Moroccan-inspired poufs are the ultimate versatile piece. We checked in with interior designer, Michelle Boudreau, owner of Michelle Boudreau Design, to share her tips on using it throughout the home
This cool mid-century modern pouf pulls triple duty as an extra seating option, a footstool, and with a tray on top, a tabletop surface, which is exactly why Michelle uses them in designs so often.
In a rich velvet texture in oh-so-neutral dove gray or blush pink options, the pleats and brass bottom of this piece add just enough old Hollywood glam to your space. This pouf is as much at home beside trays of cocktails and canapes in a living room as it is at a dressing table. You can even add a pouf to a bathroom as a place to put on lotion, nail polish, or last minute touches before a night out. In a well ventilated bathroom, any material can work, but best to choose a natural breathable material that can shake off the moisture from the room.
“I love pops of color when appropriate. So if there’s a room that’s neutral, I can add a colored, textured, or patterned pouf and really change the look, like a piece of jewelry [for the space],” Boudreau says.
Lately, Michelle has been working with textured fabric poufs to lend a boho chic vibe to her Los Angeles clients’ spaces, both inside and out. The shag fringe adds an extra-special textural element to the piece.
Express your inner world traveler with this comfy pouf, also made in Morocco. The pouf features a graphic pattern in a variety of textiles, from denim to leather, and colors, including silver, tan, and navy.
Boudreau’s advice on choosing the right pouf for your space: Go with something that is similar in dimension with your other pieces of furniture and proportional to the size of your room. And don’t be afraid to mix things up with different shapes. The designer often goes for rounder, plumper poufs in a room that has more rectangular and hard-lined, linear furniture. In a room that has rounder furniture, she’ll change things up with a square pouf.
Poufs are a great way to add extra perch space next to loungers and chairs. They instantly warm outdoor spaces up, adding a softer texture against concrete patios and decking, says Michelle.
Michelle notes that there are many materials for poufs that suit the outdoors, like Sunbrella fabrics, rattans, woven wickers, and woven resins. This pouf, in all-weather polypropylene, is ready for sun and rain in any outdoor entertaining space.
Because of their lower height off the floor, poufs make great mobile seating options, especially for children who can move poufs from one room to another, Boudreau says. A cozy one like this invites kiddos to pull up a seat around family and friends.