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When it comes to bar stools, you literally have thousands of choices, so selecting the right height, features, and material isn’t exactly straightforward. This guide will help walk you through the critical decisions you’ll need to make to narrow your options down to the perfect pick. Are you ready?
Here’s what you need to know to make your bar stools the best seat in the house: 😉
Bar Stools vs. Counter Stools
There’s nothing more frustrating and awkward than sitting on a stool that isn’t the right fit. 😬 Too short, and you feel like a kid at the grown-up table, too high, and you’ve got bruised knees. Before you start checking out bar and counter seating options, you first want to measure the height of your bar or counter.
Measure your bar or counter from underneath the countertop to the floor. Once you have this number, you can select the appropriate stool height by subtracting 10-12″ from your counter height. Remember, you want to have plenty of space between the counter and your legs without having to sit too low.
Counter stools are made for counter-height surfaces around 35-37″ high, with the average seat height of counter stools ranging from 24-27″ high.
Bar-height counters sit at 41-43″ high, with bar stool heights ranging from 28-33″ high from seat to floor.
Pro tip: Do you have family members or guests that come in a wide range of heights? Solution: Get an adjustable stool that can easily slide up or down to the right height.
Knowing the height of your barstools is only half the battle. ⚔️ While it’s tempting to immediately try and get as much seating out of the space as you can, you really need to measure to determine how many stools are ideal. If you want comfort (i.e., not being elbowed when seated), you want to allow about 6 to 12″ between the edge of each stool. Bar stools also come in different widths (average 18-20″ without arms), so be sure to factor this in when determining how many stools will fit comfortably.
Key Features to Consider
Once you have your measurements and know what type of stool you need, you can start thinking about style and functionality.
Backless stools are a great small-space option because they can easily be tucked beneath the counter and won’t take up precious floor space when unused. But (and this is a BIG but!) they are much less comfortable to sit on for long periods. So, if this is your primary dining space, a backless style likely won’t provide the support you need. Stools with backs come in a few shapes and styles. Some have lower backs, only offering lumbar support, while others have full, high backs similar to dining chairs.
Like dining chairs, you can select styles with and without armrests, and it really comes down to a matter of preference. Armrests look more formal and will provide added comfort, especially if you’re sitting for extended periods. However, stools with armrests are not so great for tight spaces!
A swivel means that the seat can twist all the way around while the legs stay stationary. Bar stools with a swivel feature are especially great if you have an open kitchen/dining/living space, as they allow people to easily turn and face other parts of the room.
Don’t want your feet dangling? Then consider a stool with a footrest. Some styles even have several bars to accommodate people of different heights. This feature will keep you and your guests more comfortable, particularly when sitting for a longer period of time.
Stackable stools easily nestle into each other and are a great option if you don’t use your stools year-round and will store them away at the end of the season. A great feature for outdoor bar areas!
Style and Materials
Once you decide which features are essential to you next, you’ll consider your stools’ design style and material. Important- you don’t want to pick a material that happens to align with your design style- you also want to consider your lifestyle needs and what materials will hold up to it. Think about comfort, durability, and cleanability in addition to style when making your material selection.
Metal may be less comfortable to sit on for long periods, but it’s incredibly durable and easy to clean! A very kid-friendly option!! You can also add a cushion for added comfort. Metal stools suit Contemporary, Modern, Industrial, and Modern Farmhouse spaces.
Wood is one of the most popular choices for bar stools as it is very durable and can fit across a wide range of design styles. A light, natural finish complements Coastal, Rustic, and Scandinavian design styles, while a dark stain will read Traditional. Of course, the shape of the stool will have a significant impact on which design style it’s best suited for. Since wood is a hard material, you may want to add a cushion for more comfort.
A very on-trend material, rattan can give a Coastal or Bohemian vibe to a space. Lightweight yet sturdy, rattan holds up well over time and can also be used outdoors when weather-treated.
Depending on the style of your bar stool, this material can make it look either very sophisticated or down-to-earth. Usually, leather stools will have metal legs, which gives a sleek, clean look. Although leather isn’t the easiest material to clean, it ages pretty well as it transforms scratches, scuffs, and spills into a charming patina. This material can suit nearly any design style, especially Mid-century Modern, Industrial, and Rustic spaces.
An upholstered stool will have a more formal vibe and give your counter a pulled-together look. With a bit of cushioning, this is one of the more comfortable materials for a bar stool; however, it’s prone to stains and can be more difficult to clean, so it’s not exactly the most kid-friendly option. Upholstered stools have a pulled-together, formal vibe and perfectly suit Traditional and Transitional spaces.
Perfect for small spaces, this transparent material doesn’t add to the visual footprint of your counter area. It’s also effortless to clean; however, it’s not exactly the most comfortable material to sit on. Acrylic stools are perfect for Glam and Modern spaces.
Do you have a question about what bar or counter stool height is right for your space? Let us know in the Clubhouse! We promise you’ll have your answer PLUS plenty of extra inspo in no time!
By the way, have you checked this out yet? Which Tabletop is Totally You?
Dimensions play a critical roll in your selection process when buying bar stools. Unlike dining and lounge chairs which usually have roughly the same seat heights within their categories, bar stools come in a variety of seat heights that correspond to different bar, table and counter heights. Also, since bar stools are typically placed at pre-existing, built-in structures, you need to determine the length of your counter or bar to determine how many stools you can fit in your space.
