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It is easy to become distracted by all the different types, sizes, design, shapes and functions of home furniture out there. To stay a little more grounded and consistent with your home furnishings, it is often helpful to create a theme for your home based around one or two furniture pieces. The following are a few ideas to get the you started on creating the best home space for you.

Bar and Counter Height Pub Tables

Incorporating a bar/counter height pub table into your home is a different and fun option. Like in restaurants or bars with similar furnishing, this type of set-up encourages sociability, conversation, movement and casual dining, all in the comfort of your own home. Their functionality and aesthetic appeal provide convenient, accessible and compact space.

Round

            Round tables are the ultimate shape for discussion. To bring everyone together, opt for a round pub table. They create a great space for walking up and standing around or for placing sitting stools.

Expandable 

            Expandable pub tables are the absolute perfect solution for flexible space. They are a fantastic option for a home that requires more seating for dining times but generally wishes to take up less space. Expand the table for non-dining times to create that compact space you enjoy and simply pull out the table for the extra seating space at dinner time.

Couples

            Pub tables can be the perfect solution for a couple’s home which does not require a large dining space but rather desires a unique and intimate area. Like the classic bar setting, a cozy couples bar table creates that romantic, out-on-the-town atmosphere. This fun option brings date night right into the comfort of the home.

Four Person

The counterpart to the couple’s bar/pub table option is the four person or family style option. Like the couples table, this counter height table creates the feeling of being out at a restaurant with the perk of staying in the home. Opt for a round or rectangular style table that is a little larger in order to accommodate the whole family.

Bar Stools

To furnish a home bar, counter space, or pub table, bar stools are a fantastic and obvious option. Pairing the right bar stool with your counter or bar space will compete your beautiful and functional space. Plus, bar stools can be found in a variety of designs, materials, shapes, etcetera for the ultimate personalized look!

Metal Bar Stools

            Opting for a metal bar stool has a handful of perks, one primarily being outdoor use. Metal is a great weather suited material. Additionally, there are many beautiful designs that can be incorporated into metal stools. Overall, a versatile choice!

Upholstered

            Upholstered stools are great for seats that will be getting a lot of use. Based on pure comfort, padded and upholstered bar stools are on obvious choice. They can additionally add a splash of individual style with the variety of colors and designs the upholstery comes in.

Backless 

Backless bar stools bring a whole new element of sophistication and modernity to your home. While barstools already take up less space than traditional chairs, backless stools are even more subtle with their ability to be completely slid under bars and counters. They are sleek and include metal, wooden and upholstered options!

Swival

This fun option is fantastic for increasing the maneuverability of your home area. Swivel stools make getting in and out of the space easier and encourage conversation because it becomes that much easier to shift positions to talk to one another.

Wooden

A simple wooden option is always a sure pleaser. Wooden stools are generally suited for all types of rooms and come in a variety of beautiful and hardy materials including oak, cherry, walnut, ash and mahogany.

Modern Kitchen Chairs

Have some fun with your living space by incorporating a modern look into your kitchen. Sleek designs and popping colors are a great way to add some spunk and character to your home. Modern kitchen chairs come in a variety of fun shapes, sizes, designs, materials and colors and truly bring that unique taste and character your home might be craving.

Kitchen Dinette Set

Similar to the pub tables, kitchen dinette sets can be the perfect option for the home hoping to promote intimate gatherings while simultaneously saving space. They serve as the perfect dining area, cozy breakfast nook or homework space. For homes that don’t need an extravagant, large dining room table to seat a large group or family, a kitchen dinette set is easy to manage while serving the needs of the space and size of family you have.

In today’s fast-paced world, it’s often difficult to get everyone to sit down in the dining room together. This has led to a more casual dinner experience for many families. If this describes your style, you might be wondering what type of furniture to get for your space. There are many options, and what’s right for you will depend on your typical mealtime routine. Here are three dining furniture options you might consider and some details about what type of lifestyle or living space is best for each.

Pub Table

Pub tables are often referred to as bar tables because they are the same height as tables you sit at when you sit in the bar area of a restaurant. They are 42″ high, compared to standard dining tables that are 28″ to 30″. These can be a great choice for outdoor patio seating, a small nook in the kitchen, or for those who are taller and require more leg room when seated. Keep in mind that you’ll also need bar height chairs or stools to match the height of your table! Nobody wants to be trying to eat their dinner at shoulder height!

