Putting together a nice bar is always a tough, but exciting job. It is tough to choose the right pieces of furniture, but it is so exciting figuring out what direction you want to take with it. Transforming your dining room into a more modern variant with tall bar tables and chairs or making a dedicated bad are just some of the options. The choices of stools, tables and bar stands are almost unlimited. Please read our guide below to figure out what fits your goal better.

Home Bars
Home bars are put together set of complimentary bar furniture. Usually consisting of a bar stand, a bar table and a couple bar stools, these furnishing pieces match in materials and height. It is much easier to buy a complete home bar set, but it takes away from your creativity. Make sure you account for dimensions of home bar sets, as they can get quite large. Remember to allow some walking room and make sure that all doors and windows open freely.

Bar Stands
Bar stands are tall pieces of bar furnishing that usually act as a serving station for drinks and entrees.  On one side they will have space for a bartender with storage for bottles, glassware and other essentials to the bar. Some bigger and more dedicated sets have a sink and space for a mini fridge. If you are looking for a bar to purely be a quick station for eating and drinking, a single bar stand with a couple stools will be enough.

Bar Tables
However, if you are looking for a more interesting substitute for a dining room set, then you might want to extend your budget on a bar table. Bar tables are usually quite similar to round dining tables, but they are usually smaller and are raised another foot or so. Getting their inspiration from traditional European cafes, the elegant and tall bar stools are perfect places for you to enjoy a quick coffee or a meal in style and comfort. Always buy the bar table before investing into chairs because it is much easier to find stools that match the table height wise than vice versa. Like with dining tables, glass tops are very durable, but prone to fingerprints.  High end bar tables have stone tops, which is the perfect material considering how spill proof it is while not attracting much fingerprints. Most bar tables come with chrome or brushed metal frames, although some companies still manufacture wooden pub tables. Either one material works well with wood being prone to warping, but with new technologies that is not going to be an issue for a long time. There are usually three height categories for bar tables: short (around 36" tall), medium (42") or tall (45+").

Bar Stools
The top of the seats on your bar chairs have to be about a foot shorter than the table. There are three different kinds of bar chairs: counter stools, bar stools and extra tall bar stools.

Counter Height Bar Stools
-At around 23" to 29" counter height bar stools are the shortest available ones that are perfect for short tables. These chairs are usually inspired by normal dining room chairs with slightly taller frames and narrower bases.

Regular Height Bar Stools
-The regular bar stools come in at 29" to 32" and are the most popular type of bar chairs. These chairs are usually a mix of regular chairs and your typical bar stools with a tall, skinny frame supporting it.

Extra Tall Bar Stools
-Extra tall bar stools range from 33" to 36" in height and are only usable with tall bar tables. Make sure not to make a mistake of buying a chair that is too tall or short for your table.
 
The typical rule of bar stools is to allow 30" of space between the centers of each stool. This will allow for comfortably rotating the chair and easy access in and out. Make sure you account for stools that come with arms, as those typically run wider than regular bar stools and can get in the way a lot. Just like any other furniture, the bar stools come in different styles, such as modern, retro or classic European. Modern bar stools normally use lighter colors, fabric materials and brushed metals. Retro bar stools get their inspirations from classic bar chairs with a single leg with chrome finish and leather seats of many colors. Leather is a more durable and spill proof material, while fabric can be more comfortable and scratch proof. Taking care of either material is fairly simple, with fabric being slightly tougher to clean from spills. With leather you can just wipe the spill away with a damp fabric and the natural water resistance will avoid any stains. With fabric you have to use special soap to avoid the spill to spread further inside and create a stain.