Sometimes, your single-handle kitchen faucets may develop leaks at the base of the faucet spout. The O-rings, which are located on a diverter, stretches and develops cracks that will eventually cause leaks. You will need to remove the spout to access the O-rings and replace the rings. Here are the steps on how to repair the leaking kitchen faucet base.

Things You Need

• Sink
• Valves
• Allen Wrench
• Slip Joint Pliers
• Flat-Head Screwdriver
• Clean Cloth
• Faucet

Steps

• Open the cabinet doors under the kitchen sink and search for the two water shut-off valves to the faucet.
• To stop the water flow to the faucet, turn each valve handle clockwise. Go back to the sink and then turn on the faucet handles to prevent any water that may still be in the line.
• When there is no water coming out from the spout, turn off the handles.
• Use an Allen wrench to remove the set screw securing the faucet handle to the top of the spout. Pull the handle off and remove the cartridge retaining nut using a pair of slip joint pliers. Remove the spout from the faucet.
• Place a small flat-head screwdriver between the rubber O-rings and the diverter valve. This diverter is the collar that the spouts fits over and rotates around. Use the screwdriver to pry off the O-rings.
• Take a clean cloth and use it to clean the grooves that fit the O-rings around. Dab a small film of plumber’s grease over the new O-rings with your fingertip.
• Roll the new O-rings over the diverter valve and into their grooves. Make sure that there are no twists in the rings once they are located in their grooves.
• Place the spout back over the diverter and thread the cartridge retaining nut back onto the spout and cartridge.
• Use the slip joint pliers to tighten the nut. Secure it with a set screw after placing the handle back on top of the spout. Test any leakage by turning on the water supply to the faucet.

Image Credit:

Flickr CC

Additional Reading:

Miller’s Guide to Home Plumbing

Lynda Lyday’s Do-It-Yourself!: The Illustrated, Step-by-Step Guide to the Most Popular Home Renovation andRepair Projects

Repairing a Leaking Kitchen Faucet Base is a post from: DIY Guides

Related posts:

1. Fixing your leaking faucet
2. Installing a new faucet in your kitchen
3. Bathroom Design Selecting a Faucet Style

Even if you are so busy preparing your holiday gifts, planning Thanksgiving gathering and also other things related to the occasions, you must not forget to decorate your kitchen because it is the heart of your home and it also needs to be addressed according to the Thanksgiving theme.

What you need to do:

1. Christmas decorations like Santas and reindeer theme, snowmen and snowflakes, Victorian-style decorations, or just a simple red and green colors
   
2. Good china ware or dishes
   
3. Christmas placemats
   
4. Simple Christmas floral arrangement centerpiece
   
5. Miniature Christmas tree
   
6. Christmas-themed dish towels
   
7. Christmas ornaments
   
8. Scented candles
   

Christmas

Method:

1. First of all, you must have Christmas theme decorations, which is suitable for your kitchen area, for example some of the decorations that you could use are Santas and reindeer theme, snowmen and snowflakes, Victorian-style decorations, or just simple red and green colors. After deciding on the theme, you have to find the decorations that you want to use that suits the one theme that you have chosen.
   
2. If you have a table in your kitchen, you can set the table using holiday set pieces suitable for Christmas or place your dishes or chinaware on top of beautifully Christmas design placemats, in order for them to stand out.
   
3. You can also make or purchase a simple centerpiece that you can place right in the middle of the table. The centerpiece can be a Christmas floral arrangement or just a simple miniature Christmas tree either real or artificial that would look nice in your kitchen room. You can wrap a string of white or colored lights to the tree and hang mini utensils along with red and green ribbons onto the miniature tree.
   
4. Decorate your centerpiece together with a dish of presents where you can wrap small boxes with same size or variety of sizes with Christmas paper. Then, arrange the presents on a serving dish or your decorative dinner plate and you can also surround it with tea lights.
   
