The right bar stool height comes from the worktop, not the stool. Leave 25 to 30 cm between the seat and the underside of the top: a seat of 60 to 66 cm for a standard 90 cm kitchen counter, and 73 to 80 cm for a 105 to 110 cm bar.
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Buying guide
Measure the height of your counter or bar from the floor before anything else, then check how much overhang there is for knees. Measure to the underside of the worktop rather than the surface, since thick stone tops take a few centimetres of leg room.
Counter stools suit most kitchen islands, which sit at around 90 cm in UK kitchens. Taller bar stools are made for raised breakfast bars and home bars at 105 to 110 cm. Adjustable gas-lift bar stools cover both heights, which helps if you are not sure or plan to move house.
Allow about 60 cm per seat, measured centre to centre, or 15 cm between stools. A 180 cm island takes three; a 120 cm bar takes two. You need an overhang of 25 to 30 cm for legs to tuck under comfortably.
Backless designs slide fully under the counter and suit short perches. A low back helps when breakfast becomes homework or a laptop session. Choose a footrest about 45 cm below the seat. Swivel seats make getting on and off easier in a tight run, while fixed seats feel steadier for children.
Wooden seats wipe clean; upholstered ones in bouclé, velvet or faux leather are softer for longer sittings, but check the fabric copes with kitchen spills. Bar stools are often sold in pairs, so count the seats you need before ordering. Felt pads on the feet stop scratches on wooden floors.
Measure your worktop and subtract 25 to 30 cm. A 90 cm counter takes a seat of 60 to 66 cm; a 105 to 110 cm bar takes 73 to 80 cm.
Allow 60 cm per stool, centre to centre: three on a 180 cm island, two on 120 cm.
Swivel seats are easier to get on and off in a tight space. Fixed seats feel steadier, which helps with young children.