Free Standing Bar Counter
Buy the best free standing bar counter selected and recommended by interior designers. By Emily Hilton.
Freestanding bar counters are cheaper and easier to set up than their wall-mounted counterparts. Available in various sizes from space-saving to bigger ones, with more counter space for larger get-togethers. Two-sided counters can be pushed against a wall if you plan on not using one side. However, if you have the space, you should take advantage of both sides.
Free Standing Bar Counter
Buying Guide
Emily Hilton
Interior Design Expert
Emily is a young, talented designer, whose professional interests gravitate towards kitchen and dining spaces. She prides herself on her attention to detail, obsession with functionality, and appreciation for craftsmanship.
You love the idea of a breakfast bar in your kitchen, but you don't have anything that you could turn into a bar at the moment. A free-standing bar counter could be the answer to your wishes, giving you a breakfast bar without compromising any of your existing furniture. While they aren't the ideal pieces of kitchen furniture for small kitchens, there are many different sizes and styles, making it difficult to find something that doesn't work for you.
Think first about how many people you want to seat at the breakfast bar. For couples and small families, just two seats might be enough, meaning that you don't have to buy a very big free-standing bar counter. Each seat requires around 30 inches in width, so you should calculate this accordingly and allow for extra space as necessary.
You will also be restricted by how much space you have in your kitchen or dining area. You should measure this before buying any furniture, being realistic rather than ambitious about the amount of space you have. Don't forget to add in the measurements of the bar stools when considering how large a bar counter you can buy.
You may already have an idea of what type of furniture you want to buy, but you shouldn't make any quick decisions before exploring all the options. Let's take a quick look at some of the most popular materials for bar counters.
- Wood: Like many items of dining furniture, wood is a very popular material which is timeless in the kitchen or dining room. A good choice if you want a material which is softer rather than harsh, you can also choose wood if you have plenty of existing wooden furniture.
- Marble: A great material to use if you already have some marble in your kitchen and you want to ensure everything complements each other. Marble is regularly used for dining table tops, so it's no surprise that it's a common material for bar counters too.
- Chrome: It's easy to clean and not so expensive to buy either, so chrome has made its way into the home as a popular material. Aside from the practicalities, it can look very modern and elegant too. Chrome is often paired with another material e.g. wood, but makes a durable addition to any room.
Many homeowners like to look for some extra storage when they explore the different options for free-standing bar counters. Storage is normally on one side of the bar counter, although it may also be found at the end of the bar.
Another popular feature for these bar counter is a gap for your wires for electrical items. This is ideal if you intend to position the bar counter next to an electricity outlet so you can work.