Sizing guide · Kitchen & bar · Modern Studio, Laguna Beach
Bar stool and counter stool sizing: the complete guide.
Counter or bar height, the 10–12″ rule, how many stools fit, and whether to choose a back or a swivel. A sizing chart and our picks from Soho Concept, Trica, Elite Modern, Copeland, Mobital and Modus.
Start here
One measurement decides it: the gap under the counter.
Measure from the floor to the underside of your counter, not the top. Then choose a stool whose seat is 10–12″ lower. That gap gives room for your thighs, and your elbows land at a comfortable height on the surface.
Counter height is the standard kitchen surface, usually about 36″ high. Look for a seat height of about 24–27″.
Bar height is a raised bar or pub-table surface, usually about 42″. Look for a seat height of about 28–33″.
A stool listed at about 18″ seat height is a dining-chair height and suits a 28–30″ table, not an island. Check the seat height on the product page before you order. Many stools, including most of the Soho Concept stools below, are made in both counter and bar versions.
Sizing chart
Stool height by surface height.
| Surface | Typical height | Seat height to look for | Knee space (NKBA) | Examples in this guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dining table | 28–30″ | About 18″ (a dining chair) | 18″ deep | Dining chairs |
| Kitchen counter / island | About 36″ | 24–27″ | 15″ deep | Pera HB 24″ · Copeland Estelle 26″ · Mobital Hug 26″ |
| Bar / pub table | About 42″ | 28–33″ | 12″ deep | Pera HB 29″ · Mobital Nisa 29″ · Dallas Wire 31″ · Trica June 31¼″ |
| Not sure, or both | 36–42″ | Adjustable | — | Pera Piston 23–31.5″ · Elite Modern Clay and Dana 26–30″ |
Seat heights are from each product’s specification. Knee-space depths are the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) planning guidelines: the overhang or open space in front of each seated person.
Spacing
How many stools fit at your island?
Allow 24″ per person
NKBA recommends 24″ of counter width for each seated diner. Divide the seating length by 24 and round down: a 72″ island seats three, a 96″ island seats four.
Allow more for wide stools
Stools with arms, a swivel or a wide seat take more room. Many are 20–23.5″ wide, like the Crescent Piston at 23.5″ or the Gazel Arm Piston at 21″. Plan about 26–30″ per stool, so there are a few inches between seats.
Check the overhang
Knee space should be about 15″ deep at a 36″ counter and 12″ at a 42″ bar. If your overhang is shallow, a backless stool that tucks in will feel better than a deep upholstered one.
Leave room behind
NKBA suggests 32″ behind seated diners where no one walks, 36″ for someone to edge past, and 44″ to walk past comfortably.
Back or backless
How long will people sit?
Backless
Tucks completely under the counter, keeps sightlines open across a kitchen, and suits quick coffee and homework. Examples include the Trica Palmo, Modus Oxford and Dalren.
Low back
Support for the lower back, with a back that sits close to counter height so the island still looks clean. Examples include the Polo Wood Low Back and Capri Wood Low Back.
Full back
For long dinners and wine at the bar. The Dervish Max and Avanos Baba sit more like a chair.
Arms
The most comfortable, but check that the arms clear the underside of the counter so the stool can tuck in, and allow extra width.
Swivel & adjustable
Swivel, fixed or gas-piston?
Swivel stools let people turn toward the room without dragging the stool across the floor. That helps in tight spaces and at islands that face a living area.
Fixed stools have a steadier, more architectural look, and they come back to the same position at the counter.
Gas-piston stools adjust with a lever, so one stool works at a counter and at a bar, or for family members of different heights. The Gazel Arm Piston adjusts from 22.8″ to 32″, and the Corona Piston from 21″ to 31″.
Soho Concept · gas piston
PERA PISTON SWIVEL STOOL
$481.50
Seat 23″–31.5″ · 16.5″ base
A lever sets any height from counter to bar, and the base swivels.
View details
Soho Concept · gas piston
Crescent Piston Stool
$576
Seat 22″–31″ · 23.5″ W × 22″ D
A curved, embracing seat on a gas-piston swivel base.
