The More You Know...

Bar stools come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, styles and seat heights. From contemporary to rustic, metal to bamboo, leather to bare wood, you've got a lot of features to choose from in your quest to find the perfect stool.

There has been evidence of stools throughout history, with the earliest surviving pieces dating back to the days of the Egyptian Old Kingdom (circa 2680 B.C.). They demonstrate basic woodworking skill, but as time progresses, so does the capacity for man to not only improve upon the most minimal of designs, but elaborate; sophisticated joints, veneering, the use of metals and precious stones and cushioning have changed the look and feel of stools a great deal since their first inception.

Suggested: Vintage Editions “Vintage Swivel Bar Stool”

In modern times, bar stools have been found used in pubs and bars, casinos, diners, gardens, patios and of course, homes! Versatile furniture for small areas, bar stools can be an elegant piece for the garden table, a space saver in a cozy kitchen, or the perfect touch in a gentleman's den.

The proper choice of what is needed to suit your lifestyle can be all difference and this guide will help you to make a more informed decision.

Location, Location, Location!

Bar stools aren't just for tucking into nooks in a shadowy public house or up against your breakfast bar anymore! Gardens and patios are an increasingly popular place to keep a pub table set these days, and there are many weather-proof materials available. Rattan, wicker, wrought iron, bamboo, treated wood and even molded plastic are beautiful ways to accentuate the exterior of your abode as well as offering a nice place to sit and take in your surroundings in style.

How Tall is Too Tall for a Bar Stool?

Perhaps the most important thing you need to do is decide what height of stool will suit your needs. When choosing your bar stool it is a good idea to keep the height of the surface it will be paired with in consideration. If you intend to have the stool be a freestanding piece, then this is not as important, but usually most designs will offer several heights. We will go into detail about the four types shortly.

You will want 10 to 12 inches difference between the top of the seat and the surface the stool for maximum comfort. In order to determine what size is best for you, measure the distance from the floor to the top of the surface you are pairing the stool with. If your table or counter has an overhang (or skirt), measure from the floor to the bottom of the overhang for the best fit to your bar stool.

There are three types of heights that you will encounter when shopping for bar stools:

•  • Bar: 29 – 32”, most commonly used with home bars
•  • Counter: 24 – 28”, used in casual dining, pub sets and at kitchen islands
•  • Spectator: 33 – 36”, also known as “extra-tall” stools, typically used in commercial settings

One final fitting consideration is how many stools you can put around your table or at your nook. Industry standard is to allow 26 – 30” from the center of each bar stool, as shown in the diagram to the left. You'll want to account for enough elbow room so that each person sitting at the counter has enough space to move freely while eating.

What's Your Style?

The following will give you some information on the various styles the industry uses to describe its designs:

•  • Casual: The key here is simple, with clean lines that can incorporate country aesthetics
•  • Contemporary/Modern: Minimal, clean lines without much in the way of curvature; sleek!
•  • Retro: Let's go to the Hop! 50s, 60s and 70s diners are terrific examples of this playful style.
•  • Rustic: Distressed is the word du jour, evoking images of log cabins and summers by the lake.
•  • Traditional: Hand-painted details, dark wood and curving lines are the hallmarks.

The Base-ics

You know where you want to put your bar stool, the height you'll need and have an idea of what style is right for you, but perhaps you are feeling a bit inundated with where to start making choices? Why not begin with the base! Wood and metal are by far the most proliferate materials used, with a great deal of variation in both families. Some examples are as follows:

•  • Aluminum: durability that lends a clean, contemporary look
•  • Bamboo: not only a green product, but a highly workable one
•  • Beech: fresh and cheerful, terrific for modern and casual design schemes
•  • Cherry: a warm splash of color that can be used in both traditional and contemporary settings
•  • Chrome: a must for any “diner” setting, pairs terrifically with bright colors
•  • Rattan: a gorgeous, popular choice for outdoor use in drier climes
•  • Wrought Iron:gardens and kitchens alike will benefit from the strength and beauty of iron

Suggested: Lumisource “Hue Bar Stool” in Green

You will often find “solid hardwood” described for the material when browsing a website for bar stools. Hardwood is a higher density wood, and those most commonly used in furniture production are oaks, beech, ash, maple, and cherry. More exotic hardwoods are holly, ebony, mahogany, boxwood, lauan and teak. Because hardwood joinery is more expensive than softwood, many companies will offer a “veneer” finish, which is a thin slice of wood that is glued onto core panels of a more cost-effective material like particle board or fiberboard.

Seat of Power

So you've decided what sort of base you want, but now it's time to ponder comfort and more... top-level aesthetics. The actual seat of a bar stool can be pared down to a few choices: base material (that is to say, no padding), leather, vinyl and fabric. It is important to keep in mind the setting for your seating! Are you more comforted by the solid feel of a bare wood or metal? Would you rather the singular aroma of a well-treated leather seat? Perhaps something bright, floral and cheery would fit the bill in the form of a calico print fabric – or is a durable, weather-proof canvas weave more suitable to your needs?

Whatever the choice, you're sure to find plenty of options no matter where you look, as this is perhaps the best way for a piece to express itself against the interior of your home... or quietly blend into its surroundings.

Give Me the Works!

Now that you have the basics down, you can think about more functional aspects of your ideal bar stool!

To swivel or not to swivel? That is the question. Keeping in mind safety if children will be using the bar stool is very important! These are especially useful in tight places where there isn't a lot of room to move the stool around. Be sure that you have a little extra knee space when deciding if this is the right fit.

Craftsmen understand that not everyone is going to be at ease three feet in the air with no back to support themselves when they invariably attempt to lean, as we are accustomed to being able to do in a regular chair. Because of this, backs have been incorporated into designs. They can be short enough to offer the minimum of security, or tall enough to demand attention in even the busiest of interior and exterior schemes.

Another thing to consider if you go with the backed option is whether or not you'd like arm rests. While most bar stools traditionally do not offer this feature, the customer is always right – and designers have embraced this philosophy with pleasant results. Make sure the arms fit under the counter top or table unless you want your stools sprawling everywhere!

Suggested: Zuo Modern “Pluto” Swivel Bar stool

Best of luck in your search for the perfect bar stool!