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What's the Difference Between Standard vs. Counter- vs. Bar-Height Stools?

Standing desks and adjustable-height tables have become popular, but how do you know what chair to use with them? It may sound simple—counter-height stools go with counter-height tables, and bar-height stools go with bar-height tables. But, of course, it’s never that easy, is it? Often, chairs and stools aren’t listed as counter- or bar-height, and you’re left to guess. If you’re searching for new chairs or stools for your breakroom, basement, kitchen, or café, let this be your guide.

The main difference between standard, counter-height, and bar-height stools is the height of the stool:

  • Standard Chair: 16” – 23”H at the seat

  • Counter-Height: 24” – 27”H at the seat

  • Bar-Height: 28” – 33”H at the seat

 

We recommend you start by pulling out your tape measure and measuring the height of your bar, table, or countertop. Ensuring you have the accurate height of your table or countertop is crucial to knowing what barstool type will fit best.

Once you know the height of your table or countertop, choose a coordinating stool that will put you at the perfect height. There's a stool style that's suited for every table.

Standard-Height Chairs 

Standard-size chairs, also known as table-height chairs, are the easiest to select since they are made for use at a standard height table, which measures 28” – 30” high. Café chairs typically measure 16” – 23” high at the seat and can be found in almost any style. 

The word standard is used a lot, so make sure you know which stool you need by measuring your table first. You don't want to guess.

Counter-Height Stools

Counter-height stools are taller than standard chairs and typically measure 24” – 27” high at the seat. These stools are designed for counter-height tables, which measure 35” – 39” high. This type of stool is shorter than what you might see at a restaurant or bar but are often the ideal option for use with built-in overhangs on counters in residential settings or office breakrooms. A mixture of standard- and counter-height tables gives employees options for their seating and can be a visually appealing break from the traditional breakroom.

Bar Height Stools

How tall are bar height stools?

  • Typically measure 28" to 33" high at the seat

  • Designed for counters and tables 41" – 43" high

  • Often a bit too tall for counter-height tables or counters

  • Commonly seen in bars and restaurants 

Bar-height stools are the tallest on this list, usually measuring 28” – 33” high at the seat. You’ll typically find this type of seating in restaurants and bars. It’s best used with bar-height tables that measure 41” – 43” high.

 

Best Selling Table-, Counter-, and Bar-Height Seating

Strata Armless Standard Chair

Available in 6 Options

Strata Armless Standard Chair

$269.00GSA

Figo Stool with Fabric or Polyurethane Seat

Available in 6 Options

Figo Stool with Fabric or Polyurethane Seat

$329.00GSA

Barista Armless Café Chair

Available in 2 Options

Barista Armless Café Chair

$199.00GSA

Facet Modern Café Stool

Available in 1 Option

Facet Modern Café Stool

$219.00GSA

Best Selling Table, Counter, and Bar Height Seating

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The Perks & Problems With Height-Adjustable Desks

They're cool! They're trendy! And most of all, they're healthy! Height-adjustable desks have seen a recent rise in popularity—pun intended—and they will only become more common as time goes on. The benefits of a standing-height desk are immeasurable, but the surface is fixed, which may not suit everybody's stature and preference. It's easy to find the perfect in-between with an adjustable-height solution but finding the perfect desk involves a lot of variables besides height.

As with any purchase, you need to weigh the pros and cons. At this price point, it's worth considering the benefits of a height-adjustable desk.

Concern: Prices as High as Desktop Height

Adding electronics and moving parts inevitably increases the price of a height-adjustable desk. Naturally, these desks sit at a drastically higher price than their standard and standing-height counterparts.

As you're already investing in your ergonomic health, your considerations should go beyond the simple highs and lows of workspace altitude. Most companies offer loss leaders (products that cost significantly less than their market-price competition) that cut corners to preserve margin. With your posture on the line, it's clear that a height-adjustable desk is worth the splurge, but what makes up the value behind those extra dollars?

Benefit: An Investment in Your Health

It's hard to put a price on your physical well-being. Generations of office workers have learned the hard way that sitting for long hours can contribute to various health problems. Standing desks offer an alternative, while an adjustable-height desk provides a total solution. Grab an ergonomic office chair when you'd like to take a seat, stand for a portion of the day, or use an active seating solution to introduce even more movement into your workday. A variety of options is the best solution to a stagnant position.

