Kitchen Bar Stools – American Country Comfort Theme
July 30, 2009 – 2:22 pm8. American Country Comfort
Whitewood and oak, unfinished pine and a patchwork quilt nearby. That’s what American country comfort is all about; a fireplace, an oven with fresh warm bread, an open kitchen with enough wood stools around the counter to accommodate the town.
For a comfy barstool try:
- Country Oak Swivel Bar Stool – based on an early American design in solid oak, with turned legs, wheatsheaf style back and a wood seat that may be custom padded. It’s a sturdy, classic colonial piece that nostalgically reproduces the comforts of homes in simpler times. These swivel barstools are at the heart of cozy American country style available through ivg Stores.
- Country Pine High Kitchen Stool
High kitchen stool with no back made of solid beech and your choice of finish: waxed, lacquered or painted, and there’s no assembly required. This is an inexpensive choice, at under $50 each, if you want to accommodate the whole town around your counter. - Canterbury Shaker Weaver’s Stool – Item #: CAN5X
Finished in dark cherry with dark blue and beige Shaker Tape - Enfield Shaker Weaver’s Stool – Item# ENF5X
Custom butternut/raffia Shaker Tape with Minwax Ebony stain - Shawl Bar Stool – Item#: SBR5X
This is one stool that you build yourself,so to speak, by choosing a back design, a seat weave and the type of wood. Choose from maple, early American dark, natural or cherry.
In 1975, the Shaker furniture catalog had only 8 chairs total. Today they have a catalogue consisting of a hundred and eighty items, in maple and cherry woods. Many of their items are built-to-order so are not in their catalogue. Their motto is to build furniture that’s “functional” rather than “standard.” - South Union Counter Stool – Item# SUN5X
The first of these counter stools we made over thirty years ago, reproduced from a model South Union, Kentucky high stool. Nowadays, the only difference is a slightly wider seat and using graduated slats, a feature typical of northern community seats.
(For selecting your American Country Comfort Custom Counter Stool, go to: stimberlake.com)
The Shakers created many simple yet practical styles of high stools that were originally intended as work chairs when they sat their looms weaving or ironing at high tables. Based on the Shaker’s simple design, light weight, yet sturdy construction, a company called S. Timberlake has designed some excellent ladder-back counter stools for daily use at your kitchen counter.
These stools stand the test of time and use and even abuse in commercial settings as is evidenced by this little story: The Timberlake people sold a set of stools to a restaurant client in Portland, Maine in the early ’80′s. Years later the restaurant owners invited the Timberlake people for diner. The original stools had acquired an aged, worn patina, but were just as good as new!
The Shaker kitchen and bar stools for kitchen counters are typically 36 inches high and bar height counters are 42 inches for bar height, but they will custom make any highchair height you desire…well, within reason!
The bands on the seats, called “Shaker tape,” are 100% cotton canvas, so the seats are comfy and also easy to clean. You certainly couldn’t say these were cheap bar stools but they are built to a quality that is well worth paying for.
