Bar Stools

Whether you have a bar in your home or not, there are multiple uses for bar stools which extend all over the house – from perching behind the breakfast bar of your kitchen, to seating yourself in front of the bathroom mirror, and even resting during BBQ season in your garden. In a far cry from the bar stools of old (and which can be still found in pubs), which boast plain wooden seats and slightly spindly sand uneven legs, the bar stools of today’s market are comfortable with padded seating, low backs and even indentations to fit around your shape.

When might you need a bar stool?

The beauty of bar stools is that they are easy to store and often quite small, ideal to bring out if you have a party or larger gathering than normal. Though still named for their link to bars and pubs, bar stools are often used in today’s homes as a breakfast bar accompaniment – and so have seen their design adapted and changed to create more of a comfortable seat. It is worth noting that while standard bar stools sit at around 76cm tall, kitchen bar stools are usually created to sit at just 66cm in line with the standard height of a worktop or breakfast bar surface. If you are looking for a bar stool which can adapt to different uses, you will want to select one which is adjustable in height – often created as a stool which rises from a central pillar or column which can be adjusted.

Choosing the best style for your home

In terms of style, here we turn to the structure of the most common – and the most unusual – bar stools. Typically, most bar stools were made with four legs and a round surface to perch on – however, today we are seeing far more chair-like designs popping up across our retailers, including those sitting on four legs and those resting on one central pillar. The issue with bar stools has always been the posture that they encourage, with the lack of a back rest causing many users to slouch. The more modern chair designs however alleviate that problem and provide the crucial support which makes the bar stools more comfortable and user friendly. Bar stools are also popular for their footrest bars, which sit off the ground and allow the user to rest their feet somewhere even when their feet can’t touch the floor. If you’re looking at using your bar stool regularly both inside and outside, consider painting this footrest bar in a darker colour so that it doesn’t become stained with dirt too quickly.

The aesthetics of a bar stool

Renovating old bar stools is big business in furniture retailers and independent crafters, but that doesn’t mean you can’t do it yourself! Whether you simply want to add a lick of paint, or completely recover or renovate an old bar stool to suit your home, the options available are endless – particularly as old bar stools were made so simply. For the best bar stools on the market, consider first looking at homeware and home style retailers, making sure to visit both the dining collection and the outdoor ranges – as some retailers will place bar stools with the outdoor furniture alongside BBQ’s and other outdoor accessories. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, head to showrooms with varying options and consider second hand retailers who may provide a base product which you can renovate yourself in line with your style.