Please take a seat!

Have you ever wondered what the difference between a counter stool and a bar stool was? I didn't know either, until I became a kitchen designer and learned about the different options for eating and working spaces. I've also happily learned that there are wonderful choices in both categories to coordinate beautifully with your space. You can even get counter or bar stools to match your dining chairs! (Not that you have to.)


Bar stools

Once upon a time, you would buy bar stools in a specialized store, and they largely went into dark, paneled rec rooms. No more! Now you can find them pretty much everywhere furniture is sold and they go into kitchens with breakfast bars, as well as great rooms, wine bars and even nooks with bar-height tables.

What distinguishes a bar stool from a chair or counter stool is its increased seat height. They're made to position the user comfortably at a 42 inch eating or drinking surface. A standard dining table is about 30 inches.

As a kitchen designer, the 42 inch surface is usually a built-in breakfast bar on the back of a work station. Many builders and homeowners liked that these raised bars hide unwashed dishes or pots in the sink from the open dining or great room areas.

I'm not a big fan of breakfast bars for two main reasons. One, those same builders often skimped on both counter and walk space so that using the bar can be somewhat uncomfortable. Two, their higher seats make bar stools challenging for anyone with balance or height issues. This often includes seniors and children - i.e., the extended family you want around you while you're cooking!

However, if you've got a raised bar in your kitchen and it's working for you and your household, there are some great options in just about every style and finish.


Counter stools

I had never heard of a counter stool before becoming a kitchen designer, but they sure come in handy now! For those kitchens whose countertops extend beyond the cabinet for seating on the other side, counter stools are the ideal height. Standard kitchen counters are 36 inches high, which makes them too low for bar stools and too high for dining chairs. This is why counter stools were invented.

I like them because the person sitting on the non-working side of the kitchen can socialize with the cook and still help out with food prep if they wish, having the full expanse of counter to work with.

One challenge for counter height seating areas is that they require more overhang than bar tops. This deeper counter keeps the person sitting at it from hitting his or her knees on the back of the cabinets. Sometimes, you simply don't have the extra three inches you need to make this a comfortable seating area.

If you're fortunate enough to have the space for a counter-height overhang, there are also great stools to choose from. In fact, most companies now offer stools in bar or counter height. Some also offer coordinating dining chairs if your kitchen is open to your dining area.


Planning note

This comes up more often with counter-height seating than bar tops, but I always recommend against designing your overhangs in work aisles, especially near a cooktop or range! When possible, plan your seating on the non-working end of the kitchen.


What's in store!

I've found some nice styles that will work with a range of kitchens. I've also included backless versions. If you're tight on space, a backless stool will park under the overhang and give you more walking room behind it when it's not in use. Just a thought...

Vienna Black Counter Stool at Crate & Barrel brings cafe style to transitional kitchens

Sister store CB2 jazzes up your contemporary kitchen with Phoenix Orange bar and counter stools

Add classic vintage flair to your space with West Elm's Overlapping Squares Bar and Counter Stools

Get rustic with these Iron Grate stools from NapaStyle

Get sleek with Room & Board's backless Emeco Stools

Bring affordable island bling to your space with Cost Plus World Market's Elana Banana Leaf Bar Stool pair

Williams-Sonoma brings back the classic diner chair as their Diner Stool, available with or without back, at counter or bar height

Ballard Designs goes vintage transitional with their Constance Bar Stool

Another fun Crate & Barrel find -- the 30" Spin Bar Stool!

Bring rustic elegance to your home with another NapaStyle pick, their handsome Talavera Stool

Spunky style comes to your kitchen with Room & Board's Radius Counter Stool

Sensible Style - Easy Color Updates

Sensible Style launched in July 2009 to answer your questions about kitchen design and remodeling. This time around, we’ll look at updating your space with color. One of the most common questions readers ask is how to incorporate color into a kitchen without dating it. Unless you’re completely committed to a beloved blue or red, and resale is not an issue, you may not want to change all your cabinets, countertops or appliances to that hue. Here are some ways to add a hot color without a major investment.


Fabrics

One of the easiest and most affordable ways of adding this season’s hottest colors to your kitchens is with dish towels, accent rugs, table settings and pot holders. If you want to make your kitchen sunnier, add a pop of yellow to your black and white kitchen with one or more of these items. Or add a burst of orange if you’d love an energy boost each time you walk into the room! Or go soft with one of the season’s woodsy neutrals.

A detail as small as dish towels can update your kitchen. These, from NapaStyle, are both attractive and organic.

Paint

Paint is another easy, affordable way to incorporate the latest colors into your kitchen. It’s especially inexpensive if you’re providing the sweat equity yourself. Some of the hot paint colors that work great with popular cabinet finishes include…

* Deep plum or cool grey with blond maple cabinets
* Watery blues with cinnamon cherry or painted white cabinets
* Spring or seaweed green with black or dark oak cabinets.

Note, too, that paint doesn’t have to be limited to your kitchen's walls. You can also paint your ceiling and the inside of glass-fronted cabinets for a color surprise.

Paint adds instant impact to a room. Here, Valspar’s Seaside Retreat adds a cool, coastal note to a white kitchen.

Countertop Accessories

Canisters, spoon rests, utensil crocks and even cutting boards can be swapped out for colorful components, giving your kitchen an instant and very affordable update. You can find traditional or contemporary styles in the latest shades, and donate them easily to a charity’s thrift shop if you want to update again in a few years.

Add color and charm to your kitchen with Sur La Table’s new Italian Ceramic Spoon Rests.

Serveware

You can certainly add color to your kitchen with new dishes, glasses, bowls and trays. If your kitchen features open shelves, glass-front cabinets or built-ins, this is a great way to color-kick the space with ease. When choosing dish colors and styles that will be open to the room, consider coordinating them with the permanent elements in the room.

Update your space with new dishes, like CB2’s new Petal Green Dinnerware set.

Countertop Appliances

Choosing non-neutral countertop appliances is your next level of color commitment! Not as pricey as a range or refrigerator, but not as inexpensively replaced as a canister set. Be sure that you love the color you’re selecting, as you’re likely to own that appliance for a number of years. Consider, too, whether your chosen color will look good on your counters, an easy one if your tops are black or white.

Colorful countertop appliances can add a kick to your kitchen’s color quotient. Just choose one you won’t kick yourself for in a few years. KitchenAid’s Empire Red Artisan Stand Mixer, available at Williams-Sonoma is a classic, (and easy to match to other brands' red models, too.)

Window Coverings

Window treatments are another way to add color to your kitchen. If your windows are a standard size, this can be an affordable update with in-stock retail or online offerings. If you need a custom size, this will be a costlier investment. Many kitchens have windows over a sink or doors to a patio. Adding an updated shade to these areas can brighten the space without a major color commitment. You can add accents in the same color in your table settings both indoors and out to extend the color in your space.

These Woven Waterfall Shades from Smith + Noble add a soft color note to a black and white kitchen.

Cookware

Cookware can be a major long-term investment, and should be chosen for its performance and durability, above all. That being said, there are delicious colors to choose from in this category and if you store your cookware on a pot rack or open shelving, it can spice up your palette as well as your palate.

Colorful cookware, like this Azure Blue Dutch Oven from LeCreuset, available at Williams-Sonoma, can add a burst of flavor to your kitchen’s décor.

Visit the Sensible Style box on the right column for links to all the posts in this ongoing series.