What Height Bar Stool Do I Need? Counter vs Bar Height Made Simple
By Furniture1003 min read
Bar stools are one of the easiest pieces of furniture to get wrong, and it is nearly always for the same reason: the height. Someone falls for a stool, orders it, and then finds their knees jammed under the worktop or themselves perched a good few inches too low. The fix is simple. It takes one measurement and a bit of easy maths.
Start with your worktop, not the stool
Stools are sold by their own seat height, but the number that actually matters is the height of the surface you'll be sitting at. Measure from the floor to the top of your worktop or breakfast bar, and everything else follows.
As a general rule, you want a gap of around 25 to 30cm between the top of the stool seat and the underside of the worktop. That is enough to cross your legs and slide in and out without a fight.
Counter height or bar height?
These two phrases cause most of the confusion, so here is the plain version.
- Counter height suits a standard kitchen worktop or island, which in most UK homes sits at around 90cm. Pair that with a stool seat of roughly 60 to 66cm.
- Bar height is for a raised breakfast bar or a taller poseur-style table, usually around 105 to 115cm. That calls for a taller stool with a seat near 75 to 80cm.
If your kitchen has a standard island, you almost certainly want counter height. Bar height is the exception, for those raised bars you sometimes get on a peninsula.
When you are not sure, go adjustable
Gas-lift stools let you raise and lower the seat with a lever, which takes the guesswork out of it and suits a home where different people sit at different heights. Most of them swivel too, which is handy at a busy island. If you are buying before the kitchen is finished, or you just want flexibility, an adjustable stool is the safe choice.
How many will fit?
Allow around 60cm of worktop per stool so nobody is knocking elbows. As a rough guide that means a 120cm run seats two comfortably, and 180cm seats three. Leave a bit of breathing room at the ends, and make sure there is space behind to actually get on and off.
Backs, swivels and footrests
A stool with a back is more comfortable if you tend to linger over breakfast or a glass of wine. A backless stool tucks fully under the worktop and keeps a small kitchen looking tidy. Either way, a footrest matters more than people expect, since it is where your feet live for the whole time you are sat there.
Measure the worktop, leave a hand's width of leg room, and the rest is just choosing the one you like.
Find yours
All of our bar stools are chosen to look far pricier than they are, with free UK delivery and 30-day returns on every order, and the option to make us an offer if the price isn't quite right. Have a browse through our bar stools, or see the full collection to pull the whole kitchen together.
Frequently asked questions
What height bar stool do I need for a standard kitchen worktop?
A standard UK kitchen worktop or island is around 90cm high. For that you want a counter-height stool with a seat of roughly 60 to 66cm, which leaves about 25 to 30cm of leg room under the worktop. Always measure your own surface first, as heights do vary.
What is the difference between counter height and bar height?
Counter-height stools suit a normal kitchen worktop or island at around 90cm, with a seat near 60 to 66cm. Bar-height stools are taller, for a raised breakfast bar or poseur table around 105 to 115cm, with a seat near 75 to 80cm. Measure your surface and work back from there.
How many bar stools fit at my island?
Allow roughly 60cm of worktop per stool so elbows aren't knocking. So a 120cm run comfortably seats two, and 180cm seats three. Leave a little extra at the ends and check there's room to slide in and out.
