Patiorama Outdoor Wicker Rattan Patio Ottoman Set

The patio ottoman is a piece of outdoor furniture that can accent your patio chairs, prop up your feet on a hot summer’s day or even act as a spare seat or a temporary coffee table when you need the surface space.

Patio ottomans are often lightweight so they can easily be grabbed and used where you need them. Maybe you’re on the edge of your chair and would like to rest your feet, you can move it to that position. A guest comes over and you need an extra seat for them on the patio, grab the ottoman and arrange it in a good position to sit on and offer them the comfy couch seat. Whatever it is that you end up using the ottoman for, you are sure to add value to your backyard setup by adding one.

Cushioning and style are the next major categories for figuring out which patio ottoman is right for you. Some are very comfy and built with weather-resistant fabric, just like your other outdoor furniture. Others are more basic and simply serve as a footstool. Others are more like poufs. If you have a small outdoor space and it seems likely that people will sit on the ottoman regularly, focus on more comfortable units that have good cushioning.

• Know in advance where your ottoman will live. An outdoor ottoman is very different than an indoor ottoman, though you can swap them in and out, depending on the weather.
• Height matters if you are using the patio ottoman as a footrest or a seat. If your ottoman will sit in front of a lounge chair, be sure the height of the ottoman is equal to or even a slight bit higher than your chair-seat height.
• For patio ottomans that will be used as seats by children, you can go with a shorter model. If many adults will be sitting on it though, you might want to consider how awkward a short seat would be for some of them and err on the side of a taller model.