Bar Stools – Furnishing Tips: Home Furniture Decor Guide, Ideas, & Tips

Bar stools can make or break a backyard bar, breakfast bar, or kitchen peninsula. A great bar stool invites friends and family to sit and visit. A terrible bar stool keeps them moving along. Eventually the uncomfortable bar stools will sit unused and other seating places will be used instead. This is a sign that it is time to invest in some new, comfortable bar stools. Bar stools come in two heights: pub or bar height, and counter height. We will focus on bar height stools, including some that can do double-duty at the kitchen counter. There are a few things that go into making a great bar stool. We will list our favorite, most comfortable bar stools and in the process we will discuss the things that go into making a barstool a winner. Phi Villa Swiveling Bar Stool Kicking off this list is a clearly amazing bar stool, and it is incredible for various reasons. This Phi Villa Swiveling Bar Stool is so well designed, with features aimed to customize comfort for everyone. When it comes to picking a comfortable bar stool, this one checks all the right boxes. Padding. This chair has padding on the seat, back, and around the armrests. This is not necessarily a must, depending on the style of the seating, but for those who want family and friends to sit and stay awhile, padding is non-negotiable.Integrated armrest and seat back. This bar stool is more like a tall chair, with the single piece back and armrests that cradle the lower body. We love a chair that gives a warm hug. This is a chair that invites relaxation.Adjustable height. This is such a nice touch for a bar stool. This allows the bar stool to be used for bars of varying heights. Further, including hydraulic adjustment makes this stool able to accommodate people of differing heights. This seat can be adjusted from bar height to counter height because of the hydraulic adjustment. Bar or pub height stools are about 28 to 32 inches. Counter height stools are shorter at about 24 to 26 inches. Multipurpose chair. This bar stool becomes a multipurpose seat because of the height adjustment. This gives buyers more bang for their buck because the seating can be transitioned to other settings when more seating is needed. Foot rest. Most bar stools have some kind of foot rest, but they are often not placed for comfort, especially for very tall or very short people. When paired with the adjustable height, this footrest can make the seat comfortable for every person. Finally, the styling of this bar stool is great. Reminiscent of a darkened pub, the brown color, soft feel, and upholstery button details make this a classic design style. Sophia and William Bar Stools These Sophia and William Bar Stools are also fantastically comfortable. The design is basically a relaxed armless cup shape. This shape is not as good when it is made from hard plastic, as many modern pieces are, but when paired with a soft fabric it is really supportive and relaxing. The back is 12-inches high, which is a nice height to support the back and allow some relaxation, but not high enough to irritate the shoulder blades and upper back.The entire seating surface is padded. This makes the chair more comfortable, inviting longer lingering and visiting.The height is adjustable. Again, this is such a nice touch for bar stools. This allows taller people and shorter people alike to adjust the height to fit both the footrest and the countertop or bar height.This is a more modern look for a bar stool. It does not have arms, but this also makes it possible to set the stools closer. Users can slip in and out of them a little easier without arms. If people are more likely to lean on the bar rather than arm rests, then the lack of arm rests does not matter.This bar stool has a great foot rest. It is heavy duty and sticks out far enough to be convenient for those with shorter legs.Because of the hydraulic adjustment, this stool can also go from pub height to counter height with the press of a lever. This bar stool is more sleek and modern. It does not have such a distinct style of its own aside from the bucket shape. It looks amazing in any setting with a focus on sleek lines and neutral patterns. It will not detract from surrounding design elements. Signature Design by Ashley - Valebeck The Signature Design by Ashley Valebeck bar stool is a pub height non adjustable bar stool. This is a very classic farmhouse style that will look good over the years. It is manufactured by Ashley Furniture Industries. This stool sits at a stationary 30-inch height, making it a solid pub height bar stool. The seat swivels around, so it is easy to get into and out of. This is surprisingly not a universal trait of bar stools, so it is good to make sure that the seat swivels before purchasing.The seat is padded with a nice touchable fabric that is finished off with upholstery nail detailing. The dark colored upholstery nails match the metal