The Only Multipurpose IKEA Stool Your Small Home Needs (I Can Count 5 Ways to Use It!)

People with small living rooms likely understand the stress of finding adequate seating when hosting. I’ve borrowed chairs from friends’ houses, bought a bench that doubles as a display table when the party’s over, and even asked people to sit on the bare floor (I know!). As the holiday season approaches, I’m on a hunt for seating items — however unexpected — that can be easily stored away afterward.

So when I came across what I thought was a two-tiered designer footrest in software engineer Molly Anderson’s historic condo, a light bulb went off. I was excited because the “multi-level ottoman” ended up not being an ottoman at all; they’re actually two ALSEDA stools from IKEA.

Don’t get me wrong — Molly’s living room has plenty of seating already with the couch and two accent chairs. But can you ever truly have enough? She did a full kitchen renovation to open it up to the living room so she could chat with guests while cooking. The way Molly has the IKEA stools (which are handwoven using banana leaf fibers) situated, they can easily provide two additional seats but then quickly become a high-end footrest.

But what makes the ALSEDA stools special is that they’re lightweight enough that you don’t have to keep them on your floors; you can hang them on your walls. (Yes, you read that correctly.) “While footstools might not be my first choice for wall art, this ingenious hack is the perfect example of one of my favorite small-space styling tricks: hiding things in plain sight,” Apartment Therapy’s Style Editor, Emma Dangel, says.

Molly, Emma, and I aren’t the only ones who admire the ALSEDA stools. They have an almost five-star rating on IKEA’s website, and shoppers share how they’ve used them for more than just seating in their reviews. “Love these seats. I use them as plant stands, end tables when stacked, and extra seating,” Arlene, an IKEA shopper, wrote in a review. 

If you’re looking for more seating but only have so much floor space, consider these versatile stools from IKEA. Clearly, they can serve many different purposes without taking up a ton of space. To see more of Molly’s greenery-filled home, check out the full House Tour.