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Choosing bar stools for your home can be more complicated than you think. Kitchen and bar counters and stools don’t have standardized heights, like kitchen tables and chairs do. You need to make sure your stools will fit under your counter or bar with enough room for the sitting person’s legs. You also need to make sure there’s enough room between stools for guests and family members to get on and off the stools easily, without hitting each other.
And size isn’t the only consideration. There are so many other things to take into account, like whether you want stools with backs and armrests, how much padding you require, and whether or not you want swivel stools. So, measure the height and width of your counter or bar, but also think carefully about how you plan to use your new stools.
Choose the Right Height
The right height for your stool will depend on the height of your counter, bar, or even table. Tables tend to be about 28 to 30 inches tall, while countertops are usually 36 to 29 inches tall, and bar counters are usually 40 to 42 inches tall. But don’t assume you know how high your bar, counter, or table is – go ahead and measure it, so you don’t end up unable to use your new stools.
You’ll want your new bar stools to be nine to 13 inches shorter than the height of your tabletop, countertop, or bar. That should leave enough leg room so that you and your guests and family members can get on and off your stools without smacking their knees. It should also leave sufficient leg room so that seated individuals can cross their legs without whacking the counter.
Choose the Right Width
How many bar stools can you place in a row at your counter or bar? It depends on how wide it is, and how wide your stools are. If you have a narrower bar or counter, you may want to opt for narrower stools, or stools that don’t swivel – swivel stools require more space between them, so that you have room to swing your legs to the side when you’re getting out of the stool.
Stools that are 16 to 18 inches wide and don’t swivel require about six inches of space between them. Swivel stools, even if they’re on the smaller side, will require eight to 11 inches between them to give the seated individual adequate leg room when they’re swiveling to get out of the stool. Stools 19 to 22 inches wide will also require at least eight to 11 inches of space between them.
How You Plan to Use the Stools Matters
There are so many different styles of stools, from the simple bar stool with no back or armrests to the more elaborate stools that are more like tall chairs, with upholstered backs and maybe armrests, too. What style will be best for your home? That depends on how you plan to use the stools.
If you don’t think you’ll be spending long periods of time seated on your stools – for example, if you just plan to sit on them for a few minutes a day while you’re opening mail or drinking your coffee – then feel free to buy the simplest bar stools you can find if that’s what you want. A simple wooden or metal stool with no padding on the seat will probably do, or you can even choose a stool with a woven seat.
However, if you plan to sit on your new stools while preparing or eating meals, entertaining friends, or helping the kids with homework, you probably want to make sure they’re more comfortable as long-term seating. That’s especially true if you have kids who will be using the stools, because kids tend to need more padding in their furniture than adults. Padded stools will keep kids comfortable while they’re eating meals or doing homework at the kitchen counter – and restless kids who tend to squirm and fidget a lot will do better with the structure of a seat back and armrest.
Padded stools will also ensure that your guests are comfortable while you’re entertaining at your home bar. If you’re going to buy swivel stools, make sure they don’t bang into your counter or bar when turned – and grab some with thickly padded, upholstered backs and armrests so that if they do smack into your bar or counter, they won’t damage it (or sustain damage themselves).
Bar stools can provide the seating you need at your kitchen counter, bar area, or even your kitchen table. Make sure you get the right stools for your home, so you can enjoy your home comfortably.