The Best Floor Pillows Squeeze in Extra Seating Without Soaking Up Square Footage

Anyone who has ever tried to throw a dinner party in a small space can attest to its trickiness. Suddenly, every surface becomes fair game: The coffee table turns into an impromptu buffet, the arms of your sofa transform into seating for two, the box your IKEA shelves arrived in converts into a makeshift stool. But what you really need is a good pouf or the best floor pillow. (Or both.)

These squishy seats are particularly handy because floor cushions don’t take up as much space as another armchair or love seat. Simply slip them under your sofa or stack them in a corner when not in use, ready to bring out as soon as unexpected guests arrive. Some floor pillows can even be brought outside to your patio or balcony for cozy summer get-togethers, which eliminates  the awkward task of maneuvering furniture through your doorframe. Whether you choose a traditional cushion or a more sculptural pouf, this is one of the most functional pieces of decor you can bring home. Read on for our favorite finds. 

Our Favorites

• Best classic: Pop & Scott Linen Floor Cushion
• Best kids: Crate & Kids Renn Peach Pouf 
• Best value: Duoshida Knitted Straw Flat Cushion 
• Best stripe: Tensira Round Floor Cushion
• Best outdoors: Article Olara Ottoman 
• Best square: Urban Outfitters Washed Corduroy Floor Pillow
• Best jute: Lulu and Georgia Candess Floor Pillow 

Best Classic: Pop & Scott Linen Floor Cushion

Diameter: 29 or 37 inches | Fill material: Cotton | Fabric type: Commercial-grade linen 

Why we chose it: Stackable circles that will never go out of style. 

For when you just want to lay on the floor—in style, of course—this everyday floor cushion has a linen cover that elevates its simple, circular shape. Mix and match between two sizes for a stackable moment (choose between a 29-inch diameter and a 37-inch diameter) in a range of soft, neutral hues and trendy pastel colors that are all batch-dyed. We’d definitely stick to the rustier, earthy shades to bring out the naturally textured look and feel of linen, which pairs well with a shag rug. 

Best Kids: Crate & Kids Renn Peach Pouf

Diameter: 20 inches | Fill material: Polyurethane memory foam | Fabric type: Cotton 

Why we chose it: Chic seating for any age. 

For soft and cushy but equally chic seating, the Renn pouf is a multitasker. Whether your interior vibe skews warm or cool, pick between peach or blue. Either color choice is made with a lovely tricolor blend of similarly woven shades. We love how the vertical tufting adds a fun touch to a child’s reading nook when playmates are over, but is still grown-up enough for parents to later take a seat post–play date for a happy-hour cocktail.

Best Value: Duoshida Knitted Straw Flat Cushion 

Diameter: 20 inches | Fill material: None | Fabric type: Woven straw

Why we chose it: A multifunctional piece at a price point that can’t be beat. 

While IKEA’s Alsseda pouf (a favorite of Lydia Geisel’s, our home editor) remains sold out, this braided look-alike is just as satisfying. For less than $40 a pop, we recommend purchasing more than one (maybe three or four) and either keeping them stacked up in a corner like a textured pillar or slipping them under your sofa for safekeeping. At just 4 inches tall, they’re sure to fit in anywhere until dinner guests arrive. And if you live in a studio apartment too small for full dining, place a few of these around your coffee table to instantly transform it into a buffet.

Best Stripe: Tensira Round Floor Cushion

Diameter: 20 inches | Fill material: Kapook | Fabric type: Cotton

Why we chose it: Hand-dyed, eye-catching stripes. 

Our style editor, Julia Stevens, has always been drawn to Tensira’s sophisticated stripes, and this floor cushion is no exception. If your living room is calling for both a bit of texture and softness, a short stack of these pillows quickly fits the bill, all without being a burden on your wallet. Beyond the good looks, the kapok-filled interior (a hypoallergenic, silklike fiber) also promises supreme comfort—and it’s lightweight, too, meaning you can easily bring it from room to room as needed (perhaps even as your pooch’s permanent perch). 

Best Outdoors: Article Olara Ottoman

Diameter: 25 inches | Fill material: Polyester and polystyrene beads | Fabric type: Olefin 

Why we chose it: A little taller and durable enough to nail that indoor-outdoor vibe. 

