With or Without a Backrest? Which Bar Stool Suits You Best?

Breakfast bars, islands and floating kitchen counters are timeless features of the modern kitchen. They’re where you sit for a glass of wine or beer at the end of a long day, and where your kids sit for breakfast. They’re the surfaces between you and your partner as you plan your weekends or cook dinner together. Which is why it’s a surprisingly big deal what kind of bar stool you choose to furnish it with!

On choosing breakfast bar stools, there’s one key decision you’ll have to make before you decide on the design and aesthetic to complement your existing interior design. Namely, whether to go for stools with or without backrests. Whilst stools with backrests offer greater comfort, backless stools are a classic kitchen addition which, crucially, take up less space.

To help you get to the bottom of it and pick a bar stool which works not just for your budget, style and taste, but also your living situation, we’ve compiled a quick and handy guide. Let’s get stuck in!

Exploring the Key Differences Between Backless Bar Stools and Bar Stools With a Backrest

Besides the endless different styles, eras, and materials used for bar stool design, the key feature splitting kitchen seating into two distinct camps is the availability of back support. Traditionally, stools do not come with a backrest (hence the distinction between a ‘stool’ and ‘chair’), but that doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of options available which do. Let’s take a look at the key features of both.

The 2 key features of a backless barstool

Feature 1) The traditional style of stool

You will instantly recognise backless bar stools as the classic, super traditional style of stool you might imagine lining the bar of your local pub or restaurant. Often made from wood or cushioned metal, they are sleek, stylish, and effortlessly timeless.

Feature 2) A more minimalist, space-saving design

Thanks to the lack of a backrest, backless bar stools take up less space and can be easily stored away underneath your breakfast bar or floating kitchen counter. This makes backless barstools ideal for busy homes with big families and/or small kitchens.

The 3 key features of barstools with backrests

Feature 1) Additional lumbar support

The most obvious advantage to barstools with backrests is right there in the name: they are built to give your back some rest! With the extra built-in lumbar support, this type of kitchen stool makes it easier and more comfortable to sit at the bar for extended periods of time.

It’s also worth noting that families with younger children or older adults in the home might also find that the lumbar support of a backrest gives the stool an additional layer of safety. In other words, a backrest can help to minimise the chances of a person falling off their stool.

Feature 2) Optional armrests for extra comfort

Many (if not most) kitchen stools with backrests also come with armrests to boot! Armrests take a traditional stool and elevate it, adding luxury to the design and experience of sitting in your kitchen. If comfort is of the utmost importance, then a barstool with armrests is the ticket for you.

Feature 3) Larger, more maximalist design

The last feature of note for stools with backrests is their comparative size. In contrast to backless stools, these ones are a decent bit bigger and cannot be tucked away beneath the counter. Nevertheless, you can still store these stools flush to the counter, so long as you don’t mind their backrests being visible above the level of the bar.

Backless Bar Stools vs Stools With Backrests: The Pros and Cons

Now that we’ve had a chance to explore the key features of both bar stools with backrests and bar stools without, let’s take a look at the pros and cons of each. Weighing up the advantages and disadvantages of each type of kitchen stool will prove most useful when coming to a decision.

Advantages of each kitchen stool

Disadvantages of each kitchen stool

How To Choose the Right Bar Stool for Your Home and Kitchen

It might seem silly to some folk to spend so much time considering the backless vs backrest debate, but not to us. We understand that impactful, welcoming, long-lasting interior design demands careful attention to detail—right down to the shape and design of your kitchen stools.

Knowing how to choose the right barstool for your breakfast bar or kitchen counter is going to predominantly come down to a few key considerations.

Firstly, do you have younger children who’ll be using these stools? If you do, and safety is of concern, then a stool with a backrest is probably for you, no matter what. If you don’t, you have greater flexibility to choose.

Secondly, does it matter to you whether the chair is always visible or not? Barstools with backrests can’t be tucked out of sight when not in use, so if you’re going to be bothered by the sight of them, it’s worth investing instead in backless stools.

Lastly, how long are you likely to spend sat at your kitchen counter or breakfast bar at any one time? If you only envisage spending short amounts of time on the stool—fifteen minutes or so at a time, say—then backless bar stools will suit you just fine. If you might be there for half an hour, an hour, or more, however, we’d recommend you support your posture better with a backrest.

We hope you’re armed now with all the ammo you need to make the right decision and outfit your kitchen with a brand-new set of barstools, backless or otherwise. Let us know in the comments below which type of seating you think would suit your home best, and why!