Kitchen Table

The classic choice for most families is a full-size kitchen table. These often seat four to six, though many styles can be expanded as your family grows or when you have guests over. Although often thought of for a formal dining room, a kitchen table can also be a more casual option, especially since they are often used for more than just eating! These can be used in the kitchen itself, or to make the dining room into a more casual space if that happens to be your style preference. Finish the look with a rug underneath the table or a fabulous centerpiece on top to celebrate the seasons.

Dinette Set

A dinette set is the ideal choice for a small home because they tend to take up less space than the more traditional kitchen table. These often seat two to four people, so they are perfect for couples or small families. You can often find a dinette set in a corner of the kitchen for quick meals, or on a deck or patio for dining al fresco. Due to their smaller size, they tend to work well for casual environments which makes them the ideal choice for kitchen seating instead of a formal dining room.

Find Your Perfect Dining Furniture Today!

California Stools, Bars, and Dinettes has a wide selection of different styles of dining furniture. No matter your lifestyle or the size of your living space, we can help you find the perfect solution. We have two Bay Area locations: San Jose and Pleasant Hill. You can also shop online to start getting ideas! If you’re not sure what you’re looking for, feel free to stop in, give us a call, or send a message online and we can guide you through the selection process to find the perfect pieces for your home!

The dining room is an important area of your home since it’s one you use every day. From eating a meal with family, to doing the kid’s homework, or sharing a drink with guests, it’s second only to the kitchen! Make the time in your dining room more enjoyable by bringing in a new dining set or dining room chairs. Even if you’re not an interior design pro, you can still make it look classy and comfortable by mixing and matching different pieces to get a whole new look. Here are a few of our top tips for making sure your dining room brings you joy and not frustration every time you use it.

1. Try Bench Seating on One Side

Bench seating has become a popular trend for dining sets over the past few years thanks to the resurgence of the rustic and farmhouse style aesthetic. It tends to feature standard dining room chairs at the heads of the table and along one side, with a bench on the other. This is ideal for large families, especially those with school-aged children, because it allows you to seat more people at the table than with standard seating. A side of the table that would normally fit two or three people, can now fit four or more.

2. Consider Upholstered Head Chairs

It’s your house, and your table, so why not make your seat a priority? Consider adding upholstered dining room chairs to the heads of the table, while the other chairs remain more simple. This brings a level of class to your dining room without making it seem too formal thanks to the contrast of the simpler chairs in the middle. You also don’t have too worry about crowding your dining room with eight large, upholstered chairs or trying to fit them all around a table meant for six. You can still look sophisticated in a smaller space.

3. Mix Modern with Vintage Styles

The trick to mixing modern and vintage styles of furniture is all about the materials. When mixing and matching from different eras, pay attention to the details. Do they both have wooden legs? Are they in the same color palette? Are they both minimalist or ornate? Also consider the silhouettes. If one chair is thick, short, and heavy, it might not match well with something that is lighter, taller, and more leggy. Finding common ground between the two pieces is how to make them look classy together, not crazy.

4. Find Your Perfect Dining Room Set with Us!

Is it time to upgrade your dining room? You’ve come to the right place! Shop with California Stools, Bars, and Dinettes for a wide selection of dining room chairs and dining sets to match any style. We have two convenient locations in San Jose and Pleasant Hill, or you can shop online and contact us with any questions! If you need help making the right selection, please don’t hesitate to ask! We love helping our customers design the perfect rooms for their homes.

With people spending so much time at home these days, it can be a little hectic. Your spouse needs help with the chores, and your kids are asking for help with homework. When all that’s done, we know that guys may need their own space to retreat to for a little R&R at the end of the day. Here are some of our best tips for designing the perfect man cave for you.

1.  Design for Your Interests

The best part about this space is that your man cave can be completely customized to you. Do you love movies? Install a giant movie screen, projector, and plenty of comfy seating. Do you want somewhere to go for peace and quiet? Sound-proof the walls and maybe store some headphones. Do you like to have a drink while you watch sports? Build a home bar with bar stools and pub tables in front of the big screen TV.