Benefit: Bonus Features Worth the Splurge

It's up to you to decide what bells and whistles are worthwhile. Larger, heavy-duty adjustable-height desks may have a dual-motor system that's more durable than a single-motor option. Meanwhile, many desks offer programmable settings that can bring the desktop right where you want it without guessing each time.

Some of the same flashy features you know and love are also built into these tech-ready desks. Wireless chargers, cable management grommets and channels, under-desk storage, and power stations are commonly found in static height and height-adjustable desks. 

Benefit: Start Small With a Desktop Riser

If you're not quite committed to purchasing a sit/stand desk, take a look at desktop risers that can provide all of the benefits of an adjustable-height desk without breaking the bank. These are available independent of whatever desk you have or purchase and cost a fraction of the price of a height-adjustable desk.

Concern: Limited Configurations

The market is currently saturated with simple rectangular height-adjustable desks measuring between 48" and 60" wide. They were the first to hit the market, the most versatile solution for many homes and offices, and a great fit for simple spaces. They just don't satisfy every worker's needs.

Benefit: Shapes, Sizes, and Styles for Everyone

While there are still minimalist options at every price point, manufacturers have started to provide their bestselling styles and configurations with a height-adjustable option.

  • Stylized solutions are available for those who might not want a simple writing-style desk. We offer a height-adjustable option in some of our bestselling collections, all of which work in a variety of décor schemes.

  • L-desks and corner desks may include a primary workspace that rises and lowers, leaving the return at standard height. It's equally common to find L-desks that raise the entire workspace to ensure that all monitors and peripherals are accounted for.

  • U-desks are functionally a combination of a main desk, a bridge, and a credenza behind the primary workspace. Common height-adjustable U-desks might have a rising bridge and workspace combo, rising bridge, or rising desk.

  • Compact desks are ubiquitous in the adjustable-height market. Find small-footprint solutions in 48" and sometimes smaller.

Concern: It's Electric?

While we expect to plug in our laptops or lamps, you don't necessarily think of your workstation as a piece that needs its own electricity. This may limit the location of your workspace or add to the hassle of managing cables and cords.

Benefit: Cut the Cord

Whether your setup is too far from an outlet or you don't want to deal with pesky cords, some options use pneumatic adjustment to change the desktop height. While these may restrict you to a few fixed positions—often simply sit and stand—they are an easy answer to a fully-analog workspace. Some crank options are available, which provide a much more nuanced way to raise and lower the desktop.

Benefit: Back to Risers

We've brought them up earlier, but a desktop riser has the added benefit of cord-free ergonomic excellence. While some may be electrically inclined, most operate on a pneumatic or safe hydraulic system.

Concern: Garish Legs

The original height-adjustable desks on the market had thick legs that made it obvious that the desk was a sit/stand model. Awkward upside-down T-shaped legs were used instead of a 4-legged style, which required fewer extending parts, but these also led to an exposed and unattractive look.

Benefit: Putting the ‘Neato’ in ‘Incognito’

Incognito, incog-neato… Same difference, right? These days, many stylized desks have their actuators built into the decorative portion of the desk, giving the piece a totally normal look while in the sitting position. Many of these options have modesty panels that either stay stationary with the base or move up and down with the desktop, depending on the design.

Standing Height Ergonomics

Standing-Height Ergonomics

You’ve added a standing desk to your workspace to help ward off the negative health consequences of sitting all day. You’re now consistently moving and incorporating a balance of sitting and standing. But have you forgotten about ergonomics? While a balance of sitting and standing is the most important, you’ll also want to consider the height of your workstation, the position of your monitors and keyboard, and your ergonomic chair adjustments to make sure that your body is fully supported whether you’re taking a stand or sitting for a bit.

Set Your Workstation at the Proper Height

Your workstation should not cause you to strain to reach something high or low. If you are reaching to look up or down, it can cause a lot of strain on your shoulders, neck, and back. An adjustable-height desk allows you to move the workstation up or down to accommodate your height. You will want to position your workstation (including your keyboard) so your arms are parallel to the ground while typing (no stress on elbows or shoulders) and you're not looking up or down at monitors but instead straight ahead, keeping your shoulders and neck relaxed. It's recommended that your monitor is placed about arm’s length from your face.  

Stand Correctly

Standing at your desk for the recommended amount of time isn't enough—you'll need to be sure you are standing correctly. Otherwise, you may still experience those aches and pains you’ve been trying to avoid. Having your monitor at the right angle and your workstation at the right height will help, but remember to keep your back straight and shoulders relaxed. Avoid reaching above or behind the shoulder line. Avoid crossing your legs in any matter when standing and avoid locking your knees—both of these movements can disrupt blood flow. Instead, keep your feet pointed toward your workstation and your knees loose and comfortable.

