Best Footstool for a Wingback Chair: UK Buying Guide

A wingback chair is not a subtle piece of furniture. The wings that give it its name, and the tall back they grow out of, make it visually heavy in a way a plain armchair or recliner isn't, and a footstool that would look fine next to something smaller can end up looking lost in front of it. This guide covers what actually changes when the chair in question is a wingback: proportion, style and how to handle the fact that wingback chairs are very often bought and placed in pairs.

What Makes a Footstool Work With a Wingback Chair?

Most footstool advice assumes a fairly ordinary chair: low back, simple arms, nothing competing for attention. A wingback chair breaks that assumption. The wings curve forward from a tall back, often 100cm or more from floor to top, and the arms are frequently wide, rolled or padded rather than slim. Put a small, delicate footstool in front of that and the proportions read wrong, even if the height is technically correct. A wingback footstool needs enough visual mass, through size, tufting, or a substantial leg, to hold its own against the chair rather than sitting in front of it like an afterthought. If you're still working out the difference between a footstool and a full ottoman before you buy either, our guide to footstools and ottomans is worth reading first. And if your reading chair is more of a general armchair or slipper chair rather than a true wingback, our broader guide to footstools for reading chairs covers the upright-sitting posture question in more depth, including how to measure your own comfortable height.

Getting the Height Right

Wingback chairs generally sit a little higher off the floor than a standard armchair, because the tall back and wings need a proportionally taller frame underneath them to look right. As a guide:

• 42–44cm suits older or antique-style wingback chairs, which often have a lower seat than modern reproductions
• 44–46cm is the best match for most standard UK wingback chairs, and lines up with the figure in our reading chair footstool guide
• 46–50cm suits taller, high-backed "orthopedic" style wingbacks, which are built with a higher seat to make standing up easier

Because a wingback keeps you sitting upright rather than reclined, the footstool should sit close to seat height, not noticeably lower the way a recliner footstool would. If you want the full method for measuring your own ideal height rather than working from a general range, our piece on ideal ottoman bench height for sitting and putting on shoes walks through it step by step.

Sizing for a Wingback's Proportions

Because a wingback chair carries more visual bulk than a plain armchair, chiefly through its wide arms and tall back, a footstool sized for a smaller chair can look undersized next to it. Aim for at least 45cm x 45cm on top, and closer to 55cm x 50cm if your wingback has particularly deep, rolled arms or you tend to sit with your feet stretched further out. A round or oval footstool can work well against a wingback's straight lines as a deliberate contrast, but a rectangular top generally reads as the more traditional, expected pairing.

Choosing a Style That Suits a Wingback Chair

Wingback chairs carry a strong traditional or period character, even in a contemporary reproduction, so a footstool that leans into that rather than away from it usually looks more settled in the room. A deep-buttoned, chesterfield-style top is one of the most natural pairings, since the tufting echoes the kind of detailing wingback chairs are traditionally upholstered in; our Chesterfield button footstool collection and comparison of buttoned vs plain-top velvet ottomans are useful starting points if you're deciding between the two. Turned or cabriole-style legs suit a wingback better than plain block legs, since they pick up the more traditional joinery language the chair itself is usually built with. On fabric, leather and heavier-weave textured fabrics such as wool or tweed sit well alongside a wingback's period feel, while velvet remains a safe, softer option if the rest of the room is more contemporary. Our full breakdown of which fabric is best for an ottoman storage bench covers wear and durability for each. If a genuinely handmade frame and finish matter to you for a piece this visually prominent, our guide to handmade footstools explains what to look for and why it matters.

Storage or No Storage?

Wingback chairs tend to sit in more formal rooms, a study, a drawing room, or beside a fireplace, so a storage footstool here is less about hiding clutter and more about keeping a throw, a book or firelighters within reach without adding another piece of furniture to the space. As with any storage footstool that also serves as a footrest, check the lid sits flush and doesn't rock when your feet are resting on it; a wobbly lid is more noticeable, and more annoying, on a piece that's meant to feel substantial. What to store in an ottoman bench has some practical ideas, and gas-lift vs soft-close hinge compares the two lid mechanisms if underfoot stability is a priority.

Placing a Footstool With One Wingback Chair, or a Pair

A single wingback chair works much like any other accent chair: leave enough room to walk around the footstool, and keep it close enough that you're not stretching to reach it. Where wingback chairs genuinely differ is that they're very often bought and placed in pairs, flanking a fireplace or facing each other across a small table. In that layout, you have two real options: give each chair its own smaller footstool, which keeps the pairing symmetrical and lets each person rest their own feet independently, or use a single larger footstool centred between the two chairs, which works well if the space is tight or if the footstool is also expected to double as a coffee table surface. A shared central footstool generally wants to be closer to 55cm–70cm across so it reads as a deliberate centrepiece rather than an odd, undersized table. For general positioning across different rooms, where to put an ottoman storage bench is a useful next read, and if the room is on the smaller side, storage ottomans for small UK flats covers making a single footstool work harder in a tighter layout. If the footstool needs to relate to a wider seating arrangement rather than just the wingback chairs themselves, ottoman storage bench size and sofa pairing is worth reading too.

Budget Guide

Footstools suited to a wingback chair typically start from around £60 for a simple, non-storage option, rising to £250 or more for a handmade, deep-buttoned storage footstool in leather or a premium heavyweight fabric. Because style and leg detailing matter more here than with a plain modern chair, expect to pay toward the upper end of that range for a genuinely period-appropriate finish. Our guide to the best ottoman under £100 and £200 breaks down what changes at each price point, mainly frame construction, foam density and fabric grade.

Frequently Asked Questions

What height should a footstool be for a wingback chair?

Most standard UK wingback chairs pair best with a footstool between 44cm and 46cm tall. Older or antique-style wingbacks tend to sit lower, closer to 42–44cm, while taller, high-backed "orthopedic" wingback designs can need a footstool nearer 46–50cm to match.

Does the footstool need to match a wingback chair exactly, or can it contrast?

It doesn't need to be an exact match. A footstool in the same fabric family as the chair reads as a deliberate, coordinated pair, but a contrasting footstool, for example a leather footstool with a fabric wingback, can also work well provided the style and formality still relate to each other.

What's the best footstool for a pair of wingback chairs by a fireplace?

Either two matching smaller footstools, one per chair, or a single larger shared footstool of roughly 55cm to 70cm across, centred between the two. The shared option works especially well if the footstool also needs to double as a surface for drinks or books.

Should a wingback chair footstool have storage?

It can be a genuinely useful addition, particularly in a study or living room where it can hold throws, books or firelighters. Just make sure the lid sits flush and stable when closed, since it will be used as a footrest as well as storage.

What size footstool suits a wingback chair?

Aim for at least 45cm x 45cm on top for a single chair, and closer to 55cm x 50cm or larger if the chair has deep, rolled arms or you sit with your legs stretched out. A footstool sized for a plain armchair can look undersized next to a wingback's more substantial proportions.

Final Thought

A wingback chair sets the tone for a room, and the footstool in front of it either reinforces that or quietly undercuts it. Get the proportions right, lean into the chair's traditional character rather than working against it, and think through placement properly if you own a pair rather than a single chair. Handle those three things and the footstool stops looking like an accessory and starts looking like it was always meant to be there.