What is the Difference Between Bar Stools and Counter Stools?

Both bar stools and counter stools are popular seating options, so it’s important to know the differences before making a purchase. When it comes to counter stools vs bar stools, you have to take into consideration height differences, functionality, comfort, and aesthetics.

At Cafe Solutions, we are dedicated to ensuring you make the right choice for your home or establishment. So, what’s the difference between a bar stool and a counter stool? Let’s dive in!

Key Takeaways

Bar stools are taller than counter stools.
Choose a stool at least 25.4 cm lower than your table height.
Each stool should be at least 15 cm apart for optimal leg and elbow room.

What is a Bar Stool?

A bar stool is essentially a tall chair that you can sit on near a bar table. A standard bar stool usually has a footrest to support your feet, and bar stools are used at many establishments to seat patrons at bars.

While bar stools are designed for higher counters in commercial bars, many homeowners are choosing to have bar stools in their kitchen or bar. The stools allow for easy rest, so you can comfortably at higher heights to eat and drink while still having enough legroom.

Bar stools come in various forms and types for your counter and bar. There are swivel stools, backless bar stools, upholstered, and more.

What is a Counter Stool?

A standard counter stool is shorter than a bar stool. Counter stools are used to seat people at counters and are lower than the counter to offer relaxed leg movement.

While there are many different types of counter stools, from swivel counter stools to a backless stool with adjustable height, they are generally more compact than bar stools.

Counter stools provide more control over your space, as they fit nearly under your counters or tables. Between the two types of stools, counter stools are more common in homes and cafés than bar stools.

Height Differences

Counter stools and bar stools have completely different heights. Choosing the wrong height can lead to serious space and functionality issues. If your stool is too short or too tall, you’ll be stuck with a huge inconvenience.

Let’s dive into the differences so you can make sure you buy the right counter or bar stool height for kitchen island areas, tables, or bars!

Bar Stool Height

The standard bar stool height is between 73 cm and 82 cm if you’re measuring up until the seat height. To determine the right bar stools for your counter, you also need to consider the height of the table. Most bar-height tables are between 101 cm and 107 cm, so your bar stool seat can sit comfortably nearby.

Get in touch with the stool experts at Cafe Solutions if you need some help finding the perfect bar stools for your kitchen, bar, or commercial space!

Counter Stool Height

The standard height for a counter stool is usually between 60 cm and 69 cm at seat height. When considering a stool and counter vs bar height, counter stools are typically a lot shorter and sit below the height of your counter. Height is one of the major differences between counter stools and bar stools. Counter stools are more suitable for tables and kitchen islands around 92 cm tall.

Odd Dimensions and Elbow Room

While most commercial stools are built with standard dimensions, they won’t fit every counter or bar out there. If you have a table or counter at an odd dimension, it’s always best to choose a stool that is at least 25.4 cm lower than your table height. That way, you will have more than enough room for your legs and elbows.

If you’re struggling to choose the right height stool, go for an adjustable stool! Adjustable height stools have a hydraulic pump that gives you control over the stool height.

When it comes to elbow space, you need to make sure that your bar or counter height stools are spaced out. We recommend that each stool be spaced out at least 15 cm apart if your seats are between 40 cm and 46 cm.

If your bar stools or counter stools are wider or have armrests, you might require more space between them. Some bar stools have a rotating seat, which might make them easier seating options for more elbow space.

Functionality and Usage

While the height of counter and bar stools vary, each also has its own functionality and usage. Bar and counter stools are built for different areas, so let’s dive into the different functionalities and usages between them!

The Functionality of Bar Stools

Bar stools are usually used at bars, lounges, and pubs. However, nowadays, you can often find a bar stool in a kitchen with a high-top dining table or at a home bar. For home bars, they are designed for entertaining and socialising. You might also find them against high-top tables in gaming rooms or outdoor patio bar tables.

Most bar stools have footrests to make sitting more comfortable at higher heights, because a bar stool is a tall seating choice.

The Functionality of Counter Stools

Counter stools are usually used in kitchens, dining areas, and home offices. You can generally find them against kitchen counter islands, breakfast bars, and even adjustable counter stools in a working space. They are also very common in cafes and casual dining establishments.

They are best used in spaces where lower seating is appropriate for day-to-day activities like eating and socialising. For commercial areas, they are designed to be accessible for both sitting and standing customers.

Aesthetic Considerations

When choosing either counter stools or bar stools, you also need to consider the aesthetics of your home vs the aesthetics of the stool. Here’s a quick breakdown of the difference in aesthetics:

Bar Stool Aesthetics

Bar stools come in a wide variety of styles, materials, and designs, offering flexibility over the aesthetics of your space. They are generally made from wood, metal, or plastic. Some popular options are swivel and adjustable stools for extra convenience and comfort.

Counter Stool Aesthetics

Counter stools come in a wide range of styles, with everything between traditional and modern. They are usually designed to complement a huge variety of interior aesthetics. Popular design options are backless and armless stools to save you space. They are usually made from wood, metal, and upholstered seats that can be made with leather, fabric, velvet, and more.

Choosing the Right Stool

It’s time to choose the right stool for your home or commercial space! Choosing a stool can be daunting. Finding the ones that will match your room perfectly depends on how you plan to use the stools.

Measuring

The first step is to measure for the right fit. When measuring for the stool height, you have to measure from the floor to the underside of your counter or bar. Once you know this measurement, you’ll know whether a bar or counter stool is ideal. For counter stools, you want to minus 25.4 cm from this measurement.

Comfort and Usage

Once you know the measurement of your table, you can decide on a stool with a standard height for a bar or counter. However, you also want to prioritise your comfort based on usage! For example, upholstered stools with backs and arms are extremely comfortable. If you’re planning to use your new seating option often, these stools offer the highest level of comfort.

What are the Consequences of Choosing the Wrong Stool?

Inconvenience: Choosing the wrong stool can result in a huge inconvenience for you. For example, getting a bar stool for a counter can lead to knee bumps and difficulties getting in and out of the seat.
Space problems: With the wrong stool height, you could be dealing with overcrowding and limited elbow room.
Design mismatch: If you get the wrong type of stool, it can ruin the aesthetics of your space and make it appear poorly designed.

How Many Stools Do I Need?

For standard bar and counter heights, you should be leaving around 60 cm to 72 cm of space per stool. With this measurement in mind, you can calculate the number of stools you’ll need based on the length of the counter or bar. For example, a 130 cm long table should comfortably sit two stools on one side.

Cafe Solutions has a wide stool collection, from your standard bar-height stool to kitchen island stools, height-adjustable bar chairs, and more stools to choose from for your kitchen or bar area.

FAQs on What is the Difference Between Bar Stools and Counter Stools?

What is the gap between the bar stool and counter?

The gap between a bar stool and a counter should be at least between 30 cm to 35 cm. This measurement is from the front of your bar stool to where your knees generally rest. It’s important to have enough space here for your knees to rest comfortably without bumping into the counter.

Can you use a bar stool at a counter?

You shouldn’t use a bar stool at a counter. This is because bar stools are usually much taller than counter stools and are specifically built to stand at bars. If you place a bar stool by a counter, it will be too high and lead to a lot of discomfort.

Can you cut bar stools to counter height?

Yes, you can cut bar stools to counter height. You can get this professionally done or cut it yourself. If you are cutting yourself, you could either cut from the bottom of the legs or disassemble it and cut from the top of the legs, so the bottom remains unchanged.