View detailsFeatured · Soho Concept
Soho Concept: one seat, many bases.
Soho Concept designs its stools as a system. A seat family, such as Pera, Dervish, Dallas or Eiffel, comes on several bases: chrome sled, metal wire, wood legs, swivel, or gas piston. Most come in both counter and bar heights. So you can choose the silhouette first, then the base and height that suit your kitchen.
The upholstered seats are built on a steel frame with S-shaped springs and injection-molded polyurethane foam. Soho Concept lists many models for both residential and commercial use. Covers come in leatherette, PPM, fabric, wool or leather, and you can order fabric and finish samples first.
Counter or bar height, with a back
Soho Concept · counter or bar
Pera HB Stool
$441.90
Seat 24″ counter / 29″ bar · 16″ W × 20.5″ D
The Pera seat on a solid chromed steel base, upholstered in leatherette, PPM, leather or wool with a removable cover.
Lead time follows Soho Concept’s standard schedule; we confirm the ETA for special-order materials.
View details
Soho Concept · swivel
PERA MAX SWIVEL STOOL
$398.70
Seat 24″ counter / 29″ bar · 16″ W × 20.5″ D
The same Pera seat on a swivel base, for islands where people turn to talk.
Lead time follows Soho Concept’s standard schedule; we confirm the ETA for special-order materials.
View details
Soho Concept · swivel
Dervish Max Swivel
$389.70
Seat 24.5″ counter / 29.5″ bar · 20″ W × 20″ D
A wider, enveloping seat and back on a swivel base, for long dinners at the counter.
View details
Soho Concept · sled base
DALLAS WIRE HANDLE BACK STOOL
$398.70
Seat 25.5″ counter / 31″ bar · 17.5″ W × 19″ D
A handle back makes it easy to pull out. Chrome sled base, with a white powder-coat option.
View details
Soho Concept · wood base
POLO WOOD LOW BACK STOOL
$459
Seat 24.5″ counter / 29″ bar · 16.5″ W × 20″ D
A low back that sits at about counter height, on solid beech legs.
View details
Soho Concept · wood base
CAPRI WOOD LOW BACK STOOL
$573.30
Seat 24″ counter / 29″ bar · 19″ W × 22.5″ D
Upholstered seat and low back on beech or American walnut legs.
View details
Soho Concept · molded plywood
EIFFEL WOOD STOOL
$468.90
Seat 23″ counter / 29.25″ bar · 19.5″ W × 23″ D
A molded plywood seat and back in walnut or wenge veneer, with metal footrests on beech legs.
View details
Soho Concept · swivel
MARTINI MAX SWIVEL STOOL
$559.80
Seat 23.5″ counter / 30″ bar · 19″ W × 19″ D
A rounded upholstered seat on a chromed steel swivel wire base.
View details
Soho Concept · wide seat
CRESCENT SWORD STOOL
$593.10
Seat 24″ counter / 29″ bar · 23.5″ W
The curved Crescent seat on a veneered steel base, generous enough to feel like a lounge chair.
View detailsAdjustable gas-piston stools
Soho Concept · gas piston
Corona Piston Plywood Seat Stool
$394.20
Seat 21″–31″ · 15″ W × 18.5″ D
A plywood shell with a removable pad on a half-footrest piston base. The pad adds about an inch.
View details
Soho Concept · gas piston + arms
GAZEL ARM PISTON SWIVEL STOOL
$585.90
Seat 22.8″–32″ · 21″ W × 22″ D
An upholstered seat with integrated arms on a gas-piston swivel base.
View detailsBar height only
Soho Concept · bar height
Avanos Baba Wood Stool
$537.30
Seat 29.5″ · 21″ W × 22″ D
A tall, supportive back on a wood base.
View details
Soho Concept · bar height
Uni-386 Wood Bar Stool
$530.10
Seat 30.3″ · 44.1″ H overall
Lounge-chair comfort at bar height.
View details
Soho Concept · bar height
Saba Stool
$247.50
Seat 29.5″ · 21″ W × 22″ D
The lowest-priced Soho Concept stool in this guide.
View detailsMore stool lines we carry
Made in Canada, Vermont and beyond.
