You need bar stools, but how do you know which ones to choose?  There are so many different models to choose from that searching for that perfect stool can be frustrating at times.  Wooden bar stools are some of the most popular pieces of furniture.  This is a guide to choosing the right wooden stool for your home or business.

Most people buy stools to but in the kitchen, but others have a separate bar in another part of the house.  You might also be looking for stools to put in your commercial bar.  Wherever you plan to put them, wooden kitchen bar stools make a fine choice.  Many people have a breakfast bar that is part of their kitchen.  Others have an island.  The fact is that you need a stool to be able to sit comfortably at the counter and read, eat or do whatever else you like.

Types of wood used for bar stools

The vast majority of wooden bar stools are made out of oak, beech, or cherry wood.  Oak is by far the most common.  The advantage of using oak or beech is that it has a naturally light color.  This feature allows the manufacturer to stain it whatever color they want, or just leave it alone to give it the natural look.  Cherry wood is a darker wood with a beautiful, natural look.  Another reason for choosing these types of wood is that they are very solid and heavy.  Cheap wooden bar stools are sometimes made out of inferior pine wood, but these don’t last as long.  If you buy a quality stool made out of a hard wood, it will last you decades or even centuries, and will still look great.

One other type of wood that is sometimes used for outdoor wooden bar stools is teak.  The reason is that teak has natural properties that make it more water resistant than other kinds of wood.  If you have an outdoor bar, using teak stools is highly recommended.  Another option is to use a different type of wood with a weatherproof coating on it.

Different Kinds of Wooden Bar Stools

Stools come in a variety of shapes and sizes.  One of the most common features they might have is a swivel.  Swivel wooden bar stools have two main advantages:  They are easier to get in and out of, since you can just turn around and step off.  Stools without swivels are a little tougher to mount or dismount.  Another advantage is that swivel stools tend to be adjustable as well.  The majority of stools made out of wood cannot swivel.

Wooden bar stools with backs are another type that you can get.  Some of these stools have all of the features of a nice chair, except they sit a foot higher off the ground.  There are many stools that have backs.  Some of them have armrests on them as well.  It all depends on what you prefer.  Some people like the backs on there.  Others prefer backless wooden bar stools because they allow you to slouch more and lean on the bar.  There is one other type of design that deserves mention, and that is the saddle design.  Wooden saddle bar stools are much wider than normal ones, and the seat is contoured, like a saddle.

Another great feature that is a recent addition on the stool scene is the folding wooden bar stool.  These are very cool because they have all of the features and beautiful appearance of a nice wooden stool, but they can be folded up and stored away easily and conveniently when not in use.

When it comes to color, you have lots of choices.  The high end stool manufacturers can custom stain your order so that it matches other features in your kitchen.  If you prefer to do the staining yourself, you can purchase unfinished wooden bar stools and then stain them at home to match the cabinets or other features.  But what if your kitchen doesn’t have the “rustic” look?  What if it has a more modern design?  Fortunately, you can get black wooden bar stools that either match or contrast the room they are in.  Either black or white wooden bar stools also blend in great with kitchens that have a checkerboard floor.

Whatever style you prefer, there are cheaper basic stools and expensive designs from famous designers that are more expensive and may feature customizable options.  If you are looking for inexpensive wooden bar stools, expect to pay around $30 or more.  The fancier stools that are built to last with quality materials and superior craftsmanship can cost upwards of $200 each, but they are built to last a lifetime.

Tags: Kitchen Furniture, Stools by Jeffrey
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Finding the right bar stools for your kitchen depends on both how your kitchen is designed, and also your tastes.  The kitchen can be a busy place.  We cook, socialize, eat some or all of our meals, and relax reading the newspaper or a good book.  Every kitchen needs a comfortable place to sit, and bar kitchen stools are the answer.

Why can’t you use ordinary chairs in the kitchen?  The problem here is that the counter tops are designed to be at a height perfect for cutting things and performing various other kitchen tasks without having to bend over.  Unless you are extraordinarily tall, if you sit on a chair in the kitchen, you will be below the counter.  Kitchen counter bar stools allow you to sit and relax at just the right height.  In addition, many stools allow you to adjust the height up or down.  This feature comes in handy when multiple people in the house will be using the stools.  Children will need to raise the seat, and adults may need to lower it.

Types of Stools

There are a number of different types of stools available to choose from.  Wooden kitchen bar stools are very popular because they usually blend in nicely with the wooden cabinets.  You can choose a color that matches them.  In addition, they portray a down-to-earth touch to your kitchen.  The one drawback to wooden stools is that they usually aren’t adjustable.

Metal kitchen stools are also very popular.  They come in a wide variety of styles, made out of different metals.  Some have a rough look, and others are sleek and shiny looking. Unlike wooden stools, metal ones usually are adjustable.  There are thousands of styles to choose from.  You can go with something very conservative and old fashioned looking, or you can choose contemporary kitchen bar stools that look like they belong on the space shuttle!  Whatever your tastes, you will be able to find something you like.
Some kitchen bar stools have all the features of a chair, only the legs are longer so they sit higher.  Others are designed out of molded fiberglass or metal and are contoured to provide maximum comfort.

When you are thinking about your kitchen bar and stools, it helps to go over what you will be doing in this area.  If there is one meal that most people eat in the kitchen, it is breakfast.  We tend to eat lunch and dinner in the dining room, but breakfast usually tends to be eaten quickly.  Kitchen breakfast bar stools allow us to take things out of the refrigerator and place them right on the counter.  This saves us lots of set-up and clean-up time.

A kitchen island with bar stools placed around it is a very common design in homes throughout the world.  An island is a free standing counter that sits in the middle of their kitchen.  You can put kitchen island bar stools around the counter, and use them for both preparing food and also for eating.  In this way, your island will function as both a table and an easy to reach and clean area for various kitchen tasks.
Many people are pleased to find out that stools often cost less than chairs.  At the low end of the price range, you can get a set of two cheap kitchen bar stools for thirty dollars. Fifteen dollars a piece is hard to beat.  If you step up to fancier models, they will cost you more, with some stools made by famous designers even climbing into the hundreds of dollars.  A good place to browse for kitchen stools is on Amazon.com or other websites.  They will give you a good idea of the styles available to you.  If you prefer to see them in person, large furniture stores like Ikea will have many models to choose from as well.  An advantage of seeing them yourself first is that you will be able to give them a “test drive” as well, checking for things like comfort and durability.

Tags: Kitchen Furniture, Stools by Jeffrey
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