The history of the ottoman

Furniture Village (www.furniturevillage.co.uk) launched a nationwide competition in March this year to find pieces of furniture with unique and intriguing family histories. After receiving an extensive number of entries from across the UK, Christine Westlake from Braunton, Exeter, was selected as one of the winners for the story of her grandmother’s handmade ottoman, and has received £500 worth of vouchers to spend at her local Furniture Village in Sowton Retail Park, Exeter.

This small ottoman was crafted by Christine’s grandmother, Olive, during the Second World War.

A founding member of the local Women’s Institute at the time, Olive entered a competition the club was holding for the best piece of furniture made from an original ‘old orange box’. Olive’s artistic license resulted in her building a small ottoman, adding feet, padding and beautifully covering it with fabric, which successfully won her first prize.

Christine recalls fond memories of the ottoman placed beside her grandmother’s treadle sewing machine, filled with pieces of fabric destined for other inventive creations.

After Olive passed away, the item was stored at Christine’s parent’s house for over 20 years, long since forgotten. Fated for the bonfire, Christine rescued the special piece of furniture, and it has remained in her own home ever since.

Her Grandmother’s spirit lives on as the ottoman is being used once more for odd pieces of fabric.