Kitchen counter stools are a great way to increase seating in your kitchen without eating up much needed space when no one is using them. Unlike traditional tables and chairs, bars or counters and stools are space-saving because the stools can be pushed entirely beneath the counter to store when not in use. If you are replacing stools or just having a counter installed in your kitchen, be sure to measure the height of the counter as that determines the size stool you need to buy. If you’re having the counter installed, speak with your contractor to ensure the counter is put in at a standard height. If the counter is taller than average, you may end up having to special order your stools, which will in turn cause you to spend more money. Make sure you don’t buy your stools too tall as this creates numerous problems. The person sitting on the stool cannot move around comfortably and often has to scoot back from the counter in order to sit comfortably. The typical person will be most comfortable with roughly ten inches between the edge of the counter and their stool. You can get away with only eight inches, but the further you get from the “average height,” the less comfortable eight inches will feel. (And it goes without saying that if you are taller, you will need more than ten inches of room.) You want to also notice the foot rail on your stool as well as this will impact the stool’s comfort.
There are so many options to choose from when purchasing kitchen counter stools. A quick Google search for kitchen counter stools will return literally pages and pages of venders for stools. It’s very easy to get overwhelmed. There is great variance in stool pricing. Keep in mind that you don’t want to skimp on your stools. They will see a lot of use and action and plenty of wear and tear. The last thing you want to do is go through all of the trouble to pick out or procure stools, only to turn around and do it again because you were too cheap to purchase quality stools the first time around. Or worse yet, you’d hate to see someone fall and get seriously hurt because they were sitting on a stool that fell apart.
The other thing you really want to concern yourself with is comfort. If you really want to utilize the counter in your kitchen, then you need to provide cozy seating. If you’ve spent some time imaging your family gathered around the counter talking, playing a board game, or eating, then you need to set the stage for that to happen. If you cut corners to save money on your stools, then you’re likely going to end up with uncomfortable stools that no one wants to spend time in. Have you really invested your money wisely? One way to increase the comfort and usability of your stools is to choose stools with backrests built on. You could even investigate ergonomic stools.
