I need help finding fun, colorful, but shorter-than-average bar stools

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My partner and I are moving into an amazing, well-lit apartment after living in a basement apartment for the past few years. While we were looking for apartments, we made a list of the things we would have in the ideal apartment. One of mine was a kitchen-living room separated by an island, and we found it! I have spent the last week researching fun, colorful bar stools with backs that should be about 26″ tall, but I haven’t found one yet! 26″ would be the ideal height to be able to fit our legs under the table, but most bar stools are taller.

Do you have any ideas or awesome finds to share? -Pri

The ones pictured above may be too short (they only come up to 20 1/4″), so if you want a little more on-the-nose of 26″ keep reading to see what I’ve rounded up. Some of them are adjustable (which I recommend if your counters are currently at an odd height), some of them are funky and modern, and some of them are perfect in every way, only they may need a little customization (to make ’em colorful). Now let’s play this song and get to shopping.

Here’s a similar style to the ones above, but this one has that cool hand hold on the back, and adjusts between 23 and 32 inches.

How much do you love me right now for finding these? They come in purple, black, white, red, brown, silver, blue, and this fabulous pink! And they adjust from 22 to 33 inches.

How’s about a little light up bar stool action? Apparently the colors and the speed of their color change is controllable, and they adjust from 21 to 31 inches.

I actually have the 29″ version of these stools and I love them! They also come in a 24″ size — perfect for smaller counters. They’re also really light, but sturdy. AND if you’d like a more funky color, it’s as easy as sanding and painting.

Speaking of stools that are an easy makeover away from awesome — this is a natural wood stool at 24″ that would be really easy to paint.

Now let’s get back to some funky-ass shit, like these Zuo Tickle stools in fun colors that go from 23-1/2″ to 31-1/2″.

Kartell makes these awesome transparent stools in three sizes — the medium size has a 25.5″ height and comes in TONS of colors.

Hold the phone! What this clear acrylic wiggly bar stool lacks in color it makes up in style! And it adjust from 24 to 31 inches.

The H2 bar stool comes in several different bright colors (and one called “wenge” pictured above), and it adjusts from 23 to 32 inches.

These bar stools are 26″ on-the-nose and they’re a good deal for two, so you’ll have money saved up to sand and paint them some funky colors.

Meet the mod Mojito bar stool. It comes with red, green, or orange, and black accent colors and adjusts from 24-inches to 32-inches.

Oh man, this one looks SO cozy! Plus the 26″ version of this plushy stool comes in a bunch of fun colors, but also costs a bunch of money.

Anyone else have any leads on odd-sized, colorful bar stools?

Comments on I need help finding fun, colorful, but shorter-than-average bar stools

  1. May I suggest a trip to a furniture resale shop? We found our bar height captains chairs to go with our bistro table at Good Will. It’s always a gamble whether you’ll find what you need, but a furniture resale shop is more likely to have a matched set and more variety. And then anything can be painted to match.

  2. These are all awesome examples that you guys put up. If you are looking for something shorter I would suggest looking for “counterstools” not “barstools”. I work at Pier 1 and people come in all the time asking for short barstools and they come to find out there is a word for a short barstool! Lol Barstools are around 30 inches in height and counterstools are closer to 24 in in height. Try searching for those or even adjustable ones liek they showed on here 🙂 Good luck!

    • Ooh, I totally learned that lesson while researching these stools. The frustrating part about Pri’s search is that they need something between a counter and bar stool. Gah! 😉

  3. I have two of the third stool (pictured in purple.) Mine are lime green and I think I paid $40 each. They’re AMAZING. I beat the crap out of them in my last apartment, and there’s not a single scratch on them. If I ever move into a place with an island/long counter area, I want two more in aqua. If you get them, clean them with vinegar, or the vinegar Windex stuff.

    Edited to add: http://www.onlinexpressions.com/ls-bs-scoop-tw-lilac.html?gclid=CJjC2f_p7LECFQaynQodHHEAqg
    ^ Here are tons more colors!

    Okay, now I’m done evangelizing for these stools.

  4. Awww I was so excited when I read that she wanted some with backs, but then only one suggestion had a decently high back to it :(. #6 though, for a stool without a back, I have to say I like those. Specifically because things without backs typically hit me at the wrong spot on my legs for me to sit comfortably (including these if I sit properly), but those ones I can just turn “sideways” and straddle and be TOTALLY comfortable leaning on a counter sipping drinks or sitting while prepping food.

  5. Thanks for all the amazing ideas! I’m having a hard time letting go of my specifications which at this point are – 26″ seat height, has a back, has legs instead of a stand (because there is a lip right where the stool would go), and if possible can swivel! Ridiculous, I know!

    So what I am thinking is, I could get this chair, saw off 4 inches from each leg and paint it a fun color!

    http://www.amazon.com/Winsome-Wood-30-Inch-Windsor-Natural/dp/B000NPSILK/ref=sr_1_6?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1346248369&sr=1-6&keywords=26%22+counter+stool+with+back

    Anyone know how to saw off legs evenly? 🙂

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