Having some extra seating other than the bed itself is never a bad idea, especially now that people are spending more time hibernating in their rooms to hide from the world. When your family or housemates are constantly at home, the bedroom becomes a refuge to which many people find themselves retreating more and more frequently.
As this trend continues, the question moves from should you have seating to what that seating should be. A bedroom bench might seem like the obvious choice, especially if there is one available as an add-on for the bedroom furniture set you have chosen. But there are some instances in which a storage ottoman, or more than one storage ottoman, would be a better choice.
Here are a few things to consider before deciding on ottomans or benches.
How many people are sharing the room?
If you are designing a bedroom for yourself alone, or another single adult, you can probably get by with a bedroom bench. These benches can be found with interior storage options just like ottomans, but they cut down on the amount of furniture you have to move from place to place. Especially if you are still in the renting stage of your life, lightweight and limited furniture is key.
On the other hand, if you are sharing the bedroom with others it is best to let each person have their own storage ottoman. It allows for plenty of seating without being on top of each other, while also give you each your own hidden storage space. Rather than getting two benches, two ottomans will take up much less room and offer more functionality.
If you are sharing the room with a romantic partner, you can use the ottomans as an opportunity for individual expression, with each of you choosing a designer ottoman you love. If you are sharing a bedroom with a roommate, you can use matched ottomans as a way to pull the two sides of the room together for a more cohesive look from the door.
How much room do you have?
If you are limited on space, you might want to get a bedroom bench instead of an ottoman. A bench gives enough space for two people of average size to sit, so it works for single adults or couples. You can also get benches of a simpler design without built-in storage if you have limited space. If you are working with a really small bedroom, skip the bench and get one or two small storage cubes.
Which option is budget-friendly?
Budget is always a consideration when designing a bedroom, whether it is the guest room or the master suite. If you are buying a complete bedroom furniture set, chances are it will come with a matched bedroom bench that you can add onto the base package. Getting an entire bedroom set often lowers the overall price, making it cost-effective to get the bench when available. If you have multiple people sharing one bedroom, you could get one or two storage items for use elsewhere in the room.If you are getting the bedroom bench or ottomans separate from the rest of your bedroom furniture, it may be more cost-effective to get two ottomans over one bench. If you are determined to give each occupant of the bedroom their own seating, here at a much cheaper price than multiple benches.