5. Apart from that, you could also hang a few Christmas-themed dish towels that you place on your racks or hooks. The Christmas-themed dishes towels can either be purchased from your local stores or you can make your own with your family, according to your preferred customized design. You can try to choose the same color that matches with the rugs on your floor and also your potholders for your kitchen counter. Usually the normal colors that are used during Christmas are plain white, red or green while the fabric used should consist of fabric paint and stamps that enables you to create nicely blend patterns on the towels.
   
6. Christmas ornaments can also be added to your cabinet and door handles, which are not easily breakable. These ornaments can also be hanged on a ribbon to the top of your kitchen window and allows it to hang to the centre of that particular window. This ribbon can be used for hanging Christmas ornaments starting from the end of the ribbon. You can also use just one wide ribbon or even a few small ribbons along with the ornaments attached at the bottom of each one of your ribbon.
   
7. If your kitchen is fitted with the top kitchen cabinets, you can use it to display pine boughs. You can use either an artificial that you buy from your local stores or even use real pine boughs, which you can wrapped with an artificial poinsettias, Christmas ornaments, sprigs of holly and bows and strings of white or colored lights.
   
8. Scented candles can be placed around your kitchen room to provide a nice and encouraging festive smell for your Christmas mood. Some of the recommended scents that you can use are cinnamon, vanilla, pine or if you are lucky enough you will be able to find ‘Christmas’-scented candles on sale at your local store nearby. These are just proposed scents. If you fancy any then it is better to add those too. But, nevertheless if you are one of those who can’t take scent smells then it is better to leave a natural atmosphere.
   
9. If your kitchen is fitted with a chandelier, you can make it even more beautiful with Christmas ornaments. Try to look for ornaments which are suitable for your kitchen so that you can hang them on the arms of your chandelier and you can also use colored strings such as silver, gold or green garland to spice up your lighting fixtures. Remember not to go overboard when it comes to ornaments.
   

Image Credit:

Flickr CC

Additional Reading:

Home Rules: Transform the Place You Live Into a Place You’ll Love

Pottery Barn Home (Pottery Barn Design Library)

Ideas for Decorating Your Kitchen for Christmas is a post from: DIY Guides

Related posts:

1. Decorating a Kitchen Counter for a Christmas Buffet
2. Christmas Lighting Ideas & Tips
3. Decorating for Christmas

What you need:

1. Determine the quality of the flatware
   
2. Choosing a stainless steel or silver plated flatware
   
3. Flatware’s weight
   
4. Matching your existing China with the flatware set
   

Flatware Set

Method:

1. Firstly, you should determine the flatware’s composition, thickness, strength, style, balance, artisanship, and the attractiveness whether you are viewing it from the front or the backside. Imagine what you will be putting on these flatware, what you will be eating and etc. All of these points will help you to know the quality of the flatware and which one to choose.
   
2. The next thing to take into consideration is whether to purchase a stainless steel or silver plated flatware. There is a lot of difference between both of the mentioned flatware, the stainless steel is a much superior flatware and besides that, it also comes with low maintenance, hygienic, durable, resists oxidation at high temperatures, rust free, resistant to stains or damage from fruit acids. Though silver plated is hard, it is less flexible than stainless steel and it is difficult to decorate it with stamped or carved designs.
   
3. The weight of your flatware set also plays an important role in choosing the right flatware because a heavier flatware set provides you with a better balance, strength, and durability.
   
4. It is common to have a perfect match and pattern of your existing chinaware with the flatware set that you are going to purchase. Though it shows only the personal choice relating to your style, it definitely provides a formal feeling whenever the flatware set and your chinaware are being displayed at your dinner table for special occasions. Speaking of chinaware, these dinner plates and more are considered to be the most expensive and classy of all the flatware set. The reason might be as its origin dates a long time back. More or less like a million of years ago.
   

