A Counter Stool That Ducks Under

The Etna counter height bar stool set is the low-backed version of this frame, cut so the whole stool clears the underside of a counter rather than standing proud of it. Solid rubberwood makes up every visible part except the seat: the rear legs carry on past seat level and end in a single shallow arc of wood that crosses the back below the waist rather than behind it, while the front legs stop at the seat and a full circle of wood joins them all near the floor as a footrest. The seat itself is a round pad, generous in diameter and deep in the foam, mounted on a mechanism that lets it turn a full 360° while the wood behind it stays exactly where it was. A walnut-tone finish darkens the grain across the frame, and the upholstery is a soft linen in a plain weave.

Features

• Back Below the Waist crosses low rather than up behind the shoulders, so this is a stool to perch on and lean back against for a moment, not one to settle into for a whole evening
• Disappears Under the Counter because the wood tops out lower than a 35" to 38" counter edge, so a pushed-in pair leaves the sightline across the island completely clear
• Seat Turns, Frame Stays so the cushion swings to face the room while the wood stays put behind the sitter, which also means it comes round to meet an arm from any direction
• Open Armless Frame leaves every side of the seat clear, so getting on and off works from whichever side there is room for at a busy island
• Full-Circle Wood Footrest rings the base without a break, giving the feet a bar wherever the seat has been turned to
• Solid Rubberwood Throughout builds the frame from real timber, so the grain reads differently on every leg and the arc across the back carries its own figure
• Round Padded Seat gives a full-diameter cushion with no corner to catch a hip when swinging on and off, deep enough in the foam to hold a shape
• Linen Upholstered Cushion covers the pad in a plain woven linen, matte and dry to the touch, the one soft element in a stool otherwise made entirely of wood
• Counter-Height Kitchen Fit sizes the pair for 35" to 38" islands and breakfast counters, and not for the taller bar counters above that range

Materials

• Upholstery: Linen Fabric
• Seat Fill: Foam
• Frame and Legs: Solid Rubberwood
• Backrest: Solid Rubberwood
• Footrest Ring: Solid Rubberwood
• Frame Finish: Walnut-Tone
• Swivel Mechanism: Metal
• Seat Support Plate: Metal
• Hardware: Metal

Care Instructions

• Vacuum the linen seat weekly with a soft brush attachment, drawing along the direction of the weave
• Blot spills straight away with a clean dry cloth rather than rubbing, so nothing works down into the weave
• Spot clean the linen with a fabric-safe cleaner on a barely damp cloth, testing on a hidden area first
• Wipe the rubberwood frame with a soft dry cloth, then apply a wood-safe polish a few times a year to keep the walnut-tone finish even
• Keep the frame away from radiators and long hours of direct sunlight, since dry heat and strong light both move the color of solid wood
• Keep standing water off the wood and dry any splash straight away, which is what raises grain on a finished surface
• Clear grit from around the swivel plate under the seat and turn the seat through a full circle now and then to keep it moving evenly
• Retighten the backrest and footrest hardware by hand every few months, without a power driver, since wood joints settle over the first season
• Lift rather than drag the stools when repositioning them, and check the leg ends for grit before setting them down