Barstools

Choosing bar stools and counter stools

The kitchen bench is where most Perth households eat breakfast, do homework and have the first drink of the evening, so the stools along it get more use than the dining chairs. The first thing to get right is height, because a stool that is wrong by ten centimetres is uncomfortable every single time; after that it is backs, materials and how many fit along the bench.

Counter stool or bar stool: measure the bench

Measure from the floor to the underside of the bench. A standard kitchen bench is 90 cm high and takes a counter stool with a seat height of 60 to 68 cm. A raised breakfast bar or a real bar at 100 to 110 cm takes a bar stool with a seat height of 70 to 78 cm. Allow 25 to 30 cm between the seat and the underside of the bench for your legs. Most stools here are counter height because most kitchens are; if your bench is unusual, look for an adjustable gas-lift stool or ask in store.

How many stools fit

Allow about 60 cm of bench per stool for comfort, more for stools with arms or a wide curved back, so a 180 cm overhang seats three and a 240 cm island seats four. Leave space to pull the stool out and sit down: about 70 cm from the bench to the wall or the next piece of furniture behind it. If the stools must tuck under the bench when not in use, choose backless stools or low-backed stools and check the overall height clears the bench top.

Backs, arms and swivel

A stool with a back is the one to choose if anyone sits for more than a quick coffee: homework, a laptop, a long breakfast. A curved back wraps around and feels the most like a chair. Backless stools look lightest and disappear under the bench but are for perching. Swivel stools let you turn to the room and are easier to get on and off in a tight kitchen. Footrests are not optional: your feet should rest on the ring or rail, not dangle.

Fabric, leather, timber or rattan

Upholstered counter stools in boucle, fabric and velvet are the most comfortable and soften a hard kitchen of stone and cabinetry; a mid-tone textured fabric or a stain-resistant finish handles spills. Leather and vegan-leather stools wipe clean in seconds and suit a busy family kitchen. Timber stools, in oak, elm, walnut and ash, with woven or upholstered seats, bring warmth and match a timber dining table. Rattan and cane stools add texture to a coastal or Hamptons kitchen. Match the leg finish, whether timber, black metal or brass, to the dining chairs or the pendant lights so the kitchen and dining area read as one.

Finishing the kitchen

The stools should talk to the dining chairs nearby, either matching or deliberately different in the same family of colours. A rug under the dining table, and barware on a trolley at the end of the bench, finish the space.

See them in a Perth showroom

The Furniture Gallery is WA owned and family run, with showrooms across Perth and regional WA. Sit on the stools at a bench of the right height, test the backs and the swivel, and compare the fabrics and timbers. When you have chosen, add the stools to your cart and enter your postcode for a delivery price; our white-glove delivery team will unpack them and take the packaging away.