Any BUYER'S REMORSE with COUNTER HEIGHT Tables?

Updated on September 24, 2010
J.P. asks from Skokie, IL
19 answers

Hi Ladies,

I am interested in buying a table and chairs for my kitchen to complete my remodeling job. I am kinda gravitating toward a counter height table with a granite table top. However, while sittng at my standard (30") table yesterday, I realized that my position would not be possible with a higher (counter height) table. I was really comfortable.... kinda leaning to the one side of the chair with my legs stretched out on the floor with my feet TOUCHING the floor as I wrote my "to do list" HOWEVER... I think the counter height table looks really cool & I hear it's becoming quite popular, too. I think it would look nice in my kitchen. (I don't have the space for a regular table & an island so I thought a counter height table would be a good compromise.

So.... are you happy with your choice of a counter height table? Thanks for sharing!
*J.

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E.R.

answers from Chicago on

We have two dogs and just teach them not to 'hang' over the dinner table ;) Personally I find counter-high tables very awkward. If you have little kids, they are more difficult to climb up to. Also, my mother is about 5 feet tall- she can't even climb up onto one of those high stools or chairs without help and once there, she feels trapped! She just perches there with her feet dangling and cannot get back down without someone to help her. So personally I would avoid them- but you should do whatever YOU are comfortable with!

2 moms found this helpful
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J.A.

answers from Spartanburg on

My husband is 6'6" and the only table we have ever had is counter hieght. I don't regret it but we have another area in my kitchen with lower seating and I find when I need to sit and make a list, this is where I do it. But the kids love climbing up to sit in the big chairs and my husband is comfortable at his own table so it has been a good buy for us.

2 moms found this helpful

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K.F.

answers from New York on

We have been living with our counter height for about 6 months and we definitely made a right decision here. We have a large dog who is always smelling the air for something tasty. He has stolen food from our couter top but can't reach anything set on the center of the table. He also lays under the table while we eat.

Please note we don't have little chidlren yet but we just love our tables and wouldn't change a thing. It was just what I was looking for in a table and adds much flair to our dining area.

2 moms found this helpful

K.I.

answers from Seattle on

I have one and we are happy with it so far. We went this route for 2 reasons. 1) We needed something that would seat 8 and not take up a lot of space. Our table does this because it is square!
2) It would be placed in the dining room which is directly next to our kitchen and we have an Island right next to it, so when needed (Like for Thanksgiving) we can butt our table against the Island and the kids can have their own table and still be "connected" to all of us...it's pretty sweet!

My only problem I have found so far, is that I have not been able to find any square table cloths? And with 5, sometimes 7 kids at my house...I really like to have a table cloth on the table :( But that has nothing to do with it's height, that is a shape issue...sorry, a little rant there...if anyone knows where to get square tablecloths I would love to know!

2 moms found this helpful
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K.R.

answers from Dallas on

We have one (for about 5 years now) and I have mixed feelings. I think it looks awesome, and like a previous poster said, it's great not to have your dogs sniffing around.

I do miss having a comfy place to rest my feet (especially if I'm doing a craft or sewing or something - it's annoying). I also don't love it b/c I now have two children in booster seats and I don't like having them so high off of our hard tile floor. I'd much prefer a regular height table for my own piece of mind.

But it does look great!

K

2 moms found this helpful

A.G.

answers from Houston on

yes, i had one and hated it, but it might have been the fact that they swiveled and were always coming loose, or that the table was too small

2 moms found this helpful
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S.S.

answers from Chicago on

We have a pub table and I love the way it looks, but the downfall is that when you have alot of guests over, you can't use a folding chair to fit them in. You need other pub table size stools/chairs.

1 mom found this helpful
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K.C.

answers from Evansville on

We battled the same question about a year ago when we moved into our new home. We decided to go with a regular table height table in the kitchen because we have a toddler and I was worried about his safety, climbing, falling, etc. I haven't been sorry at all.
However, we did buy a counter height pub table for the basement by the bar area and we love it down there. More of an adult entertaining area, so it works much better there than where we eat dinner every night.

