They are the Venetian - 24 inch stools. They are really comfortable and clean up nicely. I spent a long time agonizing over counter stools and I'm happy with them! They have a bar in the front and on the sides - it's a good position for a foot rest. They look great with the soapstone. Even though the soapstone is on the perimeter and the marble is at the island, I like it a lot. I didn't want to try to match the island. Good luck!

Check out Kohls.com too. They have a huge selection. With the sales they run (especially at the holidays) you can get an awesome deal. I think our stools came in right at 1/2 price and the phone operator sales lady I ordered thru (vs placing the order online) waived the extra $60 shipping surcharge per stool too. Drbeanie brings up a good point. counter height can be anywhere from 24" seat height to 28" seat height. Its amazing how much difference a couple inches makes in a counter stool! 24" ones felt too short for us, while 28" worked nicely, but if someone with bigger legs than ours came over, they might have an issue. In the end, 26" was the height for us. I would recommend buying a couple different stools in different heights, bringing them home and testing them out. Return the ones that don't work for you. We went through 3 different ones before deciding on the 4th. With that being said, DH did reel me in as I would have likely brought home even more than that! I really like the stool you have posted. Very sleek, looks comfy, adjustable height from 26-30.5" and appears easy to clean. All pluses in my book and comes in on budget. The price on Wayfair was the best Icould find doing a quick search online. I'd pull the trigger! If you're still not sure, though, I did find this wood and chrome backless stool that may work as well... http://www.kohls.com/product/prd-1238184/winsome-linea-counter-stool.jsp Hope this helps!

Kate, if you do want something that is very low maintenance, laminate is - the old and the newer. I think you're hearing from other people like me, who had the older laminate butcher block (and it was not attractive as I mentioned). If I were you, I'd go personally to the stores that carry it, and see it installed - otherwise I'd remain leery if I only had a sample piece to make a decision. After a quick look, the big box stores have Wilsonart laminate that is different from what I had (but I can't speak to the quality or final look): Though I did say above to check into IKEA, I personally would not want them for my entire countertop. They do require sealant, and re-sealing, and you need to be vigilant regarding standing water and faucets. Even Waterlox will have some issues, such as leaving black marks where rubber feet (the black kind) are - and some appliances have those. I'm doing a butcher block inset into our countertop, but it will be used for prep work and therefore won't be sealed, and I expect water marks and some bread-knife cuts. We'll remove and sand if we ever need to sell. Having said this, I've a relative who has wood countertops - but she never, ever cooks. Her countertops remain in pristine condition, but she is vigilant.

There is actually no minimum. You can sit at a stool with the 1-1/2" overhang if you feel like it. It would not be practical or comfortable but there's no law against it. It's a recommendation. And it depends on what you are going to use it for. I don't even like to sit at a counter to eat or drink at a bar or diner, or a high top. I like to sit at a regular height table So if you have a regular height table in the kitchen and this is going to be as a perch where you can kinda sit sideways, or for a snack or a drink, fine, it can be on the shallow side, especially if you don't have a lot of extra room. If this is going to be the only place you eat, or you eat there frequently I would go with the recommendations that Buehl has mentioned. However, you will also need support that is tied into the cabinetry to support the overhang, and decorative brackets that are screwed on to the surface of the cabinet are not adequate. The metal angle irons that I have are required to be attached to the inside surface of a cabinet (which requires extra material) or the inside of a pony wall so the bracket rests on top of the ponywall and is not just attached to the face, or behind a thin layer of paneling. Depending upon these factors, it may make sense for you to go with a technically too shallow overhang depending upon what you actual daily needs are. Not a lot of older kitchens can spare a full 18" inches, or a total of 42" for a peninsula.