If you’re in the market for new bar stools, whether it be for your kitchen counter, your home bar, or a restaurant or other commercial business, you may be thinking: “What’s the big deal with them? I mean, they’re just like purchasing any other piece of furniture, right?”
Truth is, the answer is both yes and no. Yes, because the fact is, like any other piece of furniture, you have to take some standard steps towards determining if the right choice is made. For example, what styles are you striving for? Does your home or business have a certain existing décor that your stools have to stay consistent with or are you going to throw caution to the wind and forget about consistency altogether? Measurements – are they going to fit properly in their designated resting spot? Point is these questions and more, like any other piece of furniture, should be answered before you go splurging out.
However, unlike some other pieces of furniture, there are certain attributes about bar stools that need a little more thought. First and foremost, and most importantly, consider the seat height of the stool. The reason why this is of utmost importance is because in many instances, the overall height and seat height can be mixed up. If you do that, you may end up with an extra tall bar stool for a short kitchen counter. Even if you can return and exchange that set of stools for the correct size, you don’t want to have to go through the hassle of going back to the store and lugging home a new set.
Therefore, to be safe, follow the guide below to ensure that the stool you do get will fit your counter. Of course, before anything else, take measurements of your counter to determine how much space you have.
Counter Height Stools:
Counter stools are the bar stools of a shorter variety. These are usually meant for standard kitchen counters as oppose to home bars. The seat heights for counter stools are as follows:
Bar Height Stools:
Bar height stools are the most common stools you’ll find. These will accommodate most home bars or the bars you see at your local pub or restaurant. The seat heights for bar height stools are as follows:
Extra Tall Bar Stools:
As the name suggests, extra tall bar stools are stools with seat heights higher up then your standard bar stool. Having said that, anything higher than 33 inches in seat height can be considered an extra tall bar stool; however, you usually do not see many stools going above 36 inches in seat height.
Adjustable:
If all else fails and you are still uncertain which stool will work for you, whether it be a counter stool, bar stool, or extra tall bar stool, you can always resort to an adjustable stool. These act similar to office chairs with a gas lift; being able to change the seat height as desired. One thing to consider with adjustable seat height stools is the design. They usually come in either a contemporary or modern fashion. Having said that, unless you want to switch things up in terms of your existing décor, make sure your place can accommodate its design.
Finally, please take the time to consider options such as whether or not you want a stool with a back or backless stool; or one with arm rests or without. In most cases, manufacturers will make two exact same stools, with the exception that one will either have these options and the other will not. That being said, don’t be confused if you see two seemingly exact stools at different prices. One of them may have arm rests and the other may not. One more option to think about when purchasing bar stools is whether or not you want it to swivel. Keep in mind that some stools have a memory swivel, meaning that the seat will go back to its normal position when no one is sitting in it.
So now let’s assume you’ve covered all of the corners; you’ve taken measurements, you know what style of stools you are looking for, and you are aware of the different seat heights and know what will fit properly under your counter – you’re probably ready to start shopping. Over the internet, there are several places in which you can purchase bar stools. You may be bombarded with your choices, but the one recommendation is MoreBarstools.com. This site is owned by Cymax Stores, who were voted as an Internet Top 500 Retailer since 2008. You can also narrow your search for stools in various ways, including by seat height, as described here. They also have an insane amount of stools (over 2000) to choose from, most of which have different options, such as swatches, materials, finishes, and more. Best of all, they save you money by removing any shipping charges and sales taxes.
If online purchasing isn’t your thing yet, feel free to take trip to your favourite furniture retailer. Most will not have the selection as MoreBarstools.com does, but this way you get to feel it and see it first-hand before you commit to a purchase.
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