A lot of people, including me, have bought saddle stools from Linens and Things. They are currently offering a buy-one-get-50%-off sale.

I have also heard positive things about barstools.com.

Here is a link that might be useful: Saddle Stool

We bought our original stools online and then replaced them with stools from Overstock.com. I love them even more then the originals and the service is great!

I have been on the hunt for stools as well and can't believe how expensive they are. I did find a good selection at a good price in the Sturbridge Yankee Workshop catalog. And it looks like they are having a sale on them this month.

Here is a link that might be useful: Sturbridge Yankee Workshop Catalog - Stools

Target - they're a copy of the Pottery Barn schoolhouse stools.

We purchased very simple backless stools from Ballard Designs. We bought one saddle stool from Pottery Barn first to try it out but decided the Ballard stool was better for us. An added plus is that we're able to bring them into the living room and use them as small tables when needed--perfect because they are flat.

JCPenney carries a wide range of stools. They often have great sales and free shipping. You can also return them to any local store if you don't like them.

JcPenney Village Stools

Finally ordered some from Target, although I have yet to get them. They have MUCH more on their website than they do in the store and most of them are the better brands that I had been looking at elswhere online (barstools.com, etc). Target also beat their prices and I got free shipping!

Even hobby lobby has some nice ones

We've had the saddle stools from LNT now for almost three years...very sturdy..look great..no problems at all..(and DH is 6.2 and 200 LBS)....and...the price can't be beat as right now there is (as previously mentioned above) the "buy one get the second half off"...with a some of 20% off coupons, its an amazing deal...

We've had BABA counter height barstools in beech/matte for several years. They have a great contemporary yet classic look, still look new, and are very comfortable. The legs are matte powder-coated steel that look great with stainless or brushed nickel. It's on sale right now at Design Within Reach for $275. DWR has some stores and we ordered ours online.

Here is a link that might be useful: DWR BABA barstool

Superchick,
How did you get free shipping from Target?

We got Holland bar stools from kitchensource.com.
I wanted swivel stools with a back. They have lots to look at and shipping was fast; about 1 week.

Home Depot Expo

we got ours from homedecoratorsoutlet.com- for a steal- $35 each:

Saddle stools from Linens -n- Things are great!

Pier One has a nice selection.

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Thanks for the tip about the LNT saddle stools, folks. We ran out and grabbed four this afternoon! :)

My stools were one of the hardest decisions in my new kitchen. I ended up getting them at Ethan Allen and I love them. You can see them in my "Finished Kitchen" photos. I'm working with dial up for a few days and find it very limiting, so won't post a photo.

gizmonike--we must have similar taste 'cause not only are our kitchens reminiscent of each other (IMHO!), but we have the same stools in black leather!

I am not in the market for stools at this time, but I can tell you our local Billards store had a great selection. In fact, our friends bought five from them. Our store had a catalog with lots of great examples and they were very sturdy too...many different styles, etc.

In addition to some of the chains mentioned, I have my eye on some stools from Pottery Barn.

I've heard that patio/pool table shops have a decent selection, too - particularly if you like metal stools. There are also all the local and/or regional furniture stores, where many of us shop sofas, mattresses, etc.

I wonder if Bombay has any furniture left online, and if it has any stools? They only went out of business at the end of 2007.

Maybe I should start a new post with this question, not sure...

Aside from where to get your stools, how do you decide on the colors and styles?

1. In a kitchen with light-colored wood, when it is hard to find light-colored stools, do you match the counters or furniture in adjoining spaces?

2. I really like saddle stools. I find my posture is much improved when I sit in them. I want my kids to have a safe place to sit, though; and I want my parents to feel comfortable. My mother has commented very negatively on saddle stools. Any advice?

We knew we wanted black leather, with a back, contemporary, and nothing too massive or bulky because the space where they would be straddles another room. We also preferred 4 legs vs a single post-type base just to make the search even more challenging! We use them for all of our meals so they had to be comfortable as well.

As indecisive as I am, when I saw ours online (after weeks and weeks of internet and local store searching), I just knew they'd be perfect for us. We went to see them in wood at a Design Within Reach outlet, just to see and feel the shape, seat, quality, comfort, etc. Then we ordered them in the leather from the online vendor (with no small am't of trepidation mind you, as I've never ordered furniture online). They've met our expectations and look terrific in our kitchen!

Sue36-apparently it was just a special they were running at the time. I forgot to mention, they also had 15% off furniture. They are still running that special.

FWIW-I got the stools yesterday! I'm very pleased. They are Hillsdale brand, very heavy and HUGE. Maybe a little too big, but I want my hiney to have enough room!! :) They ended up costing about $110 ea. and I saved around $70 for shipping. A pretty good deal, I thought, considering they were about $30-$60 more elsewhere.