Trica stools are made to order in Canada, with welded steel frames and a wide range of upholstery. Copeland builds solid hardwood stools in Vermont (our Copeland guide), and Elite Modern offers adjustable upholstered stools. Mobital and Modus add more styles, and Modus sells its stools in sets of two.
Trica · swivel
June Swivel Barstool
$1,185
Seat 27 1/4″ counter / 31 1/4″ bar · 20″ W × 21″ D
A padded, fully welded steel-frame swivel stool in Trica fabrics, performance fabrics or faux leather, made in Canada.
Made to order in Canada; we confirm lead time before you order.
View details
Trica · backless
Palmo Bar Stool
$430
27″ counter / 31″ bar
A slim backless stool on a welded frame, upholstered or wood seat.
Made to order in Canada; we confirm lead time before you order.
View details
Trica · backless swivel
Ally Bar Stool
$500
25 3/4″ counter / 29 3/4″ bar
A round backless swivel seat with a footring.
Made to order in Canada; we confirm lead time before you order.
View details
Elite Modern · adjustable
Clay Adjustable Stool
$1,079.10
Seat 26″–30″ · 20.5″ W × 20.5″ D
A low open back with soft sides on a gas-lift base that adjusts between counter and bar height.
View details
Copeland · solid hardwood
Estelle Counter Stool
$1,184
Seat 26″ · 19 3/4″ W × 20″ D
Made in Vermont from solid hardwood, made to order.
Made to order, typically 8–14 weeks.
View details
Mobital · counter
Hug Counter Stool
From $590.63
Seat 26″ · arms at 16″ · 20″ W × 20″ D
A wraparound seat in Fawn, Jet Black or Russet Brown.
View details
Modus · swivel, set of 2
Vinson Modern Swivel Counter Stool, Set of 2
$598
Seat 24″ · 18″ W × 21″ D · 500 lb capacity
A swivel counter stool from the Modus Crossroads collection. Price is for two.
View details
Modus · backless, set of 2
Oxford Backless Counter Stool, Set of 2
$598
19″ W × 20″ D × 26″ H
A backless counter stool that tucks under the overhang. Price is for two.
View details
Modern Studio · backless
Dalren Backless Leather Teak Counter Stool
$429
17″ W × 13.5″ D × 24″ H
Leather and teak in a compact backless stool, 9 lb.
View detailsOutdoor bars
Stools for the outdoor kitchen.
The sizing rules are the same outside: measure to the underside of the bar and leave 10–12″. Choose materials rated for outdoor use, and store or cover cushions in wet weather. Browse our outdoor bar stools.
Soho Concept · outdoor
Paramus Outdoor Stool
$353.70
Seat 29″ · 16″ W × 19.5″ D
An outdoor bar stool for a patio bar or outdoor kitchen.
View detailsStool sizing questions
Frequently asked
What is the difference between a counter stool and a bar stool?
Height. A counter stool has a seat of about 24–27″ for a counter about 36″ high. A bar stool has a seat of about 28–33″ for a bar about 42″ high.
How much space should there be between the seat and the counter?
About 10–12″, measured from the top of the seat to the underside of the counter. Less than that is tight for your legs. More than that puts the counter too high for your elbows.
How many stools fit at my island?
Allow 24″ of counter per person, the NKBA guideline, or about 26–30″ for wide, swivel or armed stools. A 72″ island usually seats three.
Should I choose a stool with a back?
Choose one with a back if people will sit for meals or longer conversations. Backless and low-back stools tuck under the counter and keep a kitchen looking open.
Are swivel stools a good idea?
Yes, if the island faces a living area or the space behind the stools is tight. Swivel stools let people turn without dragging the stool.
My counter is an unusual height. What should I do?
Measure to the underside and subtract 10–12″ for the seat height you need. If you’re between sizes, or if people of different heights share the island, a gas-piston stool like the Pera Piston (23–31.5″) covers both.
Can I see Soho Concept stools in person?
Visit our Laguna Beach showroom, and call ahead to ask what’s on the floor. Bring your counter height and overhang depth, and we’ll help you choose.
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