nicole, I'm sorry you don't like your stools--I personally love them and I think they go great with your granite and everything else in your kitchen. I think they go better than the wood of the other ones do. Have you looked at Pottery Barn for stools--they have several wood ones.

I don't have any suggestions about where to find the stools you really like, but you can look at Crate & Barrel, Pottery Barn or Room & Board for less expensive alternatives. You might even try JC Penney--in the past they've had stools that look mighty similar to some PB stools for a lot less. HTH.

Nicole,

The ones you like are gorgeous, artisan made beauties--but they also look uncomfortable. Have you sat in one? I kind of agree with trudymom too, that they're a much heavier look that will close in your space more. All this about the slight imperfections of your beauties is meant to ease you away from desiring them, not a knock on your taste!

BUT, have you done any investigation on getting the ones you want? Times are tough. Perhaps if you got in touch with the makers you could get a deal. Or they might have another version that has a difference that is minimal visually but makes the piece cost less.

Unfotunately, the price listed online is about what chairs cost, except for the overseas big production ones, so if you're looking for something significantly cheaper the best bets are places like Pottery Barn, Cost Plus, Ikea, Overstock.com, etc., where they have a lot of variety for an approachable price. Also try catalog companies like Horchow. They often have website sales nowadays.

Check out some of these bar stools. They are similar in shape and texture.

Here is a link that might be useful: Craftsmen/mission barstools

I think your barstools you have now look great. I think you already have alot of stained wood in your kitchen so the metal was a good choice. If you want to change them up a little you could use a slip cover on the seat or you could even recover them yourself in a leather or leather look material. I bet it wouldnt be too hard to recover those yourself from what I can see of them in the picture. Just a thought. As for slipcovers, I have found that some cloth napkins are almost the perfect size to tie on to bar stool seats such as those from Pier 1. You could add bead trim along the hem. Good Luck!

What is it about your current stools that you don't like?

I think they really "go" with your kitchen...much better than the linked ones. Personally, I also like your current ones much better.

However, it's not my kitchen, it's yours...so what is it about them you don't like? Is it comfort? Look? Something else?

Maybe once we know we can help more....

Good luck!

I don't like my "cheap"($50ea) stools. I'd like a more expensive look.....a piece of art!!!! Ya spend all that time picking out the granite, installing the appliances....getting everything just right...then I scrimped on the stools thinking I'd find something later....never did. I'm now sick of looking at them & I keep running into them.....on craigslist, K-mart adds, thrift stores. Ideally DH wants them to swivel, but I want a "look". I just don't want to spend THAT kind of money.

I pictured something a bit more modern to go with your kitchen...

Stainless steel and leather to accent your granite.

Here is a link that might be useful: DWR - Bienal Stool

i have to agree with you nicole....i think you kitchen looks really upscale with a more modern feel than your stools.

are you set on mission style or could you do something more transitional? redrose's stools are metal and leather. very cool.....

rob p and i must have been writing at the same time!!!!!! love the ones he linked.....i just did a quick search and also thought these light brown leather would look nice.....simple, so you may want something with more detail....but just gives you an idea of different ways you could go.....

Here is a link that might be useful: light brown leather stools

For what it's worth, I live down the street from Green Design, and I'm happy to go sit in one of your expensive stools just to confirm that they're terribly uncomfortable and ugly in person, and you'd never have been happy with them. :-)

The lumbar curve on those stools should actually be quite comfortable if they are anything like the Thos. Moser seating with that type of back.

Price wise, that is about what this type of thing is...perhaps if you went with someone who does a slightly larger production such as Stickley, you may be able to wait for a dealer's annual sale.

I have to agree about not liking those stools in your kitchen, they have a faux Tuscan thing going on that is inconsistent with the rest of the kitchen which is beautiful.

I have to respectfully disagree. If you look around her kitchen, you will see similar accessories. The Banana bowl, the plate/bowl holders, even, to some extent, the pot holder hooks.

The black works very well with not just those items, but with her granite, appliances, glass doors, and sink fixtures.

The actual pattern on the chair backs is much more modern than Tuscan.

However, if she doesn't like them, then it doesn't matter if it "goes" or not. But, I suspect her dislike stems, in part, from seeing them all over the place...(especially K-Mart) Note she wants "...a more expensive look.....a piece of art..."and anything found at K-Mart is definitely not expensive...BUT, it could be a knock-off of something expensive.

