Kitchens are the most expensive space to fit out in either a new or renovated home and when it finally comes down to furnishing them it's critical to research and choose a Kitchen stool just as carefully as the Kitchen oven, says Colleen Johnston owner of Satara Australia.

Like the selection process for new Kitchen appliances, the Kitchen Stool should be evaluated in terms of design, functionality, pricing and importantly blend in with the new Kitchen's aesthetic. It's highly likely to be one if the hardest working pieces of furniture from Breakfast through to Dinner, so functionality is super important.  

Functionality is critical in a Kitchen and equally so with the Kitchen stool. Ask yourself is it easy to wipe down, can crumbs be easily cleaned out, is it sturdy enough to support fidgety kids and occasionally can it 'sub in' as a step ladder (we all do it).  Apart from everyday breakfast, lunch and dinner occasions is it comfy enough for kids to do home work on or Mums and Dads to enjoy a Friday night drink or even a family Sunday brunch at home. Hands down the kitchen stool is one of the hardest working pieces of furniture in the house. 

And does it have to 'match' the kitchen chairs?  Absolutely not says Colleen, in fact clever designers tend NOT to match these two pieces of furniture.  Rather if they share one common element that is enough to tie them together such as a similar shape or colored leg or seat design or material.  Opting for a non 'matchy matchy' pairing contributes to an overall  point of interest.

With dozens of designs to choose from, Satara's kitchen stools come in bench heights (66cm) or bar heights (76cm) and each is available in a variety of colors.