Italian “Sea Stools” Are the Versatile, Mid-Century Find Every House Needs

Long ago, I started skipping keychains and T-shirts while on vacations and opted for vintage goods as souvenirs instead. That’s why I always look for secondhand stores on my travels. On a recent trip while my husband and I were wandering the streets of Lucca, Italy, we happened upon an adorable antique shop named Benedetta Bodega. 

There, I found something a bit more unorthodox compared to what I usually buy (original art or antique tins, for instance): a chipped wooden stool.​ Something about it appealed to me. It seemed useful, and the owner of the shop, Benedetta Taddeucci, told me it was a “sea stool” that had a prior life on the beach. I knew the nautical-style stool needed to come home with me.

Back in mid-century days, beach clubs were popular places to relax in lounge chairs under striped umbrellas in Italy. Low, wooden stools, or “sea stools,” served as a surface to rest your drink, set a snack, or place a book. “Though you don’t really see them anymore, they were popular back in the 1960s,” Taddeucci says, noting that sea stools are extremely versatile and can be used in several ways. 

The idea of taking a bit of Italian history home with me was intriguing, so I decided to take a chance and see if it would fit into my bag.​ Fortunately, my purchase did fit into my luggage, and it’s since inspired the use of stools all over my home. 

Although I’m not using the sea stool I got in Italy for its original purpose, it has a place on my porch and brings back memories of my time in Europe when I pass by. While true sea stools may not be readily available in the U.S., I have purchased similar low benches and use them throughout my home in various ways.

Here are some of my favorite ways to use stools in any room. 

Currently, my OG Italian stool is holding up plants on our screen porch. It adds a bit of height to what otherwise would just be a lined-up collection of plants. 

Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but I like to add extra decor in with my greenery to infuse interest and create more of a story. Or, maybe it’s just my excuse to keep my little souvenir on display. I’ll never tell.

I’ve been collecting small benches for quite a few years because they can serve as sturdy footstools. I have two in my living room that slide under chairs when they’re not in use. 

Having a place to rest my feet when we’re watching a movie or having a conversation makes sitting more comfortable and relaxing. In a pinch, or when the grandkids are over, they can also double as extra seating.​

One little trick I learned was to use a stool as a lap desk so that air can circulate around my computer. Because I work from home, I have a bad habit of lying in bed or in my current situation — on the couch — to use my computer, but setting it on a blanket or comforter causes the fan to work extra hard. 

Instead of a traditional lap desk, I use a small bench without a central bar so I can set it over my legs as a temporary desktop.​

Our cats enjoy sitting on our porch swing, so I added a small bench in front to make it easier for them to get up. However, as cats will do, they also use it in other ways. I’ll find them sitting on it to watch the birds or catch them dozing off in a loaf-like position. 

Although I haven’t placed one near our bed, that’s a simple future plan to help them jump up as our cats age. A low bench can likewise elevate food bowls for pets with digestive or joint issues.​

If you need shelving, a stack of benches of various sizes is a creative way to display books, plants, decor, or all of the above together for an eclectic focal point. Making a stack is also really fun to do around the holidays to add festiveness to a corner or lonely wall in a room. 

For example, place benches on top of each other and add pumpkins, fairy lights, and fall decor as an autumn display. Just be sure it’s secure if you have children or pets around.