Like the people who occupy them, bar stools come in all shapes and sizes, from well-padded, plush, and comfortable to tall, sleek, and stylish. Some bar stools are contemporary, others retro. Some are stackable, while others fold up neatly. Like some sunbathers or evening gown wearers, bar stools may be topless, backless, or even high-backed. Depending on its personality and that of its occupant, a bar stool may be a swiveler – or maybe not.

People can be seen perched on bar stools at cozy tables for two, conversing with the cook from across a work counter or an island in a home kitchen, or bellied up to a bar watching a football game and enjoying beers with a group of like-minded sports fans.

Bar stools travel the world around. One intricately lovely ornate bar stool might have originated in China, Italy, or France. Another sleek beauty could be the product of a dedicated Amish craftsman in Pennsylvania or a high-powered designer in Sweden.

Bar stools may present themselves in finely burnished wood, in plush suede, or in supple leather. A casual bar stool might be clad in a snappy rattan or in homey maple and chintz. On the other hand, an elaborately wrought metal bar stool might choose not to have its beauty diminished by any upholstery at all.

Fitting in equally as well in fine restaurants, nightclubs, bars, and billiards rooms as they do in home kitchens, dining rooms, and party rooms, and at poolside, bar stools are a welcome addition to any setting in which they find themselves.

The thing to make sure before you purchase a set of bar stools for your kitchen or dining room is that they fit in with the present decor. If you have a kitchen filled with stainless steel utensils, then maybe go for chrome, a shiny compliment. But if your kitchen is old-world style, with lots of dark wood, wooden bar stools may well be the answer, in oak or dark cherry.