1 mom found this helpful
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A.F.

answers from Columbus on

We have a really nice, large counter height table and do not like it anymore. It's not as comfortable as a regular table for the reason you mentioned. We have three young kids so it's hard for them to get up on the chairs. Also, we have a beautiful fireplace in our dining room that is blocked by the table, you cannot see it much since the table is in it's view. We are currently looking for a regular table.

1 mom found this helpful

F.H.

answers from Phoenix on

I think you need to consider that the counter high tables are "trendy" right now. I tend to buy nice, solid furniture and keep it forever so I personally would stay away from trends unless you are one to update every few years when something new becomes popular. Good luck!!!

1 mom found this helpful
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S.S.

answers from Los Angeles on

Yes we have one and I wouldn't have buyer's remorse except that my toddler is ready for a booster seat. The extra height of the counter height chairs makes them more unstable :(

1 mom found this helpful
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K.O.

answers from Atlanta on

I have a counter height table and am very happy with it. The main reason I went "high" was because I have a great dane and it's much nicer to have the nose even with the food/table, instead of having the drool dripping down onto the table. I don't typically sit how you describe, so I can't put forth much of an opinion there. I either keep my feet on the cross bars of the chair or sit indian style in the chair, though both are comfortable for me. I also have young children (5,3,1) and don't have issues with them climbing up (the 1 year old can't do it yet, but generally the kids have been able to get into their own seats by 2 even with a kaboost on the bottom of the chair). The chairs on my set aren't tippy at all.

1 mom found this helpful
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D.P.

answers from Pittsburgh on

My brother and SIL got a set, had it for a few months and gave it away....they said it was not comfortable.

1 mom found this helpful
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J.M.

answers from Chicago on

Everyone I know with that type of table hates it. Yes, it looks cool and for the moment it is different and popular, but it is just a phase.
Kids can't get onto the seats themselves, the chairs are more tippy because the legs are longer and you are pushing from a different angle.
I would really really make sure that you absolutely love it before you bought it. It is too expensive an item to just pitch next year because you can't stand it anymore.

1 mom found this helpful
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R.W.

answers from Chicago on

I am not happy with my counter height table and will most likely be switching back to a regular height table in the next few months. I really don't find it's comfortable (although I really like the table itself). I would much rather have a regular height table, but if you don't plan on using it that much, maybe it would work for you. Hope this helps!

1 mom found this helpful
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A.G.

answers from Chicago on

my in-laws have a counter height table and chairs instead of the regular height. they don't seem to mind it (but they don't sit there to eat when it's just the two of them), but i'm 5'4" and while pregnant with each of my girls it was annoying to get in and out of the chairs. they have fabric, so i couldn't really slide onto them. also, neither of my toddler girls can sit at that table to eat. they have a hard time getting into the chair and one of them is actually scared to eat sitting up that high. so, while it looks really cool at their house, i would definitely not consider buying one for us knowing how it is using it there.

1 mom found this helpful

L.A.

answers from Austin on

I think they look great too, My dad and his wife have one and I love it. But we have too many elderly people in our family to accommodate them climbing up.

Also our niece fell backwards on one of these chairs at her fathers house and of course she fell on the tile floor.. Typical.

1 mom found this helpful

J.C.

answers from Columbus on

My friend had one, with HAD being the operative word :) They do look really cool/nice, but they aren't as comfortable, the kids have a harder time getting seated (it's also farther to fall off) and you can't just add a folding chair to the table for more seating.

1 mom found this helpful
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H.L.

answers from Chicago on

I LOVE my counter height table. Ours has a pillar center so that we can fit more chairs around it if needed and not have to fight with table legs. We also have padded chairs that is covered under my daughter's booster seat. The pillar actually has a small space for storage under it so it has a small shelf on it. That is what we rest our feet on instead of the floor. My SIL has one with 4 legs on the corners, no table and just wood chairs and I am not as comfortable sitting at it for any stretch of time. We had sat at hers before we bought ours so I knew what I didn't want in a counter height. After looking at 3 other places, I found the one I like at Darvin's. Good luck making your decision!

1 mom found this helpful
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