Our Barcelona Stool Black Replica is the low, square footstool from the 1929 Barcelona design: black Italian leather on a hand-tufted cushion, set on a polished one-piece stainless steel X-frame. At 61 × 54 × 42 cm, it is sized to sit in front of a lounge chair or sofa as a footrest.
Black is the colour we recommend when the stool will be used every day. It hides dark heel marks, grime from shoe soles and constant handling far better than white or cream. That makes it the practical choice for family living rooms, home offices and reception areas.
Key Features of the Black Barcelona Stool
- Black Italian leather on top: the surface your feet and hands touch is leather. The sides are colour-matched faux leather, which keeps the edges square.
- Hand-tufted, buttoned panels with piped edges: the buttons hold the foam in place, so the top stays even after months of heels resting in the same spot.
- Fire-retardant high-resilience foam: it springs back after use instead of keeping a dent where your feet were.
- One-piece stainless steel X-frame: there is no bolted joint where the legs cross, so nothing works loose. Stainless steel will not rust if the polish is scratched.
- Riveted support straps: straps run across the frame under the cushion, as on our Barcelona chairs.
- 42 cm high: just below the seat front of most lounge chairs and sofas, which is where a footrest feels right.
- 11 kg: one adult can lift it aside when you need the floor space.
Barcelona Footstool Black: Made for Daily Feet-Up Use
A footstool gets more wear than the chair beside it. Feet go up with and without shoes, bags and laptops land on it, and children climb on it. On white or cream leather, most of that shows within weeks.
Black hides the everyday marks: dark scuffs from rubber soles, grey floor dust carried on socks, fingermarks and the blue dye that new jeans leave on pale leather. It also keeps looking tidy in an office or waiting area, where many people use the same piece.
Black does not hide everything, and you should know that before you order. Pale dust and lint stand out on it. A sharp scratch from a buckle or stud can show as a fine lighter line, as it can on any black leather.
Visually, black leather on polished steel is the strongest contrast this design can have. It sits well with black leather sofas, chrome lamps, glass tables and grey or dark wood floors. Our guide to styling a Barcelona chair in a living room shows the black version in context.
What the Black Leather Barcelona Ottoman Is Made Of
Leather. The top face is Italian leather, dyed black. The cushion sides are matching faux leather, which holds a crisp square edge. We state this openly because many listings call the whole cushion leather without saying where.
Cushion. Fire-retardant high-resilience foam sits under the leather, divided into buttoned panels and finished with piping around the edge. The cushion rests on the straps rather than on a solid board, so the top has a little give under your feet.
Frame. The X-frame is one piece of polished grade 304 stainless steel. Some replicas use grade 301, a springier steel with less chromium and nickel. Grade 304 has more of both, which gives it better resistance to corrosion, the reason it is used for kitchen sinks and cutlery.
Mies van der Rohe’s Stool, Then and Now
Ludwig Mies van der Rohe designed the stool in 1929 as the companion to the Barcelona chair, for the German Pavilion at the Barcelona International Exposition. A Barcelona ottoman held by the Detroit Institute of Arts is catalogued with a stainless steel frame, leather and pigskin over a horsehair filling, and stands about 38 cm high.
Our replica keeps the crossed frame and buttoned top, uses modern foam in place of horsehair, and stands 42 cm high. That extra height brings it closer to the seat height of today’s sofas and armchairs.
Black Barcelona Ottoman Replica: Specifications
| Product | Barcelona Stool Black Replica, Mies van der Rohe style |
| Brand | Sederica |
| Colour | Black leather, polished stainless steel frame |
| Top | Italian leather, hand-tufted buttoned panels, piped edge |
| Cushion sides | Colour-matched faux leather |
| Filling | Fire-retardant high-resilience foam |
| Frame | One-piece X-frame, polished grade 304 stainless steel |
| Cushion support | Straps riveted to the frame |
| Size (W × D × H) | 61 × 54 × 42 cm |
| Weight | 11 kg |
| Carton | 66 × 66 × 35 cm, 14 kg packed |
| Sold as | Stool only, chair not included |
Measurements for the matching chair are on our Barcelona chair dimensions page.