Image Credit:

Flickr CC

Additional Reading:

Laying The Elegant Table: China, Faience, Porcelain, Majolica, Glassware, Flatware, Tureens, Platters, Trays, Centerpieces, Tea Sets

American Sterling Silver Flatware 1830′s – 1990′s: A Collector’s Identification and Value Guide

Choosing a Flatware Set is a post from: DIY Guides

Related posts:

1. Choosing Kitchen Cabinet Hardware to Match Décor
2. Choosing the right Garage Door Threshold
3. Choosing Kitchen Bar Stools

Kitchen Cabinets

Steps:

1. First, check what type of wood are your kitchen cabinets made from. If it is made from wood, some of them are more attractive than others and it would be better for you to choose for clear stains and lighter colors.In some houses, somehow dark colors really suit the cabinets in the kitchen. If the rest of the kitchen furniture is dark then it would be nice to go for a darker look.
2. Less costly lumber makes cheaper cabinets, but it also makes perfectly fine cabinets when they are covered with an attractive stain. It all depends on the look that you intend to give to your cabinets.
3. You might want to let kitchen cabinets that are made from maple, cherry, mahogany or rosewood to abstain from staining process as they already look beautiful in their natural colors. You can only protect them with a clear coat of natural oil finish or a stain finishing coat of clear polyurethane sealer.
4. You should also check for any damage, scratches and scrapes. Those cannot be sanded off, will hurt the shape or the natural wood surface such as for the sought after wood types. So the stain will help to cover the textures and the colors. If you pick a natural or a light stain, choose a colored stain that complements the wood’s natural color.
5. Pick the stain according to the light in your kitchen. Buy a small amount of stain that you choose in the store and apply it to a prepared cabinet surface in your kitchen. It is best to take your time when making the final decision. If you are stuck with more than two choices, apply each choice on a surface with each next to each other on the same piece for comparison.
6. Before deciding on the color, wait for the stain to dry off completely as they can change slightly after they dry. Take a look of the stain coat in different lighting areas such as from the natural sunlight from the windows and ceiling light and different times such as in the morning, noon and night.
7. It is important to read the directions on the stain that you choose to make sure that it can work well, according to your desired finish as certain stains cannot work with polyurethane finishes. If this case happens, you can use varnish or a resin finish over those stains.
8. Choose the stain on how much work you want to put in and your desired looks. Another consideration for the type of stain that you choose is the purpose that you want. Hardwoods do not work well with pigmented oil stains as it can be difficult to use. As the pigmented oils darken are based on the time they are left on, this will help you to determine the desired level of darkness by wiping it off. It may be difficult to achieve even colors when using oil-based stains on larger surface. The benefit of using this type of stains is that they stay clean longer and prevent dirt build-up and fingerprinting.
9. For water-based stains, they are very easy to use and to clean up, but they tend to get dirty faster. If you use gel stains, they are also easy to use, but costly and the colors choice are limited. For hardwoods, the best stains are from the NGR or non-grain stains type as they will not bleed and fade. Varnish is easy and cheap, but not the most appealing surface coverage. Another quick and easy application is the one-step stains, but it is hard to obtain a uniform result and it may look faded in places.

Image Credit:

Flickr CC

Additional Reading:

Norma Vally’s Kitchen Fix-Ups: More than 30 Projects for Every Skill Level

Can’t Fail Color Schemes–Kitchen & Bath: How to Choose Color for Stone and Tile Surfaces, Cabinets & Walls

Choosing a Stain for Kitchen Cabinets is a post from: DIY Guides

Related posts:

1. Give your kitchen cabinets a darker look
2. Building your own kitchen cabinets
3. Restaining Wood Kitchen Cabinets

Solid wood kitchen cabinets are usually quite valuable and will last longer than the other types of kitchen cabinets if you know how to take care of them. They can normally be painted, refinished or restained in order to make the wood look like a brand new piece of wood. Moreover, it makes a lot of difference to your kitchen area.

