Bar Stools – Some Important Measurements
While some people say that size does not matter, when it comes to buying bar stools and building breakfast or liquor bars, it certainly does. It would be most uncomfortable for any one to get on a bar stool and find his chin almost resting on the bar counter, or his legs cramped underneath. It would also be awkward if the stools are placed so close to each other that you cannot move without bumping into the person seating next to you. For these reasons, it is always prudent to take out your measuring tape and note down the height and width of your bar before setting out to buy bar stools.
Most bars have a height between 41 – 43 inches. If your bar was custom made, there could be slight variations. As a rule, you should allow a distance of 10 – 12 inches from the top of the seat of the stool to the top of the bar. However, if the bar counter consist of a thick slab, or if it has a apron of a few inches, you can measure instead from the seat to the underside of the counter from 8 – 12 inches. This should provide sufficient legroom even for big people.
The average seat height, or the distance between the top of the seat to the floor, of most bar stools available in the market is 30 inches. This would be a match to a breakfast bar whose counter top has a height ranging from 40 – 42 inches. Conversely, if your bar is 43 inches tall at the top of the counter, a bar stool with a seat height starting at 31 – 33 inches should provide legroom for most people.
When deciding how many bar stools you need for your bar, you will have to measure its width. On the average, each barstool should be at least 26 inches away from the next measured from its center to that of the other. In theory, this should provide enough elbowroom for both persons. However, this can vary depending on the design of the stools. If the armrests are a bit wide, the standard 26 inches may not be enough. From the end of the bar, the seat, again measured from its center, should be at least 13 inches away.
For the comfort of your family who will be taking their morning java or breakfast at the kitchen bar, keep these measurements in mind when buying your bar stools.