bar stools on an island

[JustJam4Tea]

Realised I was about to derail another thread, potentially

We got cheapy bar stools of ebay. They aren't very comfortable at all but we wanted to see if they were actually used. They are when we have guests - they perch.

I'm now torn - do I get comfy ones to encourage us to use them and guests to have a comfier perch.

Get rid of them to discourage the perching of more annoying guests (in laws).

Keep the uncomfy ones, which look nice and were cheap, which we don't use.

Personally I have never understood the barstools at island unit thing.... To me I like to cook standing up at an island unit – and keep it fairly clear for that purpose - then sit in a comfy chair or at a table if I'm eating/chatting. Or I'm actually just quite happy to stand at the island unit and chat. I quite like standing as sit at a computer so much for work.

But I appreciate we are all different and it depends if you've got enough room to have a table and an island unit if that will work in the space.

I always think they will be a bit of a trip hazard if you are trying to go round the kitchen cooking and then have bar stools in the way, too.

We do use ours, they are comfy and most importantly the only seating in our kitchen. It makes a nice place to sit and chat to whoever is cooking.

If you have good alternative seating then keep them. If they would make a useful addition to the seating in your house then change to comfy stools.

If they are only for guests, and look fine, then leave them be

If you and the people in the house want to use them more but don't as they are uncomfortable then upgrade.

@JustJam4Tea, we are of the opposite view of @CorsicaDreaming although I do understand the points made . We have bar stools near our island and we use them often. When we have friends over informally, they sit in the stools while we are preparing food. Normally our DSs have their brekfast there and sometimes do homework while i am preparing supper. I would go for comfortable ones.

Can anyone recommend comfortable ones?

I may be converted!

In middle of major refurbs so size and shape of new Island is currently up for grabs (and appreciate not everyone likes standing up as much as I do)

We bought these ones as we liked the back support.

www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/ingolf-bar-stool-with-backrest-brown-black-nolhaga-grey-beige-00478761/#content

We got these from Dunelm.

Invest in sturdy comfortable ones with foot rest. We have these which are very comfortable

We don't particularly use them because there is a table not far away with a lovely view of the garden, and also, they just aren't that comfortable.

If you have some that guests are happy to use and you aren’t fussed. I don’t see the need to change anything.

We were on the same position and upgraded to these. We now use the island a bit more

*in the same position

We bought ours at Dunelm , they are used a lot - when one of us is doing more involved cooking the other often sits and we put some music on and maybe have a glass of wine

I'm now getting converted 😆

Just saw these at John Lewis and thinking maybe should go for one or two in new set up.. but would still want to actually eat at a table myself, being a bit old school.

? https://www.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-partners-brooks-bar-chair/dark-grey/p3320791?tmad=c&tmcampid=7&sshare=jlappioss_Y29tLmFwcGxlLlVJS2l0LmFjdGl2aXR5LkNvcHlUb1Bhc3RlYm9hcmQ=

We have the ikea infolf ones and have added some comfy seat pads to them. Could you remove the seat pads when guests you don't want to stay long visit? 😉

We use ours all of the time.

Also ikea www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/ekedalen-bar-stool-with-backrest-white-hakebo-dark-grey-s29429440/#content

@CakeIsMyFavouriteAndBest where did you get cushions for yours-has been much harder than I thought and ours are very similar

@mumsiedarlingrevolta

We use ours all of the time.

Also ikea www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/ekedalen-bar-stool-with-backrest-white-hakebo-dark-grey-s29429440/#content

@CakeIsMyFavouriteAndBest where did you get cushions for yours-has been much harder than I thought and ours are very similar

I have yellow spotty ones from Sainsburys Home currently! I did use the ikea ones but the quality wasn't great. If the kids spill something I can stick them in the washing machine so for us they are better than chairs with covered seats.

I sit at a bar stool allll the time.

Our kitchen has 4 barstools, a window seat, two sofas, an armchair and six dining chairs (ok that sounds insane but it’s a big open plan room) … and I usually choose the island bar stools to sit at. I’m a perchy kind of person. DCs like them too. DH is a sofa man.

Ours are these - very comfy, wipe clean and now reduced to clear!!

.... sound like the best sort of holiday ever !

If your island isn’t in a nice place to sit though, dark or not a nice view for example, then you’re not going to sit there no matter what bar stools you have.

We have a big kitchen with a large island which I use for all food prep. We have a large dining table and chairs and a sofa, armchair and coffee table but I still use our bar stools a lot.
We always have breakfast and a snack lunch at the island but supper is always at the table. Weirdly we never have even a sandwich or slice of cake whilst sitting on the sofa.

I think the bar stools are for quick bites and the table is for a proper meal.

We just got some new ones, really like them. I wanted swivel ones for some reason! Pretty cheap, but comfy.

www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08NGY31MC/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_i_8AZVQCN3Y4DG4KH5ENA2?psc=1&_encoding=UTF8&tag=mumsnetforu03-21

@minipie

If your island isn’t in a nice place to sit though, dark or not a nice view for example, then you’re not going to sit there no matter what bar stools you have.

You'd only sit at ours to chat to the person cooking, or help out by chopping stuff whatever. It's not dark - but there's no view from there. There is a lovely view of the garden from the kitchen table about 2 metres away. That's where you'd sit, on a comfy chair, and have a drink, eat etc.

@minipie

I sit at a bar stool allll the time.

Our kitchen has 4 barstools, a window seat, two sofas, an armchair and six dining chairs (ok that sounds insane but it’s a big open plan room) … and I usually choose the island bar stools to sit at. I’m a perchy kind of person. DCs like them too. DH is a sofa man.

Ours are these - very comfy, wipe clean and now reduced to clear!!

That does sound like a lot of furniture 😆

But I really like the look of those bar stools @minipie...

@SheWoreYellow

We were on the same position and upgraded to these. We now use the island a bit more

We have these too.