2.  Make a Statement

Whether the space is just for you or you plan to invite guests over, build a statement piece that will make anyone say “wow!” right when they walk in. You might choose an elegantly designed bar with backlighting to highlight all the best drink choices, an aquarium wall swimming with colorful fish, or a well-lit display of your rare baseball cards from childhood hanging on the wall. Whatever it is, make it personal to you and make it amazing.

3.  Choose the Best Textures

The man cave is just for you, so you want to make sure you choose materials that are comfortable for you. Maybe you like the sleek look of shiny, laquered wall units and rich leather. Maybe you want a soft and cozy microfiber couch for endless hours of binge-watching. Maybe you like the feeling of outdoors and want a lot of exposed wood pieces. Whatever makes you feel the most relaxed and comfortable is the right choice.

4.  Get the Right Lighting

You’ll probably get up to a variety of activities in your man cave. From watching a movie to playing cards with friends. Consider how you’ll most frequently use the room and install the lighting to match. Dimmer switches are a great choice because you can go from light to dark for any activity. Add pendant lighting above the pool table to easily line up your next shot. Bring a floor lamp over your favorite arm chair for some quiet reading time.

5.  Shop with California Stools, Bars, and Dinettes!

One of the easiest choices to make when creating the perfect man cave is to select your furniture from the wide variety of options at California Stools, Bars, and Dinettes! No matter what your personal taste preferences are, we’ve got the right furniture for you. Start your design inspiration by shopping online or come visit us in one of our stores! We’ll be happy to answer any questions you have and get you set up for the perfect place to relax and get away from it all.

Getting married is incredibly exciting but many people are choosing to delay this big life event for a variety of reasons. This means they also are more likely to already have plenty of furniture on their own, and then when you combine that with your new spouse, you may be thinking that you need to get rid of some, not add it to your registry! Although that may be true for you, there are still a few reasons to include furniture on your wedding registry.

1.  Something Special

The gift of furniture may seem like a practical and emotionless choice, but it can actually be quite the opposite! When you consider that dining room sets will get used every day by you and your spouse (and maybe some little ones in the future!), it will be a constant reminder of the love and care you receive from the person who gifted it to you.

2.  Time to Upgrade

Throughout college and your early years in your first apartment or starter home, you likely collected a lot of hand-me-down, thrift store, or just plain cheap furniture. Your wedding registry is the perfect time to upgrade to higher quality pieces! Consider picking out bar stools that actually match or pub tables that don’t wobble when you set a glass of water on them!

3.  Ideal for Group Gifts

Furniture can quickly get expensive, so you might think it’s not appropriate to put on your wedding registry. On the contrary, it can make the perfect gift for a group of people to go in on together! Something like kitchen sets, bedroom sets, or other higher-priced items can be the ideal option for your aunts and uncles, cousins, or work friends to each chip in on together.

4.  Will Last Forever – Just Like Your Love!

The furniture you bought in college or got from a family member probably wasn’t meant to last you forever. When you start a new life together, what better way to symbolize your love than a sideboard that will grace your entry way for decades to come?! High-quality furniture is a great investment in your home because of its longevity.

5.  Decorate New Spaces

Your first apartment likely didn’t have a home bar, but now that you’re older and can afford more, this might be an option to consider! Add some bistro tables to the area to really make it cozy and you’ll have a fun new place to share a happy hour drink with your spouse.

Build Your Wedding Registry with Us

At California Stools, Bars, and Dinettes, we feature a wide variety of high-quality furniture pieces that you can add to your wedding registry. Shop online today or visit us in-store to see the options We can help you build a registry and make it easy for your guests to shop, no matter where they’re located. Call us in San Jose at 408-294-7353 or in Pleasant Hill at 925-825-6888 with any questions!

A barstool is a tall chair crafted with a footrest supporting your feet, their height and narrowness make them suited for use in bars, pubs, or at home in the kitchen/ bar zone. The history of barstool can be traced back in the 20th century. During the early days, a barstool was designed to accommodate more people at the commercial bars at a lower cost.

While there have been numerous styles and types of the barstool, there are only three designs. Are you wondering how these designs have evolved? Stay put. This article is designed to inform you how various barstool designs have evolved and their functions.

