Barstool – Buying Advice for Bar Stools

Your Barstool Buying Guide

Setting up your own home bar is exciting. It allows you to entertain friends and family, and adds elegance to your den. If you want your bar to emanate the perfect style, you need to select a barstool that perfectly matches the intricate lines of your bar.

What to Consider in a Barstool

When you’re shopping for a barstool or bar stools, you need to consider the following features:

Style

Height

Number

Style: barstools come in different styles and materials. Some are made of wood while others are metal. Undoubtedly you’ve seen many different styles of bar stools. However, you want to make sure the stool you choose matches your bar. Different woods have different appearances, so match the wood of your bar with the wood or your barstool(s) as closely as possible. If you have a retro looking bar, find stools that accent its retro look. Also, barstools vary in their primary elements. Some have swivel bases, some have arms – others have unmovable bases with no arms. So you need to determine what functionality you want in your barstool. You definitely have some options to choose from.

Height: this is very important. Bars come in different heights. Some bars are built into the room while others are stand-alone furnishings. In any case, you need to make sure your barstool is adequate height for the height of your bar. Typically the seat of your stool should be approximately 12 inches from the bottom of the bar counter. This allows for adequate sitting area.

Number: the number of bar stools you select depends on the size of your bar. One barstool is rarely enough. Two is typical but in some cases, you can accommodate more. So, measure your bar. The typical rule of thumb is to allow approximately 23 inches of space for each chair. Wider chairs will require more elbow room. So measure your bar length and figure out how many chairs you can have.

Outdoor vs. Indoor Barstools

There is a significant difference between an outdoor and indoor barstool. Outdoor stools need to be able to handle the elements since they’re outdoors and are victim to the elements. As a result, outdoor bar stools are typically heavy duty and made of rust free material or paint. Indoor barstools tend to be more delicate yet durable. You wouldn’t want to leave an indoor barstool outside for days at a time. So if you’re shopping for bar stools for your indoor bar, make sure the stools you purchase are designed for indoor use (and vice versa).

Pub Table Sets

If you don’t want a full-blown bar, a pub table with matching chairs is the best way to go. A pub table set is a tall round table typically with two chairs that are also tall in stature. This style is commonly found in today’s bars and pubs. Although not designed for mixing drinks, a pub table set allows for cocktail style ambience. If you have additional questions regarding barstools, check out our barstool FAQs.