[BTW...I'm not knocking you Nicole...I'm the same way. I like "unique" and "different" and preferably something that at least looks nicer than average!]

So, I think it's time to try to find something similar to what you do like...but not quite so expensive! Hmmmm...CircusPeanut, does Green Design ever have great sales? Do they sell online?

gglks....yes, more modern, like leather maybe?
Remodelfla.....nope, Juperana Royalton...Thanks!
circuspeanut.....could ya maybe shoplift them for me....well maybe not...
Buehl....maybe black leather parsons chairs?
I've been looking on craigslist and there's a bunch listed from Target, now $50 ea......

Here is a link that might be useful: Target breakfast bar stools.....maybe?

Nicole, I don't know what part of the world you are in, but my Home Depot Expo going out of business has/had a thousand (exageration) bar stools which I thought were real pieces of art. One in particular had an oval leather back with a leather seat,black leather on cherry wood and swivel regular $500 marked down to $200.

Artful Home has some simple swivel stools, in wood and metal that might look good with your kitchen. They have a kind of mid-century, slightly rustic, feel, are artisan work, and are a lot less money than the ones you showed.

susied3.....I'm in Colorado. The economy is still strong here. I just purchased the Viking pro range hood from a place in Alabama,they bought it from a liquidation sale. Saved $1000! But I paid $200 to ship it here. I'm not complaining about things going well here.....don't get me wrong......:0)

hmmm...maybe try here???
haven't purchased anything from this place but I have it bookmarked for "future reference" ;)

Here is a link that might be useful: barstools

:)
I don't need convincing, its not my kitchen, but IMO, those chairs as much as they may have in common with a bowl on the counter have little in common with the actual kitchen design itself. I can take a lot more "leeway" when it comes to accessories than I do with furniture.

IMO (which is not likely to be change) :)

We got ours from www.barstoolsupercenter.com
They were inexpensive and free shipping.
We get many compliments.
They came with 2 different height legs included (so we could choose bar height or counter height).
I'm not saying that they're close to what you're looking for, but you might want to check out their website as they have TONS to choose from!

(These are the ones that we got: http://www.barstoolsupercenter.com/Welcome/Clifton-Stool)

Here is a link that might be useful: Where we got our barstools

nicole__
this is not to rub salt in the wound, but my huband and I were in Maine, went to the store and sat in the stools. They were AMAZING and the backs were so comfortable and the chairs had the most beautiful finish. The most wonderful part was that they were comfortable for both of us--he is 6'4" and I am 5'4"...the lumbar support actually slides so you can place it where you want.

They really are "art" and a future heirloom piece. If there was anyplace in my kitchen or house where they would make sense, I would get them in a jiffy. Well not really in a jiffy, I'd have to have a bake sale, sell a kidney, and live off mac and cheese for a year :)

Good Luck

I am chuckling...they are MY breakfast barstools. Getting ready to recover the seats, though.

I am not trying to be a smart*$$ really.

This is something that I run into with clients all the time, and I am not quite sure I get it, and believe me I don't ever work with anyone that has an unlimited budget nor do I have an unlimited budget.

But it looks like you spent a Lot of money on that kitchen, Viking, Granite, Kitchen Aid, zero radius stainless sink....why cheap out on two stools?

You can't even take the kitchen with you if you had to...a chair like your dream chairs, you could Sell if you got tired of. Those chairs won't really lose value like regular furniture.

I have a client who is on her Third set of cheap dining chairs because she refuses to pay for what she really wants. And I am not a price snob either, her counterstools are from Target and they work fine. However, her kitchen, even though I designed it myself, is much more "ordinary" than yours.

nicole there is a new post up about a kitchen that is 99% finished- I think if you search "99% finished" you will see this kitchen - they have some leather and wood bar stools from yankee workshop that might work with your kitchen - take a look. You would need the wood stained a lighter color but the lines would work with your kitchen. You really have to see them.

mae919....couldn't find the post with cool barstools...?

palimpsest....I like that U know kitchens! Yes it is viking, got it $1000 off, the 6 burner Wolf came with the house, Dal tile floor was a closeout, Franke sink was a splurge, Grohe faucet off Ebay...all "names" I know & trust.....but I've found that if I just know where to look I can get GREAT deals and get the same item!!! I'm just not looking in the right place....see....it's a big world out there...I just need a little help looking this time.....