Red upholstered footstool.
A footstool is a simple, versatile piece of home furnishing, with a range of varieties. The simplest version is simply a top with legs joined to the bottom at an angle. More complex, frequently sturdier, versions include rails to support the top and upholstery for comfort if the stool will be used for seating. Does this Spark an idea?
Top
The top of the footstool is one of the key elements of footstool construction. It is a flat board that serves as a surface to support a person as he or she stands, sits, or rests his or her feet on the stool. The top is generally joined to the legs at the sides or bottom, by use of a mortise (groove) that receives a tenon from the leg, a dovetail joint, or hammered dowels that join to the legs. Some stools are assembled using screws or nails, however older wooden joints are sturdier.
Legs
A footstool generally has two to four legs. A two-legged stool utilizes two broad panels, one at each end of the top. Three-legged stools use mortise-and-tenon joints most frequently to join the three legs to the base of the stool's top. The legs are inserted at an angle in order to provide a broad base to avoid toppling the stool. Finally, four-legged stools use one leg at each corner of the stool's top.
Rails
Rails are sometimes installed between the legs of a footstool to provide additional reinforcement for the top, and to keep the legs in place and vertical. Rails are most commonly used with two-legged and four-legged stools, but are very useful in any design that includes legs inserted at a 90-degree angle to the top.
Springs and Cushion
Cushioned stools are used as foot rests for armchairs or sofas that do not incorporate adjustable foot rests. While many cushioned footstools are created simply by adding layers of batting over the wooden top, others use only legs and rails. These replace the top of the stool with a network of springs that arch from one rail to another. The cushion foam or batting is then layered over the springs to create a soft, cushioned surface.
Upholstery
In cushioned footstools, upholstery is the final step. The pieces are cut to the specific measurements of the stool, then draped over the cushion, and sewn or stapled in place. In order to protect and disguise any ugly attachment locations, skirting and piping are frequently added around the sides of the stool.
Tags: cushioned footstools, foot rests, four-legged stools, legs inserted