was a 
most inviting rest for 
weary feet, a pleasing ob¬ 
ject — good coloring, good 
lines, unaggressive, and 
would fit in well in al¬ 
most any living - room. 
The cost was $2. 
Nearby was a flam¬ 
boyant thing of green 
plush and “polished ma¬ 
hogany” that I at once 
wanted to put two muddy 
feet on and see how it 
would look then. The price of this monstrosity was, as I re¬ 
member, $11. Well, perhaps someone would joy in it. Not far 
off stood a wooden rest with a metal-covered steep incline that 
reminded me of a bootblack’s box, and it, also, I passed by 
quickly. Just beyond showed a company of cocky little checker¬ 
board stools, and inquiry was made concerning these curious 
offerings. "Imported,” informed the salesman, with patronizing 
air; but the term had no magic for me; I regarded them as un¬ 
desirable aliens, immigrants which should have been turned back 
at the port of entry. And arousing no approval was a peculiar 
footstool with incline and curve having covering of copper; I 
would not like the noise of it, the gleam of it was too assertive, 
and for some reason or other it suggested a doctor’s office. 
But very attractive I found a small footstool with plump back 
clothed in soft-hued tapestry, frame dull-finish mahogany. In 
the same tapestry and wood was offered a 
high foot-rest, evidently designed for very un¬ 
conventional lounging; or of suitability for a 
seat when not so employed; in addition to the 
two uses, a seemly piece of furniture. Then 
there was a quiet — but not abashed or by any 
means shamefaced — small foot-rest uphol¬ 
stered in dull green denim, the frame a dull- 
finish mahogany. A goodly-looking and use- 
able high stool was of old-English oak with 
smooth level top of brown leather. Dull green 
stuffs, dim tapestry, and leather of rich browns 
were the favorite upholstering materials on 
display in footstooldom when denim was not 
used; but I learned it is the custom to show 
footstools “in the denim,” as the dealers 
phrase it, and re-cover to suit individual taste. 
A footstool hard to improve on is a little 
woven one that formed part of the display of 
inexpensive summer furniture. It was con¬ 
structed with rounds—these a great conveni¬ 
ence, as one may rest one’s feet low on the washable rounds as 
well as higher up on the broader surface. I know no better 
answer to the combination requirements of utility, cleanliness, 
suitability for various en¬ 
vironments, than to be 
found in this little stool, 
its cost fifty cents. 
I visited store after 
store, exclusive furniture 
places and the foremost 
department stores, ob¬ 
served wares, compared 
values, and was no little 
interested to find the best 
values, for truly moderate 
charges, at an establish¬ 
ment of highest standing 
and reputed high prices. 
To be sure, here hand¬ 
made stool and hassock 
A goat-skin ottoman that might 
be used as a fire-side seat or 
rolled upon its side for a 
foot-rest 
The bottom brace makes an acceptable 
low foot-rest on this oak stool 