I'm too lazy to put the pic in photobucket, so here's the link.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/4135RY5FGZL._SS384_.jpg

I just realized I didn't type what I was thinking! :) Correct my post to say that the same stools were $30-$60 more than at Target! I also looked, and most barstools still have free shipping and everything is 15% off!

Thanks Superchick. This is the one I am considering, the unfinished "tractor seat" stool. They are similar to some other ones I looked at that were about $300 each. These are unfinished, of course, which is a PITA. I will have to either stain them dark or paint them buttercream. I think I'll probably wait for another free shipping offer.

Here is a link that might be useful: Target Tractor Seat Stool

Sue36, it's too bad they probably don't have one of those in the store for you to try. I have to say that most of the stools I found in-store were kinda cheesy, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that Target carried the more expensive brands online. And you can return them to the store if you don't like them. I was looking at your link and the shipping weight was 66 lbs! Surely that's not just for one stool!? At any rate, I think weight may be a good indication of quality, so looks like you're in good shape!! Good luck!

lindybarts: Thanks for the tip on JCP. I've been looking for wood, padded seat, swivel bar stools, and they've got several options that should work. Thanks!!!

Target!! Some choices have free shipping.

Does anyone know where I can get unfinished counter stools that look like the newel post stools in the Yankee workshop catalog? I emailed them to see if they come unstained and they said no. I ordered counter stools on line about two months ago called Chateau by John Greenleaf.
I ordered them from three different companies to find that they had been discontinued. These counter stools back up to my open dining room and the john greenleaf chateau stool was an exact match to my dining room chairs. The Yankee workshop stools are really close. This is the style I want. Has anyone ever seen anything like these?

aunttomichael and others, at linen and things site, i don't see the seat dimensions anywhere, only the height of the stool. can you tell me the measurements or where i can find them on the site? i must be blind. I do know that stools of this style DO have different sized seats. i need stools too.

on a side note, auntie, did you ever hang those pendents? i never got to see!!!

bump

Hi, Jessie - The measurements for the LNT stools are: Seat - 9 x 17 1/2; Legs (widest part) - 14 1/2 x 17. If these are too big for you, there are similar ones at Ballard that are smaller and more squarish. I have linked those below.

Well, thanks for asking about my RH Brightwood pendants. They are hung and look great, but they still don't have shades. You remember that I had gotten enclosed bell shades from Schoolhouse Electric in the 2.25 fitter size? (I wanted the enclosed shades because I was worried about the glare from exposed bulbs, since I was hanging them high above the table. RH doesn't have enclosed shades that small.) Trying to be environmentally conscious, I ordered the fixtures with the GU24 socket and 24W bulb, but did not think it through or do my research. As it turns out, I have yet to find a GU24 bulb that fits into the shade. (In fact, you have to go down to an 18W to even get a shade that will fit into a 2.25 GU24 socket, never mind the shade. RH is changing their site to not allow you to select GU24 in 2.25 fitter size with a 24W bulb.) I understand there are 13W and 9W bulbs out there, but I hate to order them without knowing the dimensions because they have mercury in them and are difficult to dispose of if they don't work, and with shipping returning them is a hassle and expensive. And these bulbs are so new that I am not finding them IRL. Plus, I am now also reading that the bulbs may not be safe with an enclosed shade! Anyway, I will keep you posted...

Here is a link that might be useful: Ballard Stool

I ordered bar stools from allbarstools.com. They have a very nice selection with no tax and free shipping. I also have a few friends who ordered from onewayfurniture.com. They were very pleased as well. They also offered no tax and free shipping. My stools are made by Tempo. I was able to choose the finish and the fabric for the seat. I wanted something wipeable that resembled leather. They had it and they are also very comfy. Good Luck.

I got mine online w/ free shipping and no tax from an unfinished furniture site - I wanted them finished to match our cabs so I had my cabinet people finish them for me in their shop (if you have a non-local cab mfr doing your cabs, they'll give you the paint/glaze/finish in a bottle/can for you to use if you want).

I think they are the mfr of most of the ones you see in traditional stores or online retailers since they carry pretty much every wood stool mentioned above (from LNT, Ballard, PB, etc). They were wonderful to work with!

FWIW - we also got a small table from them for our bay window banquette and had the pedestal and legs painted and the top stained - it's beautiful!

Here is a link that might be useful: Unfinished Furniture Expo

I've been looking all over the (cyber)place too for stools. This morning I stumbled on diningroomsdirect.com and they have over 1,100 counter height stools for my viewing pleasure.

AMISCO Brand: Romy Counter Stools...18"W x 20 1/4"D x 38 3/4"H...We bought 5 stools from Bed Bath & Beyond and used 20% off coupons. We LOVE these stools! (We have the shorter counter-height stool in the picture.)

What I need is a single counter stool, and matching kitchen chairs. Any suggestions for brands that are known to have coordinated lines?