10 Best Bar Stools of 2022
Updated: Jan. 24, 2023Whether at the kitchen island, outdoor bar or your adjustable-height desk, bar stools are a must. Here are some of our favorites.
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Getaway Bar Stools
The Fitz upholstered bar stools are a perfect fit for the Family Handyman Getaway, the beautiful, modern second home we built in northern Wisconsin. These bar stools, inspired by mid-century modern designs, manage to be warm and understated.
Solid rubberwood frames are braced for sturdiness and offer a footrest, with a curved back and upholstered seat for a comfortable sit. This is your bar stool if you want it to feel homey yet sophisticated.
Best Upholstered Bar Stools
The Azalea Champagne bar stools from cb2 spare no style points. The rich, velvety texture of the upholstery and the butterfly-style practically beg you to sink in and rest a while.
Reviewers on the cb2 web site love the richness and touchable nature of the fabric. Spills can be spot cleaned with mild soap and a clean cloth, while stubborn spills may need a pro cleaner.
The chrome finishes feel fresh again after an influx of brass and gold metallic furniture accents, which offer a cool contrast to the warm marigold-yellow or minky-brown upholstery. These bar stools have mastered the art of loungey ’70s cool. If you don’t want to buy one, then you can build a DIY bar stool.
Best Indoor/Outdoor Bar Stools
Powder-coated galvanized steel stands up to any weather, which makes these bar stools ideal for indoor-outdoor living. Grips on the feet ensure you don’t scrape the floor or deck, which makes it the perfect seating for an outdoor kitchen island. Plus, the backs are removable and the stools stackable. A classic style at an affordable price — from $60, depending on which color you choose from the rainbow of options.
Best Bar Stool Splurge
Cane is making a style comeback, and the Nadia delivers. This bar stool offers a cane back framed by black beechwood and finished with a gray boucle-upholstered seat. The clean-lined yet inviting silhouette is gorgeous — somehow Danish-modern vintage and Japanese minimal at once.
Best Modern Farmhouse Bar Stools
These Parisian bistro–inspired rattan bar stools are a favorite for modern farmhouse-style lovers. The patterning adds visual interest and texture against a mix of warm woods and black metal, as well as a little light and whimsy. These stools also would work well in a sunroom or coastal-style setting.
Best Budget Bar Stools
As the master of efficiency, Ikea deliver again. The Nilsolle offers classic bar stool style in solid birch and costs $45. Finished with a clear lacquer, these bar stools will hold up against everyday life and are easy to clean and maintain — no more worrying about spills. No frills, no fuss, no sticker shock.
Best Retro Bar Stools
Hearken back to the style of the ’50s with these fun novelty bar stools. With seats made to look like bottle caps, these stools pair perfectly with a basement bar, garage hangout, game room or even a mid-century kitschy kitchen.
The faux-leather red seats swivel on adjustable-height, heavy chrome-plated steel bases styled after a classic soda-fountain stool. Super fun!
Best Swivel and Adjustable Bar Stools
These swivel bar stools from Urban Outfitters do it all. They swivel at the seat and adjust up and down for loads of versatility without adding bulk or unnecessary gears and levers that take up space.
The bamboo-seat-and-metal-base combination is sleek and modern but the style is classic, making them work well with modern farmhouse, modern and classic décor.
Best Maximalist Bar Stools
These Pippen bar stools are meant to stand out. The gold basket-style seats shine, especially accentuated with comfortable cushions, atop gold-finish metal legs. Want to take it up a notch? Add flokati or sheepskin-style throws for extra texture and verve.
Bonus: These stools are GreenGuard certified, meaning they meet industry standards for low chemical emissions. So your space can be as safe as it is stylish.
Best Leather Bar Stools
The Brenner bar stools from Pottery Barn do classic style right with their semi-aniline leather seats. This means the leather is lightly treated with a non-toxic dye that penetrates through the leather, rather than sitting on the surface. This allows the hide’s natural markings to show through and makes each piece distinctive.
The molded leather seat features a shallow scoop that makes for a pretty and comfortable perch. Welded steel legs provide the perfect foil to the warm leather. The leather is available in cognac, cool gray and sleek black to fit just about any modern, industrial or traditional setting.