What you need:

1. Electric drill
   
2. Gel paint/varnish stripper
   
3. Newspaper
   
4. Inexpensive paintbrush
   
5. Fine steel wool
   
6. Sandpaper
   
7. Scraper
   
8. Stain finish
   
9. Polyurethane finish
   
10. Gloves
    
11. Mineral spirits
    

Method:

1. Firstly, remove the cabinets from your wall and for convenience of easy installation of the cabinets, label them accordingly using a piece of tape on the inside of the cabinet and its doors.
   
2. You also need to unscrew all its hardware which includes the hinges, knobs and other metal work. Always place them in a container so that you will not lose or misplace them. If you are not changing your cabinets\’ look to a new hardware, the accessories can be reused again unless it is in a bad condition.
   
3. You can use the paintbrush to paint on the gel stripper. Place the doors and cabinets in a different area and always work on the doors or cabinets one by one when applying the stripper because if it is left for too long, it will dry out. Only allow the gel to sit for at least 10 minutes or until you are able to see its surface bubbled up and softened.
   
4. Then, scrape the old surface using a scrapper and ensure that you work in accordance to the direction of the grain. You can use an old coffee can to fill in the softened varnish that you have scraped. Remember to wear gloves because the stripper gel is quite caustic that can burn to your skin and do your work in a well- ventilated area.
   
5. Next, use a rag dipped in mineral spirits to wipe the newly stripped surface in order to remove the residue left on the wood before allowing the wood to dry thoroughly. Then, you need to sand smooth its surface with sandpaper and once finished, wipe it clean with a tack rag.
   
6. Then, proceed by brushing the cabinets with the new stain finish using a paintbrush. Remember not to paint on the areas that you have already coated and have started to dry. To stain the second coat of paint, you need to let it dry for at least six hours and do light sanding in between coats.
   
7. You also need to apply two coats of protective polyurethane varnish to finish the cabinets which is commonly seen in satin or glossy finish according to your preferred choice. Bear in mind that the glossy finish usually shows fingerprints and dust. Polyurethane can be applied using a brush or paint sprayer and once finished, you have to apply one thin coat and leave it to dry for 24 hours. Then, use a fine steel wool to lightly sand your first coat and make sure to remove all the dust with a damp cloth before applying the second coat.
   
8. Once the surface has thoroughly dry (at least for 24 hours), you can re-install back all the accessories and its hardware, plus screwing back the cabinets onto the wall according to the labels that you have marked earlier.
   

Image Credit:

Flickr CC

Additional Reading:

The House That Faux Built

Building Kitchen Cabinets

Restaining Wood Kitchen Cabinets is a post from: DIY Guides

Related posts:

1. Choosing a Stain for Kitchen Cabinets
2. Give your kitchen cabinets a darker look
3. Painting Laminated Kitchen Cabinets

Clean Kitchen Countertops

It\’s not nice to have dirty and messed up kitchen countertops. The kitchen has to be clean as this is where we cook our food and this is where all the delicate things are located. For the kitchen to be dirty spells out bad hygiene. If we leave it unclean and messy for a long period of time, a heavy drop of bacteria will be found lingering around the place. Aside from bacteria, the kitchen might not last longer if left in this state.

Speaking of the kitchen, kitchen countertops form a huge part of the kitchen. It is where we eat, where we cook our veggies and feed the kids. Kitchen countertops must always be clean and safe for you to prepare your daily hygienic food, organize dishes and work with cooking gadgets. There are several ways for you to clean countertops and below are some tips for you to keep it clean and free of germs.

What you need:

1. Warm water
   
2. Soft cloth
   
3. Dry towels
   
4. Dishwashing liquid detergent
   
5. Baking soda
   
6. Lemon slices
   
7. Household chlorine bleach
   

Method:

1. Firstly, you need to clean all the dirt, dust, crumbs and other leftover food pieces by using a moist sponge or soft cloth. As for stubborn dirt, use warm water dip in a mild dishwashing liquid detergent and for areas that need extra attention, use the soapy solution and pour it on the area in order to loosen up the stubborn dirt before you rinse it with warm water. Then wipe it dry using a clean towel.
   