Enjoy the Olara pouf inside during the winter months as a footrest, but feel free to bring it out to your porch, patio, or balcony as soon as the temperatures start to rise and you need an extra seat for friends during your alfresco hangs. It’s available in a few neutral colors and playful patterns to work with whatever type of outdoor furniture you may have (though we’re partial to the saffron), whether you want it to blend in or need a pop of color.  

Best Square: Urban Outfitters Washed Corduroy Floor Pillow

Diameter: 18 inches | Fill material: Polyester | Fabric type: Cotton 

Why we chose it: Perfect if your style leans toward the eclectic. 

Corduroy is a textural delight—fun to touch, easy on the eyes, and more durable than believed. This floor pillow’s velvety exterior leans into its whimsical shape thanks to a frilled edge; deep, tufted center; and buttons wrapped in the same cotton fabric. The square silhouette counteracts all of the soft features but also makes it multi-purposeful. Enjoy it alone on the floor or add it to a chair, bench, or banquette for extra comfort and support. The polyester fill is firm, so you won’t sink into this, making it great as a proper seat. 

Best Jute: Lulu and Georgia Candess Floor Pillow 

Diameter: 28 inches | Fill material: Polybeads | Fabric type: Jute

Why we chose it: Boho but sophisticated. 

Described as a texture-rich, braided pillow, this is the cushion of choice if you’re hoping to nail laid-back, California-cool vibes. But it doesn’t just come in a natural, light tan; choose from a variety of dyes—we’re especially enamored with the blue, coral, and gray—to infuse a hint of color, too. This pillow is an effortless addition to any space; slide it underneath your sofa or coffee table when not in use, or leave it out on the floor all the time near a similarly woven basket of blankets. 

We Also Like

How We Chose These Products

Of course, there are all sorts of extra seating opportunities for small spaces—such as stackable and sculptural stools, whether it’s the classic Artek Aalto or Kartell’s colorful Colonna—that can host a vase of flowers or a potted plant when company isn’t around. However, we focused on the softest, comfiest, low-scale options: the best floor pillows. Our editors took brand, quality, price, shape, and material into consideration when pulling together this list, so there should be something for everyone to shop (and sit on!) here.  

Our Shopping Checklist

Size

The ideal dimensions of the best floor pillow is really all about your space and intended use. Our list kept things a bit more compact—floor cushions are often oversize—for the purposes of stacking and easy storage. In this case, we’d recommend looking for a seat no wider than 25 inches or taller than 5 inches, unless you’re seeking it out to pull double duty as a side table (in this case, it’s good to have something with a bit more surface area with a greater height!) or to function alone as an additional seat on a porch or patio. 

Cover and Fill Material

There are plenty of insert options, from down feathers to polyester fibers, but the standard for a soft yet firm floor cushion is often a blend of both natural and synthetic materials (though there are a couple options on this list that are 100 percent au naturel). The exterior situation is a little different—for an indoor-only floor pillow, focus on the look and feel; do you want something light like cotton or a bit more woven like linen and jute? If you’re hoping to bring these cushions outdoors, you might want to limit your fabrics to more durable options that can withstand a bit of sun and moisture, such as olefin, which is made from polyester but praised for its colorfastness. 

Comfort

Your material choices can also have a direct correlation to the comfort of your floor cushion; you don’t want to sink into these like you would a beanbag, otherwise it would be just like sitting directly on the floor. The best floor pillows are supportive and provide enough height that puts the right amount of distance between you and the floor, no matter if you’re gearing up for a bunch of visitors for a weekly Bachelor watch party or simply enjoying some solitary meditation. You’ll want to feel comfortable enough to stay seated for more than a few minutes.  

Ask Domino

Q: Can I just put a throw pillow on the floor instead?

If you’re in a pinch, placing a large throw pillow on the floor for an impromptu gathering is totally fine, but we wouldn’t recommend it as a long-term solution. They aren’t structurally made to support consistent weight; throw pillows are relied on by designers as a decorative element rather than a functional one. 

Q: What is the best way to clean floor pillows?

We always recommend giving your product tag a check first to see what the manufacturer recommends, though generally most cushions that feature a removable cover can be thrown in the wash and hand-dried. The inserts, on the other hand, can be a bit tricky and may need to be dry-cleaned. 

The Last Word

If you want somewhere superplush for your invitees to rest their feet or get comfortable when gathering in your small living room, the best floor pillows are an entertaining lifesaver. But you don’t have to live in a studio apartment to enjoy this furniture’s versatility. Typically light in weight and compact enough to store or stack, you can bring this seat from room to room to suit whatever purpose you need.