How Much Space Should You Allow Between Bar Stools?

Spacing is what separates island seating that gets used from seating that stands empty. Allow 15cm to 20cm of clear air between neighbouring bar stools, which works out at roughly 60cm of worktop width per seat measured centre to centre, and increase that to 70cm or more where the stools have arms or wide backs. This guide explains the two ways spacing is commonly measured and why they describe the same arrangement, then shows why elbows rather than seats decide how crowded a run feels. It covers how backless, square, swivel and armed designs change the figures, how to calculate a run from the usable length of a worktop rather than its full length, and how to handle corners, curves and peninsulas. It closes with the four measurements that together determine whether island seating actually works in a British kitchen....