2. You may also use a sponge or soft cloth to moisten the countertops before sprinkling the countertop with baking soda. Rub the baking soda the moist cloth over any of the stains before rinsing the countertop and wipe it dry using a clean towel.
   
3. As for a solid-surface synthetics and engineered stone, you can use all-purpose cleaners, mild dish washing detergent and degreasers or window cleaners. Make sure you rinse the countertop and wipe it dry using paper towels or kitchen cloths.
   
4. If you have a stone countertop, you must always remember that whatever spills and messes need to be cleaned up quickly so that the stone will not absorb the liquid. Once you have finished washing, rinsing off the countertop with clean water, you must dry it with a terry cloth. If the need arises, you may also polish the stone according to the recommended solution provided by the manufacturer.
   
5. You can also use a soft bristled brush or a pH balanced cleaner which are suitable with the surface of your countertops. This material can be used to scrub down the surfaces of the countertop and always remember to follow the directions provided by the solution manufacturer to ensure that it is correctly used and able to clean off correctly.
   
6. Other solutions that you may use are a sulfuric or phosphoric acid for cleaning your kitchen countertops but this material needs to carefully be used and in a proper manner.
   

Image Credit:

Flickr CC

Additional Reading:

Household Cleaning: Self-Sufficiency (The Self-Sufficiency Series)

Household Hints for Dummies

Cleaning Kitchen Countertops is a post from: DIY Guides

Related posts:

1. Cleaning Marble Bathroom Countertops
2. Kitchen Countertops
3. Bathroom Countertops

Remove Garbage Disposal from Kitchen Sink

It is a common thing to find a garbage disposal in every modern household kitchen sink. It is a device installed in between the drain and the kitchen sink and the trap to enable it to shred all the unwanted food waste so that they can be easily disposed off to your main drain. The garbage disposal normally runs on electricity and overtime its metal parts may get rusty and worn out. If the food waste is not discharged properly it will result in a clogged kitchen sink and you will also have a serious problem in your sewer system. With a little bit knowledge of plumbing and electrical skills, you would be able to remove your garbage disposal from the kitchen sink.

What you need:

1. Flat head screwdriver
   
2. Bucket or stool
   
3. Board
   
4. Wrench
   
5. Hammer
   
6. At least 30 to 60 minutes of your time
   

Method:

1. Firstly, you need to ensure that the electric supply is turned off and unplugged its plug from the outlet.
   
2. Then, you need to disconnect all hoses, pipes and drain pipe which are connected to your disposal system. Sometimes, the drain pipe can only be disconnected after the disposal has been removed.
   
3. Make sure you place a bucket or stool beneath the garbage disposal before placing a board on top of the stool in order to provide support for your disposal system when you remove it.
   
4. Next, you have to remove and loosen the metal ring that holds the garbage disposal to the sink support by turning it clockwise. When the disposal and the support unit starts to turn together, you need to tighten the screws that holds the support unit to the sink and once the metal ring is loosened, you would be able to lower the garbage disposal onto the board.
   
5. Remove the splash guard and metal support ring at the top of the disposal. The wrench or screwdriver can be used in order to remove any screws that hold the drain pipe to your disposal system and also loosen the screw to the access panel on the bottom of the disposal. Then, you have to remove the panel to expose its wiring connectivity for its power cord. Once the wire nuts are removed, you would be able to disconnect the power cord and it can be reused on other garbage disposal that you want to use.
   
6. Finally, you can loosen the screws that hold the support collar located at the sink drain area. The support needed to push upward in order for you to expose the wire snap ring that you will find on the strainer basket. Use a screwdriver to remove the snap ring by pushing it down and once it pops off, you would be able to remove the metal support system from the sink.
   

