A stool as a piece of furniture in the kitchen is almost irreplaceable. You can sit on it, use it as a stand, a piece of furniture, and it is an “assistant” in other household chores. Its versatility is explained by the simplicity and strength of the design.
A stool is a simple chair without a back of a certain size. With the advent of modern chairs, stools have not disappeared from the kitchen; on the contrary, their range of models has increased and they have been improved.
Today on the market you can buy both “classics” and stools with unexpected design solutions.
A little history
Easy to make, stools are considered one of the most ancient pieces of furniture. The first images of stools date back to the 3rd century BC and are found in Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, not to mention Ancient Greece and Rome.
In the paintings of medieval painters you can also see richly inlaid stools in the houses of the highest aristocracy.
Manufacturing materials
Several types of materials are used in the production of stools.
- Tree. High environmental friendliness, beautiful appearance, creation of a cozy atmosphere are the advantages of wooden products. The cost of items depends on the type of wood. Cheaper models are made from pine and linden, while oak and beech significantly increase the price.
- Metal. The frame, protected by a layer of chrome, withstands kitchen conditions and withstands significant loads. But it must be taken into account that metal models are heavy and can damage the floor covering if moved frequently. Rubber and plastic caps are provided for protection.
- Plastic. The products are lightweight, resistant to moisture, and easy to care for. However, such models are short-lived, change color when exposed to sunlight, and are fragile.
- Chipboard. A feature of such pieces of furniture is their low cost. Stools made from chipboard can withstand loads well, and thanks to special impregnation, they successfully withstand fluctuations in humidity.
Stool: pros and cons
Listen to the advice of experts on how to choose stools for the kitchen, what their pros and cons are. The advantages of this type of furniture include:
- small sizes;
- little weight;
- wide selection of models;
- functionality;
- compactness.
The only disadvantage of stools is the lack of a back, which creates inconvenience compared to a chair.
A hard seat can also cause discomfort, but this problem can be easily eliminated with a soft cushion.
Types of stools for the kitchen: how such products differ from each other
Any piece of furniture can be classified according to different parameters. We offer the optimal division according to the type of structure, base and shape of the seat.
Various design features
In general, a stool can be described as a combination of support and seat, combined with each other. Any design will differ in material, size, style, design.
This piece of furniture differs from a chair in the absence of a back, which significantly reduces the comfort of sitting.
Classic and folding
A classic among designs is a regular product with four legs and a square seat. The design of even classic products can be very different from each other, striking in its originality.
Classic: four legs and a seat PHOTO: dekoriko.ru
The peculiarity of folding models is quick assembly and the same easy folding. Guests arrived - took out the stools, laid them out, left - quickly put away the compactly folded product.
Slide and spread: easy and simple PHOTO: servants.witchforum.ru
Bar and step stools
The bar variety is similar to a regular stool, having high legs with a footrest, but without a back and armrests. The seat can be any shape. This is a durable design for a stylish kitchen, suggesting that the owners have already moved away from the ancient, boring interior.
Don’t worry that such a stool is unstable PHOTO: pinterest.ru
The stepladder is designed for greater functionality; it is a place to sit and a convenient mini-ladder for household needs. The models are designed in such a way that no tools are needed to use the ladder; it folds up easily.
There may be several steps, it all depends on the type of product and its dimensions PHOTO: lmbd.ru
Important! The model is potentially dangerous, as a small child can easily fall from it.
Stool legs
Conventional models have 4 legs, but don’t lose sight of interesting designs with two, three and five “limbs”. In addition, the base can be represented by a flat disk with a vertical stand.
Straight legs and angled legs
The inclination of the legs will not play a role in stability, since the manufacturer will never put on sale a product whose legs are not able to support the client’s weight.
Straight supports look monumental, stable, suitable for country and minimalism. If they are not carved or without elegant decor, then for the classics they choose a different style of product.
Standard, but elegant PHOTO: e-katalog.ru
Inclined legs look more elegant; the angle will not allow the structure to be fragile.
Advice! Inclined models are more stable than straight ones.
It’s simple, but this tilt visually makes the product more decorative PHOTO: mismebel.by
Flat disk with vertical stand
There are also other models that have one strong vertical stand that supports the structure on three legs.
Option for a modern kitchen PHOTO: welding-russia.ru
Difference in seats
The seats can be hard, semi-hard and soft. The hard one is more familiar, but not particularly comfortable.
