Summer Sariah: Design Tip: Determining the Correct Bar Stool Height

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Design Tip: Determining the Correct Bar Stool Height

I was absolutely tickled pink when Summer asked me to be a part of this blog. I gladly accepted! As you might have read in my bio, I currently work as a furniture and home accessory designer at Basin Custom. I recently graduated from the Interior Design program at Utah State University. As a contributor to this blog, my goal is to provide helpful design tips and projects each week.

Starting off with--

Bar stools: you've seen them. You've hunted for them, and if you’re crazy like me, you might have even dreamt about them. Yep, I am still talking about bar stools. I love bar stools. I think every kitchen needs a good set of bar stools. (Maybe even four or six.) Bar stools can be the finishing touch to your kitchen, the pieces that pull the whole room together, the “cherry on top”, perhaps. Bar stools come in all sorts of colors, materials, styles, and heights. That last word ‘heights,’ is where everyone gets confused.

Today I’m answering the question, “How do I know what height of bar stool I need to buy?”

I get asked this question on almost a daily basis, which by all means I am more than happy to help you answer, but I figure I might as well try to do the world some good and teach a life lesson on bar stool height.(When I say the world, I obviously mean the world of fellow bar stool buyers. Haha.)

A quick way to determine what height of bar stool you may need, can be as simple as just a few measurements.

1) Measure the table or counter that they are intended to be used with. 2) Measure the distance from the floor to the top of the table.

A GOOD RULE OF THUMB:

There should be between 10" and 12" between the seat height and the height of the counter or table where the chair or stool is going to be used.

(For example: a 42” table top works best with a 30” stool.)

Chairs and bar stools are measured in seat height. (The height from the floor to the top of the seat.)

QUICK GUIDE:

18” Stools: Designed to be used at a 30” counter height, table, or desk.

24"-26” Stools: Designed specifically for kitchen counter-tops with a height of 36"-39”.

30” Stools: Designed for bar counters that measure in at 40”-45” in height.

And since we are on the subject of bar stools, I might as well give you a glimpse of some eye candy I've been sending out over the last couple of weeks. All of our furniture is custom, fit to the needs and wants of our clients. To view more photos, click here.

Enjoy!

Lish