Image Credit:

Flickr CC

Additional Reading:

The Way Kitchens Work: The Science Behind the Microwave, Teflon Pan, Garbage Disposal, and More

Removing Garbage Disposal from Kitchen Sink is a post from: DIY Guides

Related posts:

1. Getting rid of your Under-Sink Garbage Disposals
2. Unclogging Garbage Disposal Plumbing
3. Remodeling your sink disposal

Basically, we do everything we can in our capacity to make our homes lovelier. The kitchen is a place in the house where most people like to keep small so that it won\’t be difficult to keep it as clean as possible. It\’s nice to decorate the kitchen with odd colors that will make it unique and different in many ways. Since many people overlook the kitchen, it will be nice to see some people really caring about making a change in theirs.

Kitchen with Odd Colors

Conventional ovens can go with the unconventional colors, as to no matter what the color may be; it will help to set the tone for your kitchen. Whether you are using odd colors for your kitchen\’s walls or simply as accessories to the common place colors that you have selected for the walls, those unusual colors will add pop and vibrancy to your kitchen. Here are some ways on how to decorate your kitchen with odd colors.

You will need:

Bold colors such as:

• Orange
  
• Yellow
  
• Purple
  
• Brick red
  
• Hot pink
  
• Black
  

Steps:

1. Paint your kitchen walls with a bold orange. Different shades of blue will complement the orange that you select for your walls. Use the lightest shades of blue for your draperies and cabinets. For the hand towels, choose the boldest and darkest blues. You can make stencils or free-hand paint designs in the dark blues on your cabinets.
   
2. For your kitchen walls, paint purple and yellow stripes. To make your ceilings appear higher, using vertical stripes is the best way. You can make bolder strips or wide strips. Place the purple grapes and yellow lemons or bananas in a bowl on the counter. Paint your cabinets in either solid yellow or solid purple, but leave the cabinet doors to be painted in a color which you did not use to paint the cabinets.
   
3. Paint polka dots on your white kitchen walls in all colors of the rainbow. Paint them in different sizes and make them proportionate in the size of the room. Choose your favorite color and use that to paint your cabinets. Add a depth and dimension to your kitchen by using circle-shaped accessories such as plates.
   
4. Another way is to keep your painted kitchen walls neutrally; paint your cabinets in a dark, murky eggplant color. You could even go with a bright which is almost neon shade of lime green to accessorize the neutral kitchen walls. Use brick red, black and hot pink in the kitchen to add color.
   

Image Credit:

Flickr CC

Additional Reading:

Can\’t Fail Color Schemes–Kitchen & Bath: How to Choose Color for Stone and Tile Surfaces, Cabinets & Walls

Colors for Living: Kitchens

Decorating a kitchen with odd colors is a post from: DIY Guides

Related posts:

1. How to Use Multiple Paint Colors in the Kitchen and Great Room
2. How to Paint a Kitchen in Blue Delft Colors
3. Ideas for Decorating Your Kitchen for Christmas

It has been a long time since the invention of galley kitchens. Galley kitchens have grown extremely popular over the years and still very much high in demand. Usually, people with all types of houses prefer to have the galley-type of kitchen. Places such as apartments, condos, townhouses and smaller homes have all successfully implemented the galley style kitchens.

Usually galley style kitchens are utilized in the apartments, condominiums, townhouses and small type house due to the limited space within the kitchen area. A galley kitchen consists of two counters that run parallel to each other with certain appliances spaced along them and the advantages of having this type of kitchen is that it allows you to do your cooking with the ability of turning from one counter to another within reach and of course at a much faster speed. It is a modern concept kitchen without the usage of table and chairs due to its limited spacing.

What you need:

1. Under-counter refrigerator
   
2. Tall cabinets
   
3. Micro/hood fan combo
   
4. Trash compactor
   
5. Garbage disposal
   
6. Recycling bin
   
7. Pull-out shelves
   
8. Under cabinet lighting
   
9. Tile
   

Method:

1. Firstly, you need to maximize the counter and cupboard space when deciding to use a galley style kitchen. You can use the under-counter refrigerator and freezer units instead of a standard refrigerator.
   
2. You could also install ceiling height cabinets over both of your countertops and also use glass-fronted cabinets on one side in order to create an illusion of having more space in the area. Using a light colored wood will also enhance the area so that it will look much bigger.
   