Bar stools also have a distinct set of features that you'll want to consider during your selection process. Choosing between details like swivel vs. non-swivel, back vs. backless and arm vs. armless will help you narrow down your choices.
While you might think the width of your bar stool will be the primary factor in determining the number of stools you can fit at your bar or countertop, it's actually not the most important detail. Here's why. Think of your body and the bodies of your friends and family members. For better or worse, these bodies don't change based on the size of the bar stool they're sitting on. (If only that were possible!) That's why we focus on the width of a comfortable place setting when determining the right number of stools to set at a bar.
Since most people (i.e. non-sumo wrestlers) need about two feet of personal space when eating, we recommend allowing 24" of space per bar stool for comfortable place settings.
The simplest way to determine how many normal-sized stools you can fit is to use the following calculation:
If you end up with a fraction, roundto the next whole number.Example: 84" ÷ 24 = 3.5, so you can fitstools comfortably at an 84" long countertop.
When the width of the bar stool exceeds 22" (usually due to armrests), you'll want to allow more space for each place setting. We usually recommend 30" of space per stool in such cases, because people tend to flare their arms out more when given a place to rest their elbows.
The simplest way to determine how many arm stools you can fit is to use the following calculation:
If you end up with a fraction, roundto the next whole number.Example: 105" ÷ 30 = 3.5, so you can fitarm stools comfortably at a 105" long countertop.
Other than death, taxes and the need for bar stools, there are exceptions to every rule! A variety of factors can impact the number of stools you put at your countertop...
Say, for instance, you have a family of 4, all of whom need a spot at your counter, but it's only 84" long. That means everyone only gets 21" of space for their place setting. (Not ideal.) However, if you have an open-ended counter (without any walls, legs or cabinets closing in the leg space under the top), as seen in the diagram below, you can always scoot out the bar stools on the ends to give everyone a comfortable amount of space during use.
Style Tip: Try to make sure the total width of all the stools together doesn't exceed the length of your base cabinet. For example, the stools in the diagram above are 18" wide, so the 4 of them total 72", which is well within the base cabinet's 84" width. (When not in use, it really looks best to have the stools parked within the confines of your counter.)
Conversely, if you have a 96" countertop that is closed in on the end(s) by walls, legs or cabinets, you might only be able to fit 3 bar stools, as seen in the diagram below. In this example, there's only 78" of space between the legs, so there's not enough room for 4 comfortable place settings.
Of course, these aren't the only scenarios that might require an exception to quantity rules. If you have a unique situation in your own home that you'd like to discuss, feel free to contact us. We're always ready to put our 20+ years of experience to work for you!
If you're a starting offensive lineman in the NFL (i.e. bigger than an "average" human) you'll probably want a little extra room. One way to figure out a comfortable amount of space is to sit normally at an existing table in your home (as if you were eating a meal) and, while seated, measure the distance from the edge of the table to the front of the backrest of your chair. Then double that figure. (See diagram.) If the distance between your countertop's edge and the next obstruction in the room is greater than this number, you should have enough space for your bar stools.
One of the first decisions you should make is whether you want swivel bar stools or non-swivel bar stools. If you're trying to narrow down your options, this decision will just about cut the field in half. The pros and cons of each style are highlighted below.
Swivel bar stools can be made with different kinds of swivel mechanisms. Some of our manufacturers give customers the option of selecting which type of swivel they prefer, while others only offer one type for each of their models. The two main types of swivel mechanisms are "360 degree" and "memory return".
As the name implies, this type of swivel allows a bar stool to make full 360 degree rotations. This is ideal for folks who want to be able to swivel 180 degrees to join a conversation or watch TV in the opposite direction of their counter or bar.
These swivels turn 90 degrees to the left and 90 degrees to the right, and they have a spring mechanism which turns the bar stool back to its forward position automatically. This is helpful for "OCD" folks who want their stools facing the same direction after people get up. (You might still have to tell those careless family members to push in their stools when they're done with them though!) Memory swivels also prevent people from spinning wildly in circles like a carnival ride, because they only turn 90 degrees in each direction.
Shop Swivel StoolsShop Non-Swivel Stools
You probably already have an idea about whether you want a stool with a back or without. Nevertheless, if you're not completely sold on a style, here are a few pros and cons to help you figure it out.
Shop Stools with Backrests
Shop Backless Stools
There are a variety of pros and cons related to stools with and without armrests, but in general, we only recommend them to customers who plan on sitting in them for long periods of time while facing the opposite direction of their bar or countertop (e.g. to watch a ball game on a living room TV). When facing your countertop, you'll find that you tend to lean forward most of the time and rest your arms on the counter.
Shop Stools without Arms
Through the years, we've noticed that an overwhelming majority of our customers begin their bar stool search looking for wood stools. However, after we explain the pros and cons of wood vs. metal, the vast majority end up buying metal stools. (Special note: We only sell metal stools that have welded frames.) While the beauty, warmth and richness of wood can't be denied, the durability and value of metal beats wood every time. A welded metal frame is inherently stronger by nature. (This is especially true for swivel stools. See below.) Nevertheless, aesthetics are sometimes more important than practicality, and sometimes the space simply calls for a wood stool, so we've included a list of the pros and cons of both to help you evaluate which choice is right for you.
Shop Wood Stools
Shop Metal Stools
If you have a bar stool related question or concern that we didn't cover in this guide, feel free to contact us! Yeah, we pretty much know everything there is to know about bar stools. ;-)
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