Bar Stools

The most important decision when choosing bar stools is getting the seat height right for your bench. Counter stools suit standard kitchen benches at around 90 centimetres, and a counter stool seat of 60 to 65 centimetres gives comfortable legroom at that height. Bar stools suit raised islands and bars at 105 to 110 centimetres, and a bar stool seat of 72 to 78 centimetres works for this configuration. As a rule, allow 25 to 30 centimetres between the top of the bar stool seat and the underside of the bench — this is the legroom gap that makes bar stools comfortable for sitting over an extended period. Measure your bench height before you visit the showroom and our team will take you straight to the bar stools that suit it.

Beyond height, the mechanism of the bar stool changes how it is used day to day. A swivel bar stool rotates to face the room, making it easier to get on and off and more sociable when the kitchen island doubles as a casual dining or conversation spot. A gas-lift bar stool adjusts in height at the push of a lever, making it suitable for benches at different heights and for households where both adults and children use the same bar stools. A fixed-height bar stool is simpler, more robust and often slightly lower in profile, which suits those who want bar stools that read as clean and uncluttered from across the room. All three types are available in our range of bar stools and our team can help you choose the mechanism that suits your bench and your household.

Bar stools in leather or leather-look upholstery are the most practical choice for kitchen use — they wipe clean easily and resist the spills and moisture that are inevitable near a bench. Leather bar stools also tend to age gracefully, developing a patina that makes them look better over time. Fabric bar stools bring warmth and a wider palette to the kitchen island, and some fabric bar stools use tightly woven performance upholstery that holds up well to daily use and the occasional kitchen spill. The choice between leather and fabric bar stools is partly aesthetic and partly practical — our showroom team will help you weigh up both factors against your specific kitchen setting.

Getting the spacing of bar stools right makes the difference between a comfortable bench and a crowded one. Allow approximately 60 centimetres of bench width per bar stool — this gives enough elbow room for each person to eat, work or drink without feeling cramped. If your bar stools have a backrest, make sure there is enough depth behind them for people to get on and off the bar stool comfortably without bumping into the wall or other furniture. For bar stools with a footrest, check that the footrest aligns with the underside of the bench at the correct height — our team can advise on the specific dimensions of any bar stool we stock.

Checking seat comfort, height and scale in person is the safest way to buy bar stools, and you can do that at any of our five showrooms — open seven days across Alphington, Preston, Essendon DFO, Springvale and Nunawading. Melbourne metro delivery on in-stock pieces takes 48 hours to dispatch, with Australia-wide freight for everyone else, a structural warranty on every stool, and Zip Pay available in store and online.