3. Besides that, you can purchase a built-in microwave that comes with a hood fan combination for your stove.
   
4. To reduce the usage of space, install a trash compactor under the counter. As for the garbage disposal, you can install it under your sink while a recycling bin can be hanged on the inside of the door under the sink.
   
5. You can also create a pantry that comes with pull-out shelves that can be hidden behind the cabinet doors for storing spices in one of the drawers so that your countertops is clear of small items.
   
6. Install a modern style light under the cabinets to add a nice illumination to the kitchen area.
   
7. Finally, you could use the same tile over both of your back splashes using a solid color that complements your floor covering in order to create a unified look for that area.
   

If you don\’t know how a galley kitchen works then this type of kitchen consists of two counters running parallel of each other with kitchen equipments situated right along them. Why do people prefer galley kitchen? This is due to the fact that with a galley kitchen the cook doesn\’t have to walk long to find what he needs. In other words, the galley kitchen style is similar to kitchens found in hotels where everything is close by and everyone is working next to each other.

Image Credit:

Flickr CC

Additional Reading:

Ultimate Guide to Kitchens: Plan, Remodel, Build

Remodeling a Galley Style Kitchen is a post from: DIY Guides

Related posts:

1. Remodeling A Kitchen on a Budget
2. Kitchen Remodeling – Appliances
3. Kitchen Remodeling

It\’s a fashion to have a home bar in homes nowadays. Most people do it for themselves while others do it to entertain guests when they come over. Ideally, a home bar is not just a simple home bar. It can be created in different themes and designs, just the way you want yours it to be. With the same thought, we constantly try to add several items to our homes. The kitchen is one place in the house where we constantly keep adding new items to it.

If you have a bar in your kitchen and decide to buy some great looking bar stools, there are many things to consider before going out and buying something that looks great for your kitchen bar. Here are the steps on how you can choose stools that suits perfectly with your kitchen bar.

Steps:

1. Search for a material that is easy to clean. Since they are in the kitchen and getting a lot of wear and tear, food and drinks will most likely be spilled on them occasionally, cleanable stools will make your cleaning process at ease.
   
2. Choose the seat height that you need. Different bars come with different heights and the seat does not have to be as high as the bar. Measure the distance from the floor to the underside of your bar.
   
3. Have a seat that has a height of 11 to 12 inches less than the distance from the floor to the underside of the bar. You would want your seat to be about 26 inches high if the bar is 37 inches high.
   
4. Next, determine the number of bar stools that will fit in your kitchen. Measure about 30 inches from the center of one seat to the center of the next seat and then divide the length of your bar by 30 to determine how many stools that can fit nicely at the bar. Also, take consideration to any doors and walkways available. This will prevent the problems of bar stool maze while you are cooking.
   
5. Materials of the stools are also important to look at when choosing the right kitchen bar stools for your home\’s kitchen. Wooden bar stools suits the country look kitchen while for modern cotemporary look, you might want to choose aluminum bar stools or powder-coated steels. Metal bar stools are easier to take care than wooden bar stools that come with different types of finishes. Aluminum bar stools are lighter than powder coated steel.
   
6. Finally, decide on the features. If you need the stools to fit under the bar and out of the way when not in use, purchase backless bar stools instead. Bar stools with a back rest or arms will take more space and cannot be slid under the counter. Comfort stools such as padded seat covers for different types of bar stools will be a great feature for a cozy bar.
   

Image Credit:

Flickr CC

Additional Reading:

Outdoor Kitchens: Designs for Outdoor Kitchens, Bars, and Dinning Areas (Quarry Book)

The Al Fresco Life: Pools, Spas, Bars, and Kitchens

Choosing Kitchen Bar Stools is a post from: DIY Guides

Related posts:

1. Choosing the right flooring for your kitchen
2. Choosing Kitchen Cabinet Hardware to Match Décor
3. Choosing a Stain for Kitchen Cabinets