Three Designs of the Barstool

1. The barstool with a seat at the base only

It is the earliest form of furniture to be invented. During the Roman Empire, barstools were the primary seat people used in their daily lives at home and in a social gathering. While a stool in the West was used for commoners, it served as a royal seat in several kingdoms in Africa. In Ghana, the golden stool of the Asantehene is an excellent example.

Functions

• It served as a seat for commoners in the West
• In Africa, it was commonly used by the royal family
• It was used at home and in commercial gatherings

2. A barstool with a seat as the base with a low back

Are you wondering which is the best barstool for your bar area at home? A barstool with a seat at the base and a low back is the way to go. It is an advancement of the seat only stool. The purpose of the low back is to offer support and comfort. It exhibits the modern chair but retains the traditional touch of a stool. It is an advancement of the traditional stool that has a seat only. While furnishing your home’s bar area, this design of a barstool is the best choice for you. While the earliest form of a chair was only limited to various places, this kind of barstool is more profound and offers both traditional and modern taste.

While pub tables and stools have always been tall, stools have shown great changes in terms of additional features and material.

Functions

• At home: It’s the best choice for your bar zone at home. It will offer support and comfort for relaxing after a tiresome day.
• At the pub: In a public pub, this kind of stool is the best option as they occupy less space while offering a great experience to the customers.

3. A barstool with a seat at the base, low back, and short arms

Are you wondering about the best kitchen stool for your lovely home? Worry not. This design of a barstool may be the best choice for you. While the previous designs can still be used as kitchen stools, a barstool with a low back and short arms is the more commonly preferred for comfort.

Functions

• It is commonly used in the kitchen at home
• It can also serve as a barstool at home or in a pub or a public bar

These designs are the most noticeable evolution of a barstool. Pub tables and stools are usually of the same color tone. Today, these designs can be made of wood, metal, or plastic. However, for durability purposes, it is recommended to go for wood or metallic ones.

When you need new kitchen furniture for your home, having kids around means you’ll need to make this decision carefully. From safety concerns to spills and stains, there are different factors to consider while you weigh your options. The following tips can help you choose the best kid-friendly furniture for your kitchen.

Choose Materials That Are Easy to Clean and Maintain

Kids can accidentally spill milk, juice, and other beverages on your new kitchen table or chairs, so it’s important to choose furniture that’s easy to clean and maintain. Otherwise, you could end up with unsightly stains on your new kitchen furniture.

When choosing kitchen tables, consider the material they’re made from. With wood tables, you’ll need to quickly clean spills and stains, so they don’t set in or cause moisture damage. These tables can also end up with chips and other signs of damage, which mars their appearance. Having a finish on your wood table can help protect it from stains, spills, and other damage, although you might need to refinish it from time to time.

Kitchen sets with laminate tables might be a better option for homes with kids. Laminate tables are typically easier to clean than other materials, and they don’t require a lot of maintenance to keep them looking as good as new over the years.

When choosing chairs or stools, you might want to avoid upholstered ones. Upholstered chairs and stools can be harder to clean if kids spill juice, sauce, or other foods or beverages on them. With bare chairs or stools, you don’t have to worry about stains and spills setting in as much. You can always place removable cushions on them for added comfort if needed.

Consider Safety Concerns

Your new kitchen furniture should be safe for kids to use, whether they’re sitting at the kitchen table for a family meal or perched on a stool at your kitchen island. While you’re comparing options for kitchen chairs, tables, and stools, keep safety concerns in mind. For example, choose chairs or stools that are sturdy and won’t easily tip over, such as ones made from metal or wood.

When you’re choosing kitchen stools, opt for ones that have a back on them rather than backless models. Stools with a back provide kids with some extra support while sitting, which can help reduce the risk of falls.

While chairs and stools that swivel might be fun for kids to sit on, they could make it easier for younger kids to fall. If you have older kids, swivel stools and chairs for your kitchen can provide a safe seating option. However, you might want to avoid choosing this type of chair or stool if you have younger kids that are fidgety.

If you’re ready to start choosing kid-friendly kitchen furniture, visit one of our San Francisco area locations in San Jose or Pleasant Hill. At California Stools, Bars, and Dinettes, you’ll find a wide selection of high-quality kitchen sets for your home.