Who Should Choose the Black Stool
A good fit if
- You already own our black Barcelona chair and want the footrest on its own.
- You have a black leather sofa or armchair with chrome or black metal legs.
- The stool will be used every day, in a home with children, pets or shoes indoors.
- You are furnishing a reception area or study and want a footrest that stays presentable with frequent use.
Consider another version if
- You are buying the chair as well. Our black Barcelona chair and ottoman set brings both pieces in one order, from the same leather.
- Your room is pale, with white walls and light oak, and you want the stool to look light. Choose the white Barcelona ottoman.
- Your sofa is brown or tan leather. The chocolate brown or cognac version will match it better than black.
- You need a footrest under a desk. At 42 cm this stool is far too tall for that; under-desk footrests sit much lower.
- You need seating rated for commercial use. We do not have a contract rating for this stool.
How the Black Stool Compares with Our Other Barcelona Pieces
| Option | Everyday marks | Looks best with | Choose it if |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black stool (this page) | Hides most | Black leather, chrome, grey or dark floors | It will be used daily |
| White stool | Shows most | White walls, pale floors, glass | You want the lightest look |
| Chocolate brown stool | Hides many | Wood, brown leather, warm rooms | Your room is warm-toned |
| Cognac stool | Shows some | Oak, wool rugs, tan leather | You want a warm accent |
| Black chair and ottoman set | Hides most | As the black stool | You are buying both pieces |
Our Barcelona chair colour guide shows how each leather behaves in different rooms. Browse the full Barcelona ottoman replica range, or the wider Barcelona chair collection.
Care for a Stool Your Feet Use Every Day
- Dust and lint show on black before dirt does. Wipe with a dry microfibre cloth, or a slightly damp one to lift pet hair, and run a vacuum brush along the seams.
- Wipe the area where heels rest every week or two with a barely damp cloth, then dry it.
- In winter, keep wet boots off the leather. Road salt leaves white tide marks on black; lift them with a barely damp cloth and let the leather dry at room temperature.
- Use a colourless leather conditioner once or twice a year. Never black shoe polish or tinted cream, which can rub onto socks and trousers.
- Keep the stool out of long, direct sun by a south-facing window, where black dye can slowly fade towards brown.
- Dry the steel after mopping, or where wet umbrellas and coats drip in a hallway or reception. Water left on polished steel dries as spots.
Spills on the cushion: blot, do not rub, and avoid alcohol wipes, baby wipes and household sprays.
Barcelona Stool Black: Your Questions
Why is it called both a Barcelona stool and a Barcelona ottoman?
Both names describe the same piece. “Barcelona stool” is the long-standing name of the design, while “ottoman” is the everyday English word for a padded footrest, and “footstool” describes what most people use it for. Museums are split too: the Detroit Institute of Arts catalogues its example as a Barcelona ottoman.
Does black leather show scratches from shoes?
Scuffs and dirt from soles barely show on black. A sharp scratch can leave a fine lighter line, and a little colourless conditioner usually softens it. For daily shoes-on use, black is still the most forgiving of our stool colours.
Can I use it with a chair or sofa that is not a Barcelona chair?
Yes. Measure from the floor to the top of your seat at the front edge. A footrest is most comfortable when it is level with that height or up to about 5 cm lower, so this 42 cm stool suits seats of roughly 42 to 47 cm. It looks most at home beside black leather with chrome or black metal.
Can it hold a tray or books?
Light items, yes. The tufted top is not flat, so use a rigid tray with a flat base and keep it level. Put hot mugs and wet glasses on the tray, never straight on the leather, and do not use the stool as a step or a seat for heavy loads, as we have no load rating for it.
What size is it next to the Barcelona chair?
It measures 61 cm wide, 54 cm deep and 42 cm high, and weighs 11 kg. Our Barcelona chair is 77 cm wide, so the stool sits inside the chair’s outline with about 8 cm to spare on each side, which is why the pair reads as one set from the front. It arrives in a 66 × 66 × 35 cm carton, 14 kg packed.
Our Barcelona stool is a replica made independently, inspired by the work of Mies van der Rohe. It is not made by or connected with any rights holder. See our Legal Disclaimer for terms.
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