"Otto" Man: The Adventures of Ottoman Shopping...

"Rearranging furniture, adding some candles, or making even small tweaks can really make the difference."

~Anthea Turner~

(photo source)
I hinted in an earlier post that Handy Hubby and I were ottoman shopping and I would share the tale of that experience with you. Actually I was the one shopping and he was supposed to come along as the muscles to load it into the truck but that would have just been too easy.

All because of that mattress purchase our house has gone topsy turvy! Things are begin shifted from room to room, needs are being assessed and it has led to a frenzy of cleaning away clutter, donating no longer used items, and resituating the house to suit our current life style. We should have just moved because I think it would have been easier. Each shift seems to bring on a need for purchasing something, hence the need for and ottoman.

Even though our second grandchild will not arrive until September I am thinking ahead to play space for Gorgeous Grandson as well as baby space for our new little blessing. Since floor space in our cottage is at a premium I needed to design the space so the port-a-crib could come back out and still have room for a lively little boy to play. I am thinking ahead to the need for toy storage for two as well. A simple shift of tables opened up the space in front of our sofas and a storage ottoman seemed the perfect solution. Functional for feet to prop up on, a tray on top could be used as a table top if needed, easily moved against the wall for extra seating and floor space, and toy storage all neatly packaged in one piece of furniture or so I thought.

All I wanted was a simple affordable, functional, fashionable, rectangle storage ottoman, preferably in a faux leather as I thought real leather would be out of the budget. So I scoped out what was available and decided on a moderate priced one at the famous store with the bulls eye logo. Even better it was on sale! I asked Handy Hubby to come along to do the heavy lifting and this is where my neatly packaged plan came unwrapped.(photo source)
Arriving at the store ready to grab and go Handy Hubby is sidelined by a big square ottoman gleaming at him from an end cap. Darn those end caps, they are placed there like a trap to draw one into an enticing purchase because they make them look so attractive. Nothing and I mean nothing could deter "Otto"~man when the saw his giant dream. I think he was thinking with this super sized item the sofas could become large lounges for watching that super sized TV of his. What is with guys and size?

"Oh no, no, no, no, no!" I said, "We are not even going there." He stood firmly rooted, I sighed, and we agreed to look around some more. BIG mistake! We got to the furniture store and what to our wondering eyes should appear but an even bigger ottoman with a giant sale sticker for less than the bulls eye wanted for theirs. I felt so like Charlie Brown, I was doomed! I tried to reason with "Otto"~man and explain that the footprint of our room was small and that I know that our home is his castle but in reality his castle is a cottage! We agreed to take measurements and then make a decision.(photo source)
When he came home from work the next day there was a large square of blue tape on the floor in front of the sofas depicting the outline of object of his affection. "What's this?" he asks. "THIS is you big honkin" ottoman!" "Oh, that will never work, it blocks the traffic pattern and takes up the whole floor. We better keep looking." Off we go to another store after the blue tape has convinced him of the error of his ways and we find another option. It is a rectangle, has double storage compartments, faux leather, the right color but it is BIG! I try to remember where I put my blue tape because I think I will be needing it again! I did, point taken, and we still have not settled on an ottoman.(photo source)
We do have a stand in substitute because the chair we bought from our friends came with an ottoman but it was too large for our tiny entry so it is sitting in front of the sofas with a fab flea market tray resting atop doing its duty of resting tired feet, being a table top if needed, and I guess as long as the toys are not over six inches high they can be stuffed underneath.Call me stupid, but yesterday I called Handy Hubby from a furniture store to ask him to come and look at headboards.....and so another shopping adventure begins.

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Blessings,
Miss Sandy