Anyone here own a bar/counter stool who can offer practical advice?
Our new house in Chichester has a very smart small kitchen with no space for a table, but a breakfast bar that needs a couple of tall stools. I’m not a fan of the ones on a single metal pole that rotate. I think they look ugly. But I can see the benefit of the rotating function - but then with the single pole are they unstable?
I prefer the ones with four legs and a seat with a back that gives more support. But then how on earth when one is perched on top does one turn the stool to face the counter? I visualise a precarious bouncing sort of action to get the stool to move round
My boy had some of those on disc bases which scratched the floor as the metal rusted so personally I would go for the four leg wooden ones for looks and comfort myself
Ours are similar to the base on your top picture. No rust on ours, they are chrome. Rotation is a bit annoying IMO, but it’s handy for a dismount by turning 90 degrees from the table top.
Imagine you are a debutante getting out of a sports car perhaps? Foot down, push back, and rise up like a phoenix. As soon as most of the weight is off them they will move easily.
You said you were aiming for a Scandi style, which the top ones are not.
We bought some a few years ago when we were still living in London - the place below has a huge range:
They definately have the type of barstools you’re looking for - the ones we bought had 4 legs plus a swivel underneath the chair itself which allowed one to rotate to your hearts content.
I had also found this one - but it was too far from us:
Frankly, @SuePJ I wouldn’t choose either of those… not for intended use by OH and I at our stage of play with dodgy back, hips, feet… you name it and we’ve got it.
At a certain age one needs comfort and security… so I’ll bite the bullet and ask if there is any way the breakfast bar can be lowered… ?? a photo would get my little grey cells working on a gentle solution.
PS we had barstools with legs but no back.. when we first married and OH had to build a table high enough to cope with ‘em. That was the extent of our dining furniture in those days.. but we were young enough to manage.
Think Scandi bar stools are largely non-swivel - need French or N American retro for nice examples of that. However, Indian Scandi(!) is the closest I could find. and a good price too (£99) if you could import them.
However do have reservations about the square cross-section legs, real Nordi would probably be round if it was solid wood…
first is to lower the breakfast bar unit to chair level… ie table level
second is to have a sprung section which sits below the surface of the unit and pulls out to use as a breakfast bar at chair/table level, leaving the higher surface available for whatever..
for either suggestion the chairs would push under, just like any table.
It’s thought. But the counter has a really useful set of two cupboards the kitchen side. Storage is going to be our big issue, that and keeping it looking neat and tidy.
This one doesn’t swivel, but looks appropriate and good quality, and might tick some boxes.
If you want some upholstery, one option would be to buy something like this and have it upholstered in the fabric of your choice, or even find a local upholstery class and learn how to do it yourself - it’s not that difficult.
We bought them at the Grand Brocante in Bordeaux last year (as in the photo!) - only had 2 large and 2 small so couldn’t even get them to match but in reality they are great.
