Bar Stools For a Lot Less

Once restricted to the local public house in the United Kingdom and Ireland and to the imitators in North America, 30 ” and 24″ bar stools are now common place household furniture. Not only have these stools entered into the residential furniture market but they have broken out of a centuries old mold. For centuries bar stools seemed to be of uniform size and material. Times have changed.

For literally centuries, stools found in bars were 30 inches in height. Of course, the height was specifically engineered so that a person could comfortably belly up to the bar and consume much ale. The stools were generally constructed from oak or another hardwood. The stools were firmly balanced upon 4 legs that were each attached to the underside of the stool seat a few inches towards the centre from each corner. As you can imagine, having a sturdy base of support was an important element in early bar furniture.

In the swinging 60s, a few people were incorporating bars into their homes and accordingly these stools began to make a small appearance in residential settings. The old wooden stools from pubs were popular but at this point we were seeing the emergence of metal and chrome stools. The wooden bar stools were found in basement or recreation room bars while the chrome and padded bar stools were most often found in living rooms and poolside.

Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, most bar stool, be they commercial or residential, were 30 inches high. During the late 1980s we began to see the advent of the 24 inch bar stool. This smaller bar stool is now the most popular type of residential bar stool.

The 24 inch bar stool is very popular in families with children. The shorter stool is much more accessible and also safer for the little ones. The shorter stool is also better for adults that might have mobility problems. Being 6 inches closer to the ground makes a big difference for those you suffer from chronic hip or knee pain.

The old oak bar stools found in pubs now almost seem antiquated. These days 24 inch bar stools are as common as 30 inch bar stool. Most major department stores will stock a variety of both types. Specialty furniture stores will either stock or be able to order many different types and models. These days bar stools can be wooden, metal, formed plastic resin and/or upholstered. There are 30 ” or 24 “bar stools to suit every taste.