Choosing the perfect seating options for your kitchen

The dining room is almost redundant now. In many modern homes there are no separate dining rooms and in many traditional homes the dining room is only used on special days, like Christmas Day, when the whole extended family gathers to celebrate.

Most families eat the majority of their meals in the kitchen. As a result many kitchens are being designed with some form of integrated eating area. This may be an extended worktop (breakfast bar) or a separate table.

The breakfast bar may be level with the other kitchen worktops – at about 91 cm to the top surface – or it may be raised or lowered.

Alternatively, there may be a separate table – either a raised bar table at about 105 cm overall height or a standard dining height – about 70 cm overall height. All of these options need different seating solutions.

These are:

• Standard dining chairs (seat height 45 cm) for the dining table.

• Fixed height bar stools – either 65 cm or 80 cm seat height

• Adjustable height bar stools – seat height varying from about 53 to 80 cm.

Adjustable stools

Adjustable stools are very popular because the seat height can be set to suit the worktop height.

Also, they swivel which makes it easy to sit and face the worktop. On the other hand, some parents find that their children swivel endlessly, which can be irritating.

Fixed height stools

Fixed height stools can be a good option as long as the height is correct. We recommend a difference of about 25cm to 30cm (10 to 12 inches) between the top of the seat and the top of the worktop.

So, a stool with a seat height of 65 cm will be suitable for a standard breakfast bar, level with the kitchen worktops, at about 91 cm overall height.

A stool with a seat height of about 80 cm will suit a raised breakfast bar or high bar table (overall height about 105 to 110 cm).

Dining chairs

Obviously standard dining chairs (seat height 45cm) are suitable for standard dining tables (overall height about 70cm).

Other considerations in choosing the correct seating are comfort, co-ordination and style. Will you be sitting for 5 minutes having a quick snack or will you be reading the Sunday papers for two hours?

Do you want the stools to match or contrast with your décor? Do you want stylish furniture, which makes a statement, or just utilitarian furniture?

You can buy inexpensive bar stools and chairs, which do the job in the short term.

Alternatively, you can invest in high quality Italian barstools and chairs, which have real leather upholstery in 6 colours, thickly padded seats, better quality engineering and stylish design and flair. The choice is yours.

Open plan kitchen / dining areas

Open plan kitchen/dining areas are becoming very popular. There are dining chairs, which match the barstools in style and colour.

Also, your kitchen supplier can supply an extra matching worktop that can be fitted onto a table base to create a totally co-ordinated setting – barstools & dining chairs matching and kitchen worktops and dining table top matching. Sublime!

Thanks to Breakfast Bar Stools for this guest post.