We had looked everywhere for the right height stool for our kitchen snack bar which is 45 inches tall and considered a "standing bar" by our builder. These are perfect height. We previously had some shorter ones but those left you sitting so low that the counter only reached chest height and made you feel like a child eating at the adult table!!! I ordered 1 set first to try them out and quickly re-ordered another set when I used them. They have wide comfortable seats, and the rungs are nicely spaced for foot rests. The wood is almost black ,even though it looks lighter in the picures and appears as a dark brown stain. Since I have alot of black accents in my kitchen, so they still look great. The dark brown leather is very dark too, (again, darker than the picture appears) but very rich looking. My first set came with a weird chemical odor which I attributed to the packing products or off-gasing from the stains and foam, or sitting too long wrapped up in a warehouse in China. After a few days of airing them out in fresh air, the smell receded, and the second set was not near as offensive. But no worrys...We are very happy with these stools. Buy them!!! Great comfort, great look, great value!!