How to Choose the Right Stools for Your Kitchen
Finding the right stools for your kitchen is challenging because there are so many factors to consider, including height, style and comfort. Below is our quick guide to helping you find the best stools for your kitchen island, breakfast bar or even your in-home pub.
Choose the right height
Chair, bar or counter height? To determine which stool you need, measure the height of your table or counter. Keep in mind you need 9″-13″ between the seat and the counter for seating comfort.
Chair stool heights are generally 18″ from floor to seat. Pair with a table or counter 28″-30″ in height.
Counter stool heights are generally 24″-26″ inches from floor to seat. Pair with a table or counter 36″-39″ in height.
Bar stool heights are generally 28″-30″ from floor to seat. Pair with a table or counter 40″-42″ in height.
Determine how many stools you can fit
It’s important to provide enough space between stools for people to eat, drink and socialize without bumping elbows. Here are the rules of thumb we use:
If the widest part of your stool is 16″-18″ allow 21″-22″ of space per stool.
If the widest part of your stool is 19″- 22″ allow 24″ to 25″ of space per stool.
If you choose stools that swivel and/or have arms, you’ll need to add a bit more space between stools.
-
Consider the style of stool
Do you want to make a design statement or do you want more discreet seating? Do you want to match or layer materials in your kitchen? And do the stools you really want work in the space you have? Your answers can help you determine the style of stool that will ultimately work in your kitchen.
If your stools are in a busy or narrow corridor or you don’t want a look that overwhelms your island, choose backless seating that can easily tuck away. But if you love to entertain and want something more lounge-worthy, choose a broad-backed stool with deep seating.
If you’ll use your stools where food is served, consider a low-maintenance material, such as leather, wood or metal. If you choose upholstered stools, choose a microfiber that easily wipes clean. Or, choose cushions that you can swap out.
Whether the style of your kitchen is traditional, rustic or contemporary, you can find a stool that complements your look. There’s no need to be too matchy-matchy. If, for example, your dining room is adjacent to your kitchen, it’s not necessary to match the style of seating. And if you already have a lot of wood, try mixing it up with metal stools. Keep an open mind, and you’ll find just the right look for your kitchen.
Browse our vast selection of bar stools and counter stools for even more ideas.
How much overhang should a counter have to comfortably fit a bar stool under?
Thanks – I like info-driven ads so I can make a better decision before purchasing. We’re in the market for new kitchen island chairs and this ‘informercial’ helps.
Helpful with stylish examples.
Thank you so much for this advice. I am trying to find stools for my kitchen and now I can order with more confidence that I’m getting the right thing!
Marcia: Overhangs can vary – the average barstool is approximately 18 to 20″ deep, so if you choose a barstool with no back you may want the overhang to be about 18″. It all depends on whether you want all of the stool to be tucked under the counter. If the barstool has a back – measure from the front to the beginning of the back to determine the amount of overhang you want. An average overhang for a counter is between 10 to 12″ but nothing is etched in stone. Just make sure that the overhang is supported by counter brackets or corbels for a sturdy countertop.
The Style Studio Team
We need a bar stool that the seat is over 30″ high; preferably 36″ because our bar heigth is 48″. Does your company have any that high? If you don’t do you have any suggestions.
Hi Ballard:
This page was helpful. It would be even better if:
a: The photos under each guideline matched and illustrated each piece of information given under each segment. For example: height, overhang, swivels, arms/no arms, style options, narrow passages, overhang, seating material, etc…
b: Diagrams for measurement would be helpful.
c: There were more related photos and style suggestions (for stools available through Ballard, under each segment of info.
Thanks.
Cynthia: Unfortunately Ballard does not do custom bar stools. The seat height ( 36″) you are looking for is a custom feature. Our bar stools are between 28 to 30″ high (seat). Our suggestion is to go online and locate companies that produce custom bar stools – you ahould be able to order exactly what you want.
The Style Studio Team
Pam: We would love to add additional information to all of our “How To” articles, but feel that they would be exceedingly long. We try to give as much information as we can in a few concise paragraphs. Our hope is that if anyone has additional questions – that they will email Style Studio so that we can answer their questions directly. We constantly strive to give our readers information that will help them make informed decisions when it comes to home decor.
The Style Studio Team
Hi Ballard,
I need a stool that can fit my counter top. I measured the height of my contertop from the floor is 43″. You suggested to choose the metal one if we have a lot of wood chairs already, what color is the best to match the brown colour of my dining table?
Thank you.
Dear Yanni: The height of your counter determines that you will need a bar height stool. Because we do not know what color brown nor the style of your dining room set is, it is impossible for us the suggest a color fro your bar stools.
Sincerely,
The Style Studio Team
I have a dining table in my kitchen, just a few feet away from the bar. Should the barstools match the table chairs?
Pat: The barstools can coordinate or you can try to match them. Sometimes if you can’t match a finish closely, the best thing to do is coordinate another color into the mix.
The Style Studio Team