Consider Your Feet

Even if you stand for short bursts throughout the day, you’ll want to consider how your feet are holding up. If they are sore or uncomfortable after standing, evaluate your footwear and add an anti-fatigue mat to your workspace. Switching to practical footwear for standing is ideal, and anti-fatigue mats can make a huge difference in supporting your feet and legs.

Take a Seat

Sitting all day isn't good for you, but neither is standing all day. As a general rule of thumb, you should be standing 15 minutes for every 2 hours you sit. When seated, maintain proper posture to reap the health benefits of good ergonomics.

Optimizing Outdoor Workspaces

Optimizing Outdoor Workspaces

As dinner on restaurant patios and weekend trips into the wilderness become mainstays of summer 2020, days at the office are spent more sequestered than ever. Instead of eating in cafeterias and gathering in conference rooms, employees are highly deskbound to stop the spread of COVID-19. But add the open air to office productivity, and you've got a great solution for any company culture.

Depending on your location, there may be room to transform outdoor spaces, such as patios, surrounding green space, or even smaller entryways, into an outdoor oasis for employees. Create areas for collaboration or solitary work with a few easy upgrades. No matter the climate, you can harness the end of summer or a temperate fall and make long-lasting outdoor spaces that employees will love. 

Step Up the Wi-Fi

A major hurdle for outdoor enjoyment starts with technology. Employees can only do so much work without laptops, and even meetings require some tech to keep things running smoothly these days. Add Wi-Fi extenders and additional routers to the edges of the outdoors, ensuring that there's a strong enough signal to run your most necessary operations from anywhere.

Choose the Right Seating

Choose seating and tables that can facilitate all sorts of working needs. While there's always room for laid-back, relaxing options, more traditional tables and benches can accommodate meetings, lunches, or independent work.

Outdoor mainstays are readily available for these workspaces. Picnic benches can replace conference tables, though keeping employees well-spaced with tape or markers to show proper spacing is imperative. Portable acrylic screens can be grabbed and utilized to make face-to-face seating safer.

Materials Matter

Use materials designed and proven for outdoor use to protect from the elements and ensure that your outdoor furniture will make it to summer 2021. Solid plastics, resin, and outdoor laminates will be indicated for indoor/outdoor use. If you're looking at anything metal, make sure that it's stainless and will stay corrosion- and rust-free indefinitely.

Create Some Shade

To keep laptops glare-free and protect against midday sunburn, ensure your space has enough shade to keep employees out of the sun if they wish. Umbrellas, either mounted through tables or in a cantilever style, can provide a temporary solution, but areas with a partial overhang may benefit from an extended awning. Whether automatically retractable or removable at the end of the season, temporary shelter can also keep your furniture in tip-top condition in any climate.

Expand Your Area

Not all offices are equipped with ample outdoor seating or a prime location for a patio. Leverage the areas available, even if they're small, to add a little bit of respite from the office. A couple of chairs out front, simple benches, or off-to-the-side seating can still make a huge impact.

Seating alone doesn't suit everybody's working style. Even in the most constricted areas, keep a few folding tables off to the side for employees to grab, use, disinfect, and return for quick and casual use. Movable outdoor furniture may need to be secured depending on the location, but semi-mobile choices can encourage employees to move meetings outdoors without committing to a conference-like setup in a small space.

Power Up

Make sure employees keep charged with any necessary extension cords or power stations they can move throughout the outdoor space. Keep a few of them handy and easy to extend, ensuring that there isn't any need to crowd around scarce outlets.

Embrace the Great Outdoors

Throughout the office, fake plants reign supreme. When the weather's right and the sun is shining, a few potted plants or pleasant landscaping can elevate the mood in an outdoor area. Take advantage of seasonal foliage and beautify your outdoor oasis. Use taller greenery to create separation between tables to ensure proper social distancing.

Don’t Stop the Cleaning 

Just because you're outdoors doesn't mean COVID-19 magically disappears. These areas still need to be cleaned with the same disinfectants that keep indoor areas virus-free. Station a few cleaning caddies around your outdoor area and ensure that disinfectants are both FDA-approved and suited for your materials. Because outdoor furniture is significantly more durable, harsher solvents can be used when necessary. Near the entrance, hand sanitizer and extra masks can support employees moving about the space, just as they would in any other shared area.

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