Best Footstool for a Reading Chair: UK Buying Guide

A good reading chair earns its place in the corner of a room, but it's rarely complete without something to rest your feet on. Unlike a recliner, a reading chair usually keeps you sitting upright, which changes what "the right footstool" actually means. Too low and your knees drop below hip height; too high and you're perched rather than settled. This guide covers what to look for so your reading nook is genuinely comfortable, not just good-looking.

How a Reading Chair Footstool Differs from a Recliner Footstool

The biggest difference comes down to posture. A recliner tilts you back and stretches your legs out, so its footstool sits lower and supports the full length of your leg. A reading chair, whether that's a wingback, armchair or slipper chair, keeps your back upright and your knees roughly level with your hips, so the footstool mainly needs to support your feet and lower calves rather than your whole leg. If you're weighing up seating for both a recliner and a reading corner, our guide to the best footstool for a recliner covers that lower, longer-legged setup in more detail, and the differences between footstools and ottomans is a useful primer if you're deciding between the two terms.

Getting the Height Right for Upright Sitting

Because you're sitting upright rather than reclined, a reading chair footstool generally sits a little higher than one paired with a recliner. As a guide:

• 40–43cm suits most standard armchairs and reading chairs
• 44–46cm works well for higher-seated wingback chairs or taller readers
• Below 40cm can leave your knees dropping lower than your hips, which gets uncomfortable over a long reading session

The easiest way to check is to sit in your chair as you normally would and measure from the floor to the underside of your knee. Our detailed piece on ideal ottoman bench height for sitting and putting on shoes walks through this measuring method step by step.

Sizing: Smaller Can Work Better Here

Unlike a recliner footstool, which benefits from a long top to support your full leg, a reading chair footstool can be more compact, typically 40cm x 40cm up to around 50cm x 50cm. This keeps it easy to tuck close to the chair, slide under a side table when not in use, or move out of the way for a lamp cord or bookshelf. If your reading corner is on the smaller side, storage ottomans for small UK flats has some useful ideas on making a compact footstool work harder in a tight space.

Choosing a Fabric That Suits a Reading Nook

A footstool by a reading chair tends to see less foot traffic than one by a recliner or sofa, but it's often used as an occasional side table too, holding a cup of tea, a stack of books or a pair of glasses. Velvet suits the cosy, low-lit feel most reading corners aim for, and linen works well if the chair itself already has pattern or texture and you want the footstool to sit quietly alongside it. For a full comparison, velvet vs linen ottoman benches and which fabric is best for an ottoman storage bench both cover how each material wears over time.

Should It Have Storage?

A storage footstool can be genuinely handy next to a reading chair, particularly for keeping your current book, a throw or a torch within reach without cluttering a side table. As with any storage footstool used as a footrest, check the lid sits flush and doesn't rock when closed. What to store in an ottoman bench has some practical suggestions if you're deciding whether the extra storage is worth it, and gas-lift vs soft-close hinge compares the two lid mechanisms if comfort underfoot matters most to you.

Matching Style, Not Just Colour

Reading chairs are often a statement piece in their own right, so the footstool doesn't need to compete with it. A low, simple footstool in a complementary tone usually works better than one that tries to match the chair exactly, especially with wingback or buttoned chairs that already have a strong silhouette. If the footstool needs to relate to a wider seating area rather than just the one chair, ottoman storage bench size and sofa pairing is a good next read for keeping proportions consistent.

Placement in a Reading Corner

Leave enough space around the footstool to get in and out of the chair easily, and keep it close enough that you're not stretching to reach it once seated, generally within 5–10cm of the chair front. If you're planning the whole corner from scratch, where to put an ottoman storage bench covers positioning across different rooms, including reading corners and window nooks.

Budget Guide

A simple, compact footstool for a reading chair typically starts from around £60, while a handmade storage footstool in premium velvet or linen can run to £200 or more. Our guide to the best ottoman under £100 and £200 breaks down what you get at each price point, mainly frame quality, foam density and fabric grade.

Frequently Asked Questions

What height should a footstool be for a reading chair?

For an upright armchair or wingback, a footstool of around 40cm to 46cm usually matches seat height best, since you're sitting fully upright rather than reclined. The goal is a footstool close to the height of your chair seat so your thighs stay roughly level rather than tilting upward.

Does a footstool for a reading chair need to be different from a recliner footstool?

Yes, slightly. A reading chair keeps you upright with your feet resting rather than legs stretched out, so the ideal footstool tends to sit a touch higher and can be smaller, since it's supporting your feet and lower calves rather than your full leg length.

Should the footstool be movable or fixed in place?

Movable is generally better for a reading chair. A lightweight footstool that can be pulled closer, pushed aside for a lamp cord, or used as extra seating for a visitor is more practical than a heavy, fixed piece, especially in a smaller reading nook.

Is a storage footstool useful next to a reading chair?

It can be, particularly for keeping current reads, a throw or reading glasses close at hand. Choose one with a stable, flush-fitting lid, since it will double as a footrest and an occasional side table.

Final Thought

A reading chair footstool has a simpler job than a recliner's, but it's easy to get wrong by borrowing the same low, long shape that suits a stretched-out leg. Keep it closer to seat height, size it for feet rather than full legs, and pick a fabric that can double as a resting spot for a book and a footrest at once. Get that right and your reading corner does exactly what it's meant to.