seat back detailing and the foot rest ring color for a beautiful unifying touch.It has a back rest which is nice. The back rest is wood, which is less comfortable. It is redeemed by the curved shape. This curved shape is usually considered to be comfortable by most people. Since the seat is padded, this is a comfortable stool even with the wooden back. The metal and wood backrest is a very stylish design choice for this bar stool. It has the modern industrial farmhouse vibe which is very versatile.The height of the back rest is nice, coming up to just below the shoulder blades.The footrest is a ring that goes around all of the legs. This means that a comfortable foot position can be found regardless of the upper seat swivel position. This stationary height will be less comfortable for those with shorter legs because the footrest may not be high enough to offer the legs much support. This Signature Design by Ashley - Valebeck bar stool design is a beautiful, classic bar stool design that will look great in any setting from farmhouse to industrial. The metal, wood, and fabric detailing makes this one a design winner. Signature Design by Ashley - Showdell The Signature Design by Ashley - Showdell is another Ashley Furniture Industries offering, and it makes our most comfortable bar stool list, but barely. Many people are looking for pub height bar stools that do not have backs or arms, because they want a minimalist look at the backyard bar. This is a nice look, and a popular one too. Those seated for drinks at minimalist bars also deserve a comfy seat. The overall design is sturdy, with four legs that have a foot rest on both the front and back. The seat is not padded, but it features a contoured saddle seat which most people find very comfortable. This is the type of seat that will have visitors leaning forward and slouching onto the bar top for resting the hands and arms.This is a wider seat, so it fits a wide array of people comfortably. The lack of a backrest and arms means that they can be pushed up under the bar for storage when they are not in use. This is an affordable low-maintenance seat. While it does not have the nice frills that we think should be in a “most comfortable” bar stool, it will be a good selection for those who want a pub height saddle stool for a modern, industrial, or farmhouse bar. Yaheetech Counter Height Bar Stools The Yaheetech Counter Height Bar Stools are adjustable up to 44.5 inches, making them pub height plus a little. This is great for people who need a bar stool that can go extremely high, and this one looks good doing it. Available in black, grey, and white. All three color choices are beautiful and easy to clean in faux (PU) leather. The seat and back are well padded and sport a beautiful modern quilted embellishment design. The back sits up straight, which is really supportive and comfortable for most people. It is also easier on the tailbone when someone is seated for a long time.The backrest comes up mid-back, which is adequately supportive without hitting the shoulder blades. In our opinion, a back this comfortable could come all the way up to full height and make this chair even better. However, the proportional look of the back height to the seat depth is really attractive.There are arms on this chair which is a big plus for most people. The arms have a tiny bit of grippy padding. This is not a big win in the comfort department, but it is better than having no arm rests.The height is adjustable, which is a key to making a bar stool as comfortable as possible. The height can be adjusted for individuals to get a custom seat fit.The footrest is also a nice shape to accommodate people of all heights when combined with the adjustable seat height. The height is adjustable from 21 to 29 inches, making it a good counter height stool, or a lower height pub stool. The pedestal base bar stools are so minimalist and classy. They look amazing in any setting, and they are easier to get into and out of without toe stubbing. These would be so comfortable for long visits inside or out, but due to the robust PU leather construction, they can be used outdoors if they are kept out of the weather. DMF Furniture Velvet Bar Stools This pick is luxury all the way. Luxury and style, combined with a very comfortable design. The DMF Furniture Velvet Bar Stools have it going on. These are for applications where luxe is the order of the day. These come in fun colors including pink, gray, navy blue, and beige. These are fun bar stools for applications where the chair can be the center of attention, such as a wet bar or theater lounge. The seat is well padded and very comfortable, especially with the soft touch fabric. The back is fully supportive, going nice and high up the back. It is also contoured and padded for maximum comfort. This chair has low, padded armrests which give a place for the arms or elbows to rest without being as obtrusive as a full armrest.The sleek center