Bar counters in typical Russian kitchens have long become commonplace. Having survived the popularity boom about 10 years ago, they were forgotten for some time, but today they are again returning to the design of ordinary Russian residential apartments, houses and cottages. They are loved for their convenience and compactness, for their original appearance and for the opportunity to experiment with the design of the entire kitchen.
Bar Story History
Initially, a bar is an attribute of a drinking establishment, which got its name from this very bar. Bars in America acquired stanchions during the 18th century gold rush. A slab of stone or thick wood separated the bartender from the hall and gave him shelter in case of a shootout or dishes and furniture flying overhead.
Dashing times in the States have passed, and the racks remained in every bar. Later, they migrated to the homes of ordinary Americans, then Europeans, and later Russians.
Today, a bar counter can be made of chipboard, wood, plastic, stone, and even glass. Sizes, shapes and even different functionality distinguishes them from each other.
Functional
When bar counters first appeared in ordinary American homes, they carried the same task as in a modern bar - during parties, the owner, playing the role of a bartender, served guests drinks, bottles of alcohol, glasses and other equipment were also stored there. However, later, in more limited spaces, racks ceased to be an independent object and became part of the kitchen. It turned out that the size of the bar in the kitchen and its height are very convenient to quickly have breakfast or a snack, drink coffee on the run. Today, the bar in many houses has simply replaced the kitchen table - they have lunch and dinner at it, they cook and just sit with a newspaper and a cup of tea.
Over time, the racks again separated from the kitchen in order to transform into a kitchen island - this is a high table, in fact, a bar counter, in which cabinets, hobs, ovens, sinks are mounted. The convenience of such an island is that it has a working kitchen area, a large dining table, and a wide field for rolling dough, making home-made dumplings, cooking with the whole family or something else, just as large.
Rack Types
In relation to the kitchen set, racks can be divided into several types:
- Wall.
- Rack partition.
- Isle.
The dimensions of the wall-mounted bar counter are ideal for small kitchens. Its narrow edge is attached to the wall, and the long one has an approach from two sides, so that even a small kitchen can fit several people. Often this counter is part of the kitchen furniture and a continuation of the countertop, they are also equipped with a support holding the counter and the upper cornice. The cornice and support are also often beaten by furniture designers - built-in lamps or a suspension for glasses (hello to the original purpose of the bar counter) are mounted in the cornice, and fruit baskets or decor are attached to the support.
The partition wall can also be wall-mounted, but it has a completely obvious function - to partition or zone space. It is often used in large rooms of the combined kitchen-living room, where you need to somehow separate the kitchen and living room area. At the same time, the dimensions of the bar in the kitchen-living room can be completely arbitrary.
The bar counter here has several functions at once:
- Decorative and zoning.
- Snack table and bar function.
- Continuation of the working area due to greater height.
The island is a free-standing bar counter, which contains kitchen cabinets, built-in household appliances, and a sink. This, in fact, is a separate part of the kitchen set, which is used both as a work table and as a dining table.
For a small kitchen its own bar counter
The dimensions of any kitchen are suitable for placing a bar, but it has received special distribution in small kitchens. It is quite difficult to fit in them a full-fledged work surface and a dining table, so the narrow and high bar counter is an excellent solution.
To fit it in a small-sized kitchen, it is better to make it the same height as the main countertop, that is 85-90 centimeters. When designing the location of the rack, do not forget about the working triangle, that is, the area between the stove, refrigerator and sink. There should not be any obstacles in this triangle, therefore, for example, it would be a mistake to separate the refrigerator from the working area with a stand.
Also a great solution for a small kitchen will be the bar counter - a continuation of the windowsill. Today you can order a window sill from any material and any width. Such a small detail can be quite functional. Such a stand will hide underneath the battery under the window, and to expand the space to it, you can pick up bar stools that are suitable for height , which completely slide under it.
Small kitchens do not tolerate large bulky furniture, therefore it is better to choose chrome tubes to support the bar counter, they will make the counter as if soaring and light. Chairs for a rack can be selected from transparent plastic or on thin chrome legs - they are the least visible in space, which means they give a feeling of greater emptiness and weightlessness.
Bar counters, dimensions: height
The height of the bar ranges from 86 to 130 centimeters. This difference is explained by the functionality of the rack - the lower it is, the more convenient it is to use it as a dining table. If the counter is flush with the working surface of the kitchen, then its height is usually about 86-90 cm. If the counter serves as a partition, its height will be more than a meter.
Different racks are also possible, when one part is equal in height to the kitchen countertop, and the other is higher and plays the role of a table in the company of high bar stools.
Also, when choosing a height, pay attention to the growth of your family members, if it is above average, then the rack height can be taken up to 130 centimeters, respectively, for low owners this will be inconvenient - you need to make a height of about 1 meter.
Bar counter dimensions: length
The length of the standard rack is 120 centimeters, but in fact it can be absolutely any, it depends on the preferences of the owner of the kitchen and on its size. When designing, keep in mind that for a comfortable placement, one person needs at least 60 cm. Usually no more than two people sit at the counter at once, so 120 centimeters have become a universal option.
Width
The standard dimensions of the bar counter, as a rule, are 55 cm wide, of course, you can do more, but this is the golden mean. But to make a width of less than 30 centimeters is not worth it - it will be inconvenient and non-functional. A 30 centimeter wide stand is also quite narrow and not suitable for a full serving of lunch or dinner, but for small-sized apartments it can be an ideal option.
How to pick up bar stools
Not a single bar can do without chairs. The dimensions of special bar stools are an important detail, because if any fit to a regular table, you only need to choose a design, then in the case of a bar, size is the first thing.
The height of bar stools is usually 75 or 85 centimeters, but other sizes can also be found on sale, for example, in Ikea, which produces bar stools 63 cm high. The main rule when choosing chairs is that the difference between a chair and a tabletop should be at least 30 cm, otherwise the person sitting at the counter will be uncomfortable. For reference: if the size of the kitchen bar counter is from 120 cm, then take chairs not lower than 85 centimeters, and if the counter is lower, then a 75-centimeter chair is enough.
Bar stools come with or without backs, on four legs or on one, spinning and stationary. Chairs with a high back and footboard are as comfortable as possible - you can sit on them for quite a while without feeling that you are hanging on an uncomfortable perch. But stools are less convenient, but they save space - they are easy to push under the counter.
We tried to tell you as much as possible about the dimensions of the bar. The photos presented in the article will help you decide on the choice of this popular and sought-after element of kitchen furniture.