What You Need to Know Before Buying Kitchen Stools

IN THIS POST:

MAN ON STOOL

Purchasing bar stools for your home can be a deceiving feat. You would think that there isn’t too much that could go wrong, and you’d be wrong. From wrong heights to wrong materials, there are a few things you should look out for when shopping for the perfect bar stool. 

With the thousands of options on the market, finding the “right” stool can be an overwhelming task. Before you start shopping for the right stools, it is helpful to know what you’re looking for in terms of budget, aesthetics and functionality.  Today, I’m sharing my top tips on how you can get the perfect bar stools for your home.

Top Considerations

The most important detail when it comes to shopping for bar stools is to look for one that is the correct height. Yes, people purchase the wrong stool heights all.the.time. Stools come in two different heights. Bar height stools and counter height stools. Bar height stools are around 29”-32” tall. Counter height stools are about 23”-28” tall. Leg-height wise, you want between 9”-13” to the underside of the table or the countertop. For spacing width-wise, generally you want at least 24” per person (more if you can) and I like to have 10” spacing between each stool. I think it just looks a bit cleaner.

Next up is the Style

I don’t really have any hard and fast rules when it comes to considering style while shopping for stools. What I will however say, is that I think even with a piece like this, go for something classic over the uber-trendy. You might be thinking “surely a stool is one piece of furniture you can have some fun with” and if you really want to opt for something crazy here, you can. However, stools are not always budget-friendly and I also find they’re one of those things that hang around way longer than they should. So for that reason, I think it’s better to spend the money and go for something more on the timeless side so you’re not running back to the store this time next year.

white kitchen

Material

There are so many options when it comes to stool materials. You have wicker, wood, rattan, metal, upholstered and more. My suggestion will be to pick something with some give, so that it isn’t so hard your guests hate pulling up a chair. Whether that is something upholstered, or I have seen some beautiful rope detail bar stools that offer the same thing. The idea is comfortable yet supportive. We all know how it is when hosting, our friends hang out in those stools for hours, and we want them to be comfortable.

tip on buying stools

& About Comfort

Comfort is so important when discussing stool selection. 

There are two areas I think about with stool comfort; And those are back, armrest and footrest availability. Unless these stools are not going to be used ever (I mean ever) or you really care about core engagement (don’t be a cruel host) for heaven’s-sake, purchase stools with a backrest. Stools with zero support are awful for people with bad backs and as the saying goes hosts with bad stool, have no friends to host. 😛

Next up is footrest availability. This is another important detail to look for. You can get restless sitting in a stool for too long, and it’s always nice to have the option to rest your feet for a while.

blue and white kitchen

Some of my favorite stools from light house co.

The Budget

There is a broad budget when it comes to shopping for stools and there are a myriad of factors that determine the price. These can include brand, materials, size, design intricacy etc. Generally, you can find stools are low as $100 – $1600+ per stool. That is quite a range, which is why it is so important to know what you’re looking for before you buy and take everything into consideration to balance quality with affordability.

Some Other Tips

If you’ve read any of my other posts on furniture, you know that I am going to tell you to go to the store if possible to try the stools out. It is also a good idea to read reviews and compare multiple options. 

Some of my favorite sources include Crate & Barrel, Serena & Lily, West Elm, and Wayfair as they all have a huge selection of stools. 

Hopefully by the end of this post, you’re able to see that there is quite a bit that goes into purchasing the right stools for your home. With so many options, you want to make sure you’re making the right selection.

What did you think of this post? Is there anything else you’d like me to cover? Please reach out!

cliff note on buying stools

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