pedestal design is sturdy and adjustable in height from 26 to 34 inches. This makes it a nice dual-purpose chair for kitchen islands as well as pub height seating. The footrest is a straight rod which is good for most people, but it does not allow for alternate foot positions like ring-style footrests do. This DMF Furniture Velvet Bar Stool is so comfortable and it looks luxe. This stool looks very high end. It has soft-touch velvet fabric that is easy to clean. The colors are rich and luxurious, and the upholstery button and upholstery nail finishes complete the finest looking pub height bar stool there is. Brock Adjustable Faux Leather and Walnut Bar Stool This bar stool is just so cool. It reminds us of an old leather car seat. When this sleek straight line leather trim is paired with the rich walnut wood, it completes the look of classic luxury. This bar stool will easily pair with any style from classic luxe to ultra modern and just about everything in-between. A nice wide seat is fully padded and features a slightly contoured design for extra comfort and a more secure feeling when seated.The backrest is also contoured and fully padded. When taken together, the backrest and seat are reminiscent of a leather luxury car bucket seat. The backrest is about half height, making it a nice support for the lower back. The great padding on this seat invites guests to sit and visit for a long time.It has a height-adjustable center pedestal. It is height adjustable from 24 to 33 inches, making it also compatible with breakfast bars and other lower countertop bars. The footrest is a large oval shape, giving multiple foot position options when seated on this comfortable bar stool. This bar stool would look great in a garage bar, outdoor bar, indoor wet bar, theater lounge, or any other place where classic lines and super comfortable seating is in order. Acme Furniture Brancaster Swivel Chair This Acme Furniture Brancaster Swivel Chair has a nicer material finish than other chairs we have mentioned so far. This chair has a quilted top grain leather seat and back, and it is priced accordingly. Paired with chrome and a simple pneumatic adjustable center, this is a nice overall stool that is very comfortable. This chair is a two piece bucket style bar stool with a round seat that swivels.The backrest is a single piece backrest and armrest combination that is completely padded for ultimate comfort. This is a very comfortable position for sitting back in the seat and letting the arms relax toward the bar with a drink in hand. The parts of the chair that are not directly padded for seating are joined to chrome pieces with upholstery nails. This is a cool and uncommon look. It stands out in a crowd.The base is basically a heavy-duty office chair style and lacks a foot rest. That is not a win for comfort when the chair is in a high pub height position. Overall, family and friends can enjoy a good long sit at the backyard bar and enjoy time well spent in this nice bar stool. The top grain leather is not as durable as a full grain leather offering would be, but this does keep the leather more soft and flexible so it is more comfortable on the seat. Christopher Knight Ogden Barstool This is a really nice pub height bar stool that is reminiscent of a comfy library chair. This is a beautiful chair with classic styling that looks great anywhere. Classic four leg styling with footrest bars in-between each leg. Fully padded seat that swivels 360 degrees.Fully padded, contoured backrest that continues around into short arm rests. The trim of this chair includes upholstery nails that look beautiful. However, these nails continue on the top side of the back/armrest, which makes it less comfortable for resting arms and elbows. The backrest height curves up through the middle of the back, which is a nice height for back support. This encourages relaxation in this sturdy bar stool.Classic and elegant offset upholstery buttons bring some interest that still looks a little more modern. Again we listed a bar stool that has more of a chair design. This is because the most comfortable bar stools have back support and even arm support. What Is the Best Bar Stool? A comfortable bar stool invites friends and family to sit and visit. Giving them the best padding and support is the best way to encourage people to stay and enjoy the bar. In our opinion, the Phi Villa Swiveling Bar Stool checks every box when it comes to making an attractive and very comfortable bar stool. It has a fully padded seat, backrest, and armrests. The back height is just the right height to be very supportive, and it is contoured for added comfort. We like the longer armrests on this model, and appreciate that they are fully padded to the end. Finally, the adjustable height makes it a clear winner for people of all heights. This also makes it a multipurpose seat because it can be adjusted lower to fit a kitchen peninsula, breakfast bar, or high coffee table.