Shopping edit – 7 bar stools for style and comfort in the kitchen

Siena Bar Stool | From £71.20 at Dunelm
This strong steel bar stool comes in six colourways including mustard, white, gold and chrome. With A-frame legs, a curvy yet comfortable seat and a matte finish, this is an ideal addition to a minimalist kitchen. Just add a seat cushion and you're all set. You might want to make sure you've got a lot of space for these, though, as their frame is pretty wide. Definitely not the one for a space-savvy kitchen.

Made Raleigh Bar Stool | £179 at Made
This retro bar stool is the perfect example of comfort and style warped into one, with a boucle seat and rattan back. It also comes in a charcoal colour, while this bar stool makes a striking addition to any kitchen island. With a rounded back and a sleek frame, these chairs are perfect for lengthy use – whether for a three-course dinner or some fancy cocktails.

GoodHome Maloux Black Oak Bar stool | £20 at B&Q
A great pick for smaller kitchens with narrow walkways, this bar stool is also well within budget. With black metal legs and a rounded oak top, they are even stackable so that you can store them away in a cupboard – or nestle them into a corner – when not in use. These bar stools should blend in seamlessly into pretty much any kitchen, whether yours is modern and minimalist or contemporary and colourful.

Dunelm Vivian Velvet Bar Stool | £109 at Dunelm
The uber-comfortable Vivian bar stool from Dunelm features a rounded and upholstered back to keep you sitting upright all night long. Its back is also scalloped and covered in a striking velvet fabric, which comes in a range of colours. Choose from an elegant gold, a soft pink, a deep blue or a plain (yet failsafe) black. Not just good looking, this Dunelm bar stool has metal legs with gold accents – plus a footrest for comfort reasons. Definitely one for larger kitchens, this ought to inject a sophisticated vibe to your kitchen or open-plan space.

Habitat Logan Pair of Faux Leather Cantilever Barstool | £100 for 2 at Habitat
A bargain price for two bar stools, these cool Habitat ones tick all our boxes. This is thanks to their metal frame, footrest and comfortable faux-leather seat. Plus, they are armless so they can be tucked underneath an island or bar table when not in use. The ribbed leather brown seat screams (whispers) casual comfort, while their black metal frame brings the industrial-chic vibe. We can just imagine these inside an otherwise dark yet mid-century modern kitchen.

Philippe Starck for Kartell Masters Bar Chair | £296 at John Lewis
This fancy Philippe Starck bar stool is the one for modern kitchens with an island or bar area that they use for the occasional dinner and sometimes for having drinks with friends. They are a hybrid of three iconic designs: Arne Jacobsen's Series 7, Eero Saarinen's Tulip armchair and the Eiffel chair by Charles Eames. Boasting a unique shaped design, they are surprisingly comfortable with a rounded back and a footrest. Select from your choice of white, black or grey. Each bar stool boasts armrests, while they are easily wipeable so convenient to keep looking brand new.

Lara Bar Stool Natural | £149 at Dunelm
We're slightly obsessed with this bar stool from Dunelm: it's super Instagrammable and not to mention very comfortable. A classic yet contemporary twist that also comes in black, it has a rounded wooden back and a paper cord seat. Robust is one word to describe it, and these bar stools ought to make a statement in your kitchen. They tend to sell out quite fast, FYI, so get your hands on one while they are in stock.