What You Need To Know Before Measuring For Your New Kitchen Bar Stools

The kitchen is a purpose-built space for socializing, especially if it seamlessly transitions into the dining area. It's embedded in the culture all over the globe for people to bond over food, so making a few changes to it to accommodate friendly interactions can be a good investment. A nifty bar stool is a kitchen upgrade you can make without any renovations — but not without thoughtful measurement considerations, among other things. 

Measuring your countertop (or kitchen island) before buying is smart bar stool advice that takes a small kitchen from cluttered to cozy, though you've got to know more than that if you want it to fit like a missing puzzle piece. For instance, something too tall will require you to slouch, whereas not leaving enough room between each stool will cause people to rub elbows. You have to keep comfort in mind above all, specifically whether there's enough space for people to sit cozily. So consider the width of the stool, seat height, and overall height — from the legs and the seat right up to the backrest (if it comes with one).

The right stool is nothing without the proper proportions; small spaces will need to adjust more by going for something more low-key. While you might need to make a few sacrifices (hint: it's the backrest), there are a few ways to make it work. Overall, don't just focus on whether your new bar stools will fit, but also gauge if you can still utilize the space smoothly with them, all while never compromising comfort.

Accounting for the table's measurement is ground zero. Think about how many stools you'd like to squeeze into the space and go from there. But of course, you don't want a snug fit. Otherwise, it will be one of the worst design choices you can make in your kitchen. 6 inches — or 8 to 10 inches for broader sitting areas — is a good starting point for the distance between chairs, but you can definitely make do with more, especially if your table is wide.

Since comfort is most important, this is where factoring in height comes in handy, and why you should leave at least 10 inches between the seat and the countertop's bottom to give yourself some wiggle room. An adjustable bar stool is also an option, and it's perfect if you have small children at home. For small kitchens, however, you might need to make do with backless or low-back stools, as they can save more space when not in use; you can easily slide them in and out of the table. But these kinds of stools have their disadvantages — they're not the greatest options if you're looking for maximum comfort, though there are also tapered-leg bar stools with back support that might work better. If space isn't an issue, then you can focus more on the comfiest options, which will give you a whole new world of possibilities.