A kitchen island or bar can be the perfect place to eat breakfast as a family, help the kids with homework while you’re making dinner, or enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning. You need the right barstools to make the most of your kitchen island or bar. It can be more difficult than you might think to choose kitchen bar stools that will work in your home.
You must ensure the right height of the stools that you purchase is comfortable for your customers to use at your bar. But it’s not just the height you need to consider – you also need to make sure the space is wide enough to accommodate your bar stools. Bar stools with swivels require more space side-to-side than stools without swivels. And, of course, you’ll need to choose bar stools that go with your decorative style, as well as getting the features your family needs to be comfortable. Here’s what you need to know to get great bar stools for your home kitchen.
The Right Size Bar Stools
When it comes down to choosing the right size bar stool for your kitchen island, height is the most important factor. To ensure that users can sit comfortably, you should allow at least 10 to 12 inches between your stool’s seat and the countertop. You don’t want the stool to be much shorter than that, because then it’ll be awkward for users to eat and drink from the countertop.
There are three main types of stool you can choose. Counter stools can be 24 to 26 inches tall. Bar stools are approximately 30 inches high. Bar stools that are taller than 30 inches can be 34-36 inches high. If your counter or bar requires it, you can get shorter stools.
You should also consider how large your bar or counter is and how many stool you can fit in it. A stool measuring 16-18 inches wide will need 21-22 inch space at the bar. Allow 24 to 25 inches of space for a stool that is 19 to 22 inches in width. If you’re choosing swivel stools, you’ll need to leave even more space – six inches or more – so that users have room for their knees when they swivel to one side to get out of the stool.
Get the Features Your Family Wants
How comfortable should your kitchen stools be? That really depends on how you’re going to be using them. If you’re planning to buy kitchen bar stools that will serve as guest seating or seating for the family to eat meals or for the kids to do homework, you should buy comfortable stools with backs, lots of padding, and ergonomic shapes. Kids can already feel a lot of physical discomfort during their days at school, due to a lack of ergonomic design in schoolroom furniture – they shouldn’t have to feel that physical discomfort and distress at home, too. And guests won’t want to hang out at your kitchen island while you cook if the bar stools aren’t comfortable.
The only reason you should buy basic, unpadded bar stools is if you don’t plan to use them for long stretches. If you’re only going to be sitting at your kitchen counter when you drink coffee and open the mail, then, by all means, buy the basic stools. You should consider purchasing the best ergonomic bar stools for your home if you and your family will be using your kitchen bar stool for extended periods of time.
You can match the style to your decor
There are many options for kitchen barstools. Finding the right stool for you is the real challenge. Modern and rustic styles, for example, both have a simple, minimalist design that is free of padding and backs.
When it comes to buying kitchen bar stools for your home, you need to make sure you’re getting the right size and the right features for your money. If you make the right selection, your family will be able to enjoy comfortable kitchen islands and bar seating for many years.