Custom Height Bar Stools: When You Need One and How It Works

It is a bar stool whose frame is made to give a seat height other than the two standards, 66 cm (26 in) and 76 cm (30 in), so that it fits a specific counter. The seat, backrest, upholstery and finish are the same as on the standard stool; only the height of the frame changes.

Custom heights are possible on steel stools because the frame is cut and welded from tube, so the legs can be made to the length your counter needs. Solid oak stools are machined from parts of fixed dimensions, which is why our oak range comes in the two standard heights only. Our bar stool height guide explains the standards in full.

When your counter, measured to its underside, falls outside 89 to 92 cm (35 to 36 in) and 99 to 102 cm (39 to 40 in). At a 95 cm counter, for example, a 66 cm seat leaves 29 cm of legroom and a 76 cm seat only 19 cm; neither sits in the comfortable 23 to 26 cm range.

The table shows the counters where a custom height gives a noticeably better fit. Thick stone worktops on otherwise standard cabinets are the most common reason, followed by raised breakfast bars and older or bespoke kitchens.

Measure from the floor to the underside of the counter where your knees will be, then subtract about 25 cm (10 in). That puts the seat in the middle of the comfortable 23 to 26 cm (9 to 10 in) range. A 95 cm counter needs a seat of about 70 cm (27.5 in); a 105 cm counter, about 80 cm (31.5 in).

If the counter has an apron, a support rail or a drawer under the overhang, measure to the lowest of these. For an upholstered seat, the upper end of the range is fine, because the cushion compresses slightly. The calculator in our bar stool height guide does the sum for you.

Our four steel stools: Freja, with a low backrest; Philip, with a full upholstered backrest; Bruno, with a full backrest and armrests; and Svea, backless. All are welded from Swedish precision steel and powder-coated in our factory, so the frame can be made to the height you need.

On Bruno, remember that the armrests rise with the seat and must still pass under the counter edge; tell us your counter height and we will confirm the fit. Our oak stools, Eva, Ebba, Ted and Carl, come in 66 and 76 cm seat heights only. See steel bar stools for the four models in detail.

It is made to order in our own factory in Malmö: the frame is cut and welded to your height, powder-coated, upholstered by hand and checked, then delivered fully assembled like every other stool we make. Nothing is added or bolted on to change the height; the frame is simply built taller or shorter.

That is why a custom height stool carries the same 200 kg (440 lbs) load rating and the same 10-year warranty as the standard sizes. Our guide to how our bar stools are made shows each step in the factory.

Choose the model, measure your counter to the underside, subtract about 25 cm (10 in), and order through Design Your Own on the product page, or contact us with your counter height if you are unsure. We will confirm the seat height before the frame is made.

If you are between two sizes, tell us how you will use the stool: for long meals, sit slightly lower; for quick breakfasts, slightly higher is fine. Order fabric samples at the same time so the height and the upholstery are decided together.