Attached cushion ottoman

[gene]

Hello,

Here's an attached cushion ottoman I recently finished. The bottom wasn't finished when I took the picture so that's what that fabric is hanging down from the bottom.

The entire cover, including the attached top cushion, is one sewn together piece.

Here's a marketing idea I have:

When I reupholster a chair, I offer to make, from scratch, a matching ottoman. I would give 3 specific sizes that they can choose from, the prices, and how many yards of additional fabric they will need.

I would make the wooden box, pad it, cut the fabric with pre made pattern pieces, sew, add foam, and staple.

What do you think of this idea?

Anyone already have pattern pieces that you use for specific sized attached cushion ottomans?

If I offer 3 sizes, I'm thinking of a square and two rectangled. What sizes to you think would be optimal for this add on sale?


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gene

[sofadoc]

I think the hard part might be standing firm with 3 specific sizes. Especially when dealing with designer/decorators. They want to tweak the demensions just for the sake of tweaking them.
Then they want to start adding skirts, braided ropes, fringe, tassels, etc.

Great looking ottoman! Sounds like a great idea if you can get customers to pay your price. :D
I've dabbled with custom-built stuff like ottomans and headboards before. People always seem very interested............until we start talking money.

[MinUph]

Like SD says size isn't as easy a choose from 3. Offer custom ottomans in any size shape and configuration. Rectangle, square, round, oval, kidney, etc. etc. It isnt hard to make any shape you need in any size they want. Demo Samples might go along way. The example looks great.

[Mojo]

I am a user of furniture and not a maker so I am not much help. But just to throw this tid bit out there, my ottoman at home has a fold up top/cushion and I can store things inside it. I will never own an ottoman again unless it has that storage capability. I love it.

Why don't they make more of these ?

Chris

[byhammerandhand]

Most of the ottomans I see are these "Storage Ottomans"     Maybe its just what my clients carry for their customers.

[sofadoc]

It may start out as a "storage ottoman", but it ends up being a toybox. Strictly from a consumer standpoint, I don't like them for a formal setting. If Gene is targeting the toybox demo, he'd better be ready to work really cheap.
I like Gene's idea of a more formal ottoman. Not one that you can sling all the crap into every time the doorbell rings.

[kodydog]

We have had really good luck picking up used ottomans at yard sales and thrift stores and reselling them. The really big ones are popular right now but its nice to have a few small ones on hand also. Often customers ask if we know where they can get one. The nice thing is this is one piece of furniture we can usually reupholster for less then new. This must be a money maker at stores because often we see a chair for sale $300 - matching ottoman $300.

I also make ottomans from scratch. Any size any shape. Usually for decorators. But not very often.

[baileyuph]

Gene,

Go with your plan, build the more formal ottoman.  Strange in my market, I don't see the ottoman offering storage space.  I am inclined to think like Dennis on the reasons why.

What will you build the frames of?  Plywood?

You are in a position to sample the market through your designers, huh?  They will offer some input on the market issue.

The ottoman image you provided is just beautiful.  Outstanding job.  I don't see a problem in penetrating the market with a product like that.

I would think you could do well as your efficiency should improve as you gain experience in the total package.

Doyle

[Ageorge]

We just made a storage ottoman for a customer-but asked someone to build the box for us. Probably not cheaper than buying new, but the customer gets a higher quality wood than what they would buy. I agree though--it's not really a 'formal' look. We make very simple ottomans, but usually need a pattern to do the attached cushion ones! :)

[Mojo]

It may start out as a "storage ottoman", but it ends up being a toybox.

How did you know I kept my toys in my ottoman ?  :P

Actually my ottoman has the top which hinges open for storage and a drawer underneath that.
I love it as I keep magazines, medicines, 9 mm and all kinds of stuff in my ottoman.

Chris

[gene]

Thanks for the replies. This idea is a go for me. I've been asking my customers and they like the idea of having something specific, with only a few choices, to 'up sell'.

I will have a sample of each, eventually, in my studio.

I use 7/32" OSB for my cornice boards. I think I would need to use 3/4 plywood for this idea. It's a bit more expensive but folks could stand on it with less of a chance that they would break it, and it would be heavier which can imply quality, unless you are buying elephants, then you should check with the vet before making your purchase.

Thanks again.

Gene

[Rich]

Price levels. Choose one of 3 standard sizes for the base price or customize as much as you want for the "custom" price. That way, the customer writes her own ticket. makes her much happier.
Rich

[baileyuph]

Hello Gene,

Pulled up your previous post on the ottoman, got to thinking about it.

Curious, noticed the pattern you used was symmetrical, looks very nice.

Are you going to try to do it in a non symmetrical pattern, with a skirt?

I do wonder because if so, to be practical one would have to work with some random placement of the pattern.  A non symmetrical stripe would be a hair puller if one tried to match the cushion, and skirt all the way around.

Kinda find your idea interesting.  Post when the idea takes movement.

Doyle

[gene]

Hi Doyle,

I am not going to do a skirt for this 'up sell' project. I will certainly do a skirt,or any additional feature, for an additional cost, if the customer wants a skirt. I'm in the process of asking my customers what sizes they think would work well.

I have done ottomans with non symmetrical patterns. I run the fabric heads up on the front and the two sides. I then run the skirt fabric upside down on the back. This matches the pattern 'up and over' the ottoman. The two sides are obviously not matched.

You can't always do this with prints. If I have a toile fabric that has prints of people on it, I don't want those folks hanging upside down on the back skirt of the fabric.

gene

[baileyuph]

All fine points Gene, regarding matching.

I really like the attached box cushion style, paricularly with the skirt.

I just did one, which included the skirt.  I sewed everything into two units and then installed.  The skirt, fully lined, sewn in stiffner, corner tabs- also fully lined.  All this as one installation entity, the upper cushion and rest as the second entity.  

And too, Cushion and skirt fully corded in the barber pole fashion. I got lucky.  It came out great.  This was a project that was easy to get lost in.

Keep up the outstanding work; .........something tells me your into something good, as the song goes.

Doyle