I sold my Serