Don't overlook this product when you're antique shopping
A ceramic Italian garden stool finds a spot in an indoor plant area. Design: Time & Place Interiors
I’ve been on the hunt for the right three-legged stool as a little side table for our nursery. It needs to be slender enough to fit between the armchair and the wall, tall enough to comfortably rest the milk bottle on, and rustic enough to soften the room’s modern furniture. I must have come across dozens of great stools over the years of antique shopping, and now I’m kicking myself for having passed over them. Dope!
I could excuse myself by saying that, at the time, I just didn’t realize I’d be needing a small tabletop for a baby feeding spot. (It’s hard to imagine life with a new baby.) Truth is, though, that a small side stool has so many uses, everyone is bound to need one, no matter their setup or situation.
Like an occasional chair, a low stool’s diminutive size and light weight make it easy to move around for whatever purpose comes up. Whether you need to squeeze a nightstand into a small bedroom, pull up a little cocktail table, create an extra seating spot, keep bathtub essentials within reach, have a place to put on shoes in the entry, or just put a plant on something, a side stool will have you covered. Aesthetically, a low stool is the great accessory for mixing decor styles. And it can create an artful design moment in an unexpected spot.
So, next time you’re going antiques shopping, don’t overlook a cool little side stool. I promise it will come in handy. Meanwhile, check out these inspirations to show what a big difference the little side stool can make in a classy space.
Modernist stools make excellent cocktail tables at the side of a sofa or lounge chair. Design: Cochineal Design / Photo: Joshua McHugh
When space is tight, keep a little stool at your table for an extra seating spot. Design: Marianne Evennou / Photo: Gregory Timsit
This rustic stool balances out an otherwise highly stylized modern dining area. Design: Stefano Carera and Eirini Giannakopoulou / Photo: Barbara Corsico
A little stool can make a great plant stand. A salvaged wood base with a funky plant fills just the right empty spot in this space. Design: Patrick Bernatz Ward / Photo: John Daniel Powers
Stools can hold not only plants but sculptures too, like these vintage Pierre Chapo pair in a Manhattan apartment. Design: Carlos David / Photo: Douglas Friedman
If you have a fireplace (working or decorative), you definitely need a stool in front of the hearth. A cluster of carved African stools makes a classy assembly. Design: C & J Katz Studio / Photo: Justine Hand
A stool always pairs well with a bath. Here’s a vintage stool we used to warm up a classic black-and-white Art Deco bath. Styling: Time & Place Interiors
Stools create artful design moments, like this rustic African senufo stool that gives contrast besides the contemporary sleek chair. Design: Rachel Traub & Todd Banhazl / Photo: Seth Caplan
Stools are a great opportunity to employ not only antiques but also handmade global decor. Here, a beaded stool from Cameroon stands in front of a salvaged sink. Design & photo: Merci
Sometimes, a little stool is all you need for bedside table basics. Bonus points for the vintage accordion lamp here. Design: Daphne Javitch / Photo: Sarah Elliott
An expansion of the above idea: Cluster a bunch of stools together like in this eclectic ensemble of a modern, an antique, and an African stool. Design and photo: Merci
Pull up a (little) seat — let’s chat about your space.
Time & Place Interiors can turn your house (or apartment) into a home, using artistic moments like side stools, occasional tables, lighting, rugs, textiles, and accessories. Use the link below to schedule a free 20-minute information call with founder Ksenya Malina to discuss how to add the right touches to your space.
