How to Choose Bar Stools for Your Kitchen: A 6-Step Guide

The first two are measurements, set largely by your kitchen; the rest are choices. Deciding in this order stops you falling for a stool that cannot work at your counter.

The table summarises each step with the rule that decides it. The sections below explain each one.

For a standard kitchen counter or island of 89 to 92 cm that gives a 66 cm seat; for a typical bar of 99 to 102 cm a 76 cm seat. Anything in between calls for a custom height.

This is the one step that cannot be fixed later, and the one most often got wrong, usually by measuring to the top of a thick worktop or by trusting the word bar. Use the calculator in our bar stool height guide if you want the exact figure for your counter.

A 180 cm island seats three. Then choose the number your household uses every day rather than the most that fits.

Check two more measurements while you have the tape out: we recommend 30 to 40 cm of overhang for knees, and at least 90 cm of free floor behind the seats. Our guide to how many bar stools you need has a calculator and a table for every common island length.

Choose backless for quick breakfasts, small kitchens, or stools that should vanish under the counter. A low backrest supports the lower back and stays below the counter edge; a full backrest gives the most support.

Armrests make getting up easier and suit long sitting; a wide stool such as Carl needs about 5 cm more counter per stool. In our range, Eva and Svea are backless, Freja and Ebba have a low back, Philip and Ted a full back, and Bruno and Carl add armrests. Backrest vs backless stools goes through the choice in detail.

Then choose the seat: as a rule of thumb, upholstered for meals longer than an hour, wood for easy cleaning and a clean look.

Upholstery comes down to how the kitchen is used. Vegan leather wipes clean and suits families; velvet feels soft and hides wear in dark colours; bouclé is the warmest to the touch and the most textured. Order free fabric samples before choosing: colour and texture on a screen are rarely quite right. Compare materials in wood vs metal bar stools and fabrics in our upholstery guide.

A stool delivered fully assembled has had its joints made and checked in the factory, which self-assembly at home rarely matches.

Wobble is a common complaint about cheap stools, and it usually starts at bolted joints that loosen with daily use. Our stools are welded or glued and delivered assembled from our factory in Malmö, rated for 200 kg and covered by a 10-year warranty. Our guide to whether expensive bar stools are worth it explains what the price difference buys.

Order free fabric samples and wood samples to check colours against your worktop. Then buy the rest, knowing the height and seat are right.

Testing one stool is a reliable way to catch what no photo shows, such as a seat that feels too firm for long dinners. All our stools are delivered fully assembled within Europe, usually 3 to 5 working days after dispatch, so a test stool is quick to arrange.