Lately we're really loving the look of an upholstered bar stool in the kitchen. We would venture to say it's more common these days to find a sleek, contemporary stool with a molded seat than one with upholstery or a cushion, but we'd like to see the latter make a comeback. Upholstered stools are comfortable, and they can deliver a dose of warmth to a room where functionality often wins out over personality. To make our case, we went looking for some nice examples...

An upholstered or cushioned stool can look just as modern its non-cushy counterpart. Check out these examples:

FIRST ROW

• 1 Designer Amanda Nisbet puts a twist on the traditional upholstered stool by choosing a metallic crochet, adding texture and shine. (Image via Inspiration for Everyday Living.)

• 2 In another of Nisbet's kitchens, metallic fabric is paired with acrylic for an ultra-modern, yet comfortable, look. The casters on the stools add a practical element.

• 3 We love these custom-upholstered stools featured in House Beautiful. The Galbraith and Paul fabric is a lovely, subtle choice to contrast with all the warm wood. And the upholstery tacks give the stools a bit of edginess, too.

• 4 A more traditional stool graces this Barry Dixon-designed kitchen, but the combination of textures—the fabric seat with a rattan back, echoing the perforated lamp—updates the look. (Image via Alicia B. Designs.)

• 5 The designers at De Lisle, Philpotts, and Staub chose a flowery Asian silk to bring out the earthy tones in the tile backsplash.

SECOND ROW

• 6 One more from Amanda Nisbet, who once again pairs a standout fabric with acrylic... this time, the deep teal upholstery is an unexpected pop of color in a traditional white kitchen.

• 7 and 8 In these last two kitchens, both from Domino (via SFGirlByBay), the designers went for a retro-industrial look by choosing old vinyl upholstery. Stools like these—from barbershops or, indeed, bars—can often be found at flea markets.

What do you think? Is the upholstered bar stool a look you can get behind?