Semi-rigid models have an elastic pad of 1-3 cm, while soft ones have a material pad of more than 5 cm.
It’s more pleasant to be on a soft seat, especially if you spend a lot of time in the kitchen PHOTO: svoimirukamimebel.ru
Square and round
The shape of the seat is represented by the geometry of a circle or square. This is a matter of taste and style of the room. If clear lines are important, then a square is preferable, but a round shape looks softer and more comfortable.
Even a simple square shape can have decorative variations PHOTO: donnamebel.ru
Round stools can also be soft, hard and semi-rigid PHOTO: v-interere.ru
Transitional shapes are possible between these shapes: square with rounded corners.
Concave model
There is also a comfortable seat design; its shape is somewhat reminiscent of a bowl. It is very comfortable to sit on, and in appearance it is a very interesting model.
Beautiful, thoughtful design and excellent seat PHOTO: de-light.ru
Selection of stools
In order for the stool to last a long time and to be comfortable to use, you should adhere to a number of rules when purchasing:
- It is better to purchase a model with a semi-rigid seat. Kitchen stools with a soft seat are bad for your posture, and hard ones are uncomfortable to sit on;
- for the kitchen it is better to buy a stool with a seat upholstered in leatherette;
- the dimensions of the structure must correspond to the anatomical structure of family members.
One important fact that should be taken into account is that the stool must match the style of the kitchen interior.
General recommendations when buying a stool
When purchasing a stool, it is recommended to rely on the degree of convenience. Since a lot of time will be spent on them, the seat should be comfortable and preferably soft.
At the next stage, you need to choose the design, color and construction, dimensions and weight of the stool. You can choose compact models that are easy to fold and hide, or you can choose massive permanent stools.
Be sure to pay attention to the quality of the product. Even an expensive branded item can be a fake or simply a bad copy. Check the reliability of all fastenings and the quality of supports. The product must not have any mechanical damage, scratches, chips or peeling.
Next, decide on the desired price category and country of production. You should not take the cheapest models, since very often they are significantly inferior in quality. But in expensive branded models, we also often overpay for the manufacturer’s name. So when choosing, it is recommended to adhere to the golden mean in everything.
By following all the above rules, you are guaranteed to be able to buy the right and functional stool for your unique designer kitchen.
Types of stools
In ancient times, stools were a low bench, and depending on the social status of the owner, they were either roughly knocked together or decorated with carvings, ivory, precious metals and stones.
Modern life places different demands on pieces of furniture - to be comfortable and functional. The range of manufacturers includes:
- classic;
- folding, transforming;
- tall;
- multifunctional stools.
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In small apartments, a stool is an excellent replacement for bulky chairs. They can easily be pushed under the table, taken out to the balcony or hidden in the pantry, thereby freeing up space.
What do you need for work?
Regardless of the type of structure being manufactured, work must always begin with a drawing of the future project . It is advisable to consider several options so that you have something to compare with and ultimately choose one. The preparatory stage does not end here. You also need to take care of the tools.
Woodworking tools
So, to make a stool you need to prepare the following:
- softwood boards;
- furniture stapler;
- set of self-tapping screws;
- seat upholstery material;
- PVA glue for working with wood;
- sandpaper with different grain sizes;
- hand saw or jigsaw;
- plane;
- screwdriver and electric drill;
- safety glasses and work gloves.
Hand wooden plane
Be sure to prepare paint and varnish materials and decorative finishing products. It is also necessary to purchase various stencils, rollers and brushes for painting the finished product. Once everything you need is at hand, you can get to work.
Classic
It is a four-legged structure with a hard or soft seat. They can be made from a wide variety of materials - wood, plastic, metals, chipboard and MDF.
Today, bamboo, wicker and any other available materials are often used in the manufacture of stools. There are models made from a combination of various materials.
The most important thing is that the design should be durable, compact, not take up much space and look visually attractive.
What does a modern kitchen stool look like?
Kitchen stools sold today rarely resemble the plank furniture that my grandmother had in the village.
You can verify this by looking at photos of old kitchen stools on the Internet. Stools are made from almost any material you can think of. For example, wicker kitchen stools. Wickerwork in pleasant colors combines the warmth of home with art, which today is embodied in such a small, practical piece of kitchen furniture.
Stools with a metal base look stunning in a modern kitchen setting. The rigor of this material, combined with the warm wooden seat, fits perfectly into the simple and elegant kitchen design that owners are increasingly choosing.
Folding
This design is functional and easy to use. The products can fit almost any kitchen interior.
Folding stools for the kitchen do not take up much space; you can easily fit them in the trunk of a car and take them with you to the country house or to a planned picnic in nature.
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Decor of soft seats of stools
A modern stool can often be decorated with a cape, pillow or cover. In accordance with your preferences for your specific interior, you can choose the texture of the material, its color scheme and a suitable pattern.
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A rustic kitchen will look great with stools with cushions made from printed fabric with floral patterns.
Also, stools covered with knitted covers in bright colors will look good here.
For a classic-style kitchen, you should opt for satin with a rare, discreet pattern that will go well with the carved wooden elements of your furniture.
Leather upholstery on the stool will make your kitchen look more luxurious. Fabric made to resemble the skin of a snake or crocodile is suitable for the same purpose.
Multifunctional
The so-called step stool can be used not only for its intended purpose, but also as decoration.
It is used as a seat, and if necessary, it easily and quickly turns into a small stepladder and allows you to get any thing from the top shelf of the kitchen cabinet.
A little historical background
The history of the stool goes back many millennia; it was the first piece of furniture. Perhaps initially a part of a log was used as a stool. But with the development of civilization, logs were replaced by other materials and forms.
Folding stools appeared that were convenient for traveling. It is believed that in France they first began to use soft seats, filling them with horsehair and down.
Genuine leather and sometimes expensive fabrics were mainly used for upholstery.
Currently, stools are selected more based on functionality. They are even used for orthopedic purposes, for example, to develop a straight posture (a version of a saddle seat).
Seat
The comfort of using a stool primarily depends on the seat. The seat can be round, square, oval or polygonal in shape.
All these options are considered classic, and the most convenient is the round shape, because... has no sharp corners.
Depending on the design idea, these seemingly simple solutions allow you to create a huge number of different models to suit every consumer’s taste.
Bar stool
For a long time now, high stools from cafes and bars have entered the home kitchen. The bar counter of your kitchen cannot do without such a stool.
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Kitchen set for your kitchen
Currently, manufacturers offer many models of such stools. The number of legs can vary from one to four. Bar stools amaze with the variety of shapes of their seats, which can be in the form of a square, rectangle or circle.
Metal stools have been replaced by wooden kitchen bar stools, which can be made to your individual order.
If your dining table is taller than standard size, then a bar stool is for you.
Seat designs
Of the three possible options - soft, semi-rigid and hard, the most comfortable are soft stools for the kitchen. You just need to be mindful of your posture and try not to relax your back muscles.
Designs with concave seats are very original and impressive. This shape is the most comfortable for a sitting person and has less negative impact on posture.
Stylish wooden stool
After practicing with simple types of stools, you can try yourself in making more complex designs. These include a “slat” stool, detailed manufacturing instructions for which are given below.
Step 1 . Make a sketch of all parts of the future structure on a piece of whatman paper. There are only two such details.
Sketch of future details
Step 2 . Using a utility knife or regular scissors, carefully cut out the drawn parts.
Drawn details cut out
Step 3 . Place the cut out templates on a large sheet of plywood and trace them. There should be a total of 11 thin parts, and 2 large structures.
Templates transferred to plywood
Step 4 . Carefully cut out the drawn parts using a jigsaw. To cut out the lower parts of the groove, it is recommended to use a regular jigsaw, as it is more convenient.
Next you need to cut out the parts
Step 5 . As a result, you should have the following elements. Once all the parts are cut out, you can proceed to the next steps.
Ready-made structural elements
Step 6 . Level the surface of the crossbars. To do this, they need to be folded together and secured with a clamp. File them first and then use sandpaper. The treated surface should be as flat and smooth as possible.
Fixed bars
Crossbars after processing
Step 7 . Start assembling the finished elements. To do this, use a small hammer and spacers. If necessary, treat the joints of wooden elements with wood glue. This will increase the strength of the structure.
Assembling the stool parts
Build process
If necessary, the joints can be treated with wood glue
Step 8 . Try to install each part on the same level as the others so that the structure looks even and of high quality. This is an important part of the work, so there is no need to rush when assembling wooden elements.
Parts should be installed at the same level
Step 9 . As a result, you should end up with a stool like this. Cover it with varnish, let it dry, and then use it for its intended purpose. This product will fit perfectly into any type of interior, so it can be placed in the living room, kitchen or country house.
Finished stylish wooden stool
Another photo of the result of the work
This stool will fit into any interior
