How to Decorate Your Home with Counter Stools

Counter stool decor ideas for kitchen, living room, rec room, and patio First, you're going to need a counter. Or not. Counter stools may be a natural fit for kitchen islands and home bars, but they can also be unexpectedly creative additions to rec rooms, patios, and other social spots within a home. With that in mind, here's a room-by-room breakdown of your counter stool decorating options. Kitchen Many kitchens are still constructed for a daily lifestyle of three sit-down meals - or at least one - and oven-centric food preparation. Who lives that way anymore? A more practical alternative is to match counter stools with a kitchen island or breakfast bar, creating a cafe-like environment for quick meals or for socializing without the weightier formality of a dining table.

Best match: in kitchens, wooden counter stools are often preferred for their homey, traditional appeal. For a more casual ambience, try a backless wooden counter stool that swivels.

Living room

Does your living room seem a bit too monolithic? Creating an alcove or a partially discrete area for reading or sitting with a friend and a favorite beverage could lend the room some much-needed character or mystery.

Best match: a pair of comfortable, upholstered counter stools and a bistro-style table would look charming next to a favorite window. Just remember that an upholstered counter stool will require a table height of 35 to 37 inches.

Rec room

Maybe you don't have a rec room, but if there's a pool table, shuffleboard, or home bar somewhere in your home, that's prime territory for adding a few stylish counter stools. Where dining room-style chairs would seem a little stiff and club chairs too large, a counter stool combines sturdiness, style, and space-efficiency for the ultimate in sophisticated leisure.

Best match: leather counter stools are gorgeous and comfortable - just the sort of decadent furnishings a room like this requires. Black counter stools with a leather seat and a stylish and ergonomic wooden or metal back look marvelous in a variety of decors.

Patio

You're outdoors and it's a beautiful day. You want a tall seat in which to luxuriate and enjoy the view, but the colors of those plastic and steel lawn chairs look like outtakes from Speed Racer.

Best match: wicker and rattan counter stools. They're made from durable natural materials, they're obscenely comfortable, and they have that whole tropical island thing going for them, which just might persuade you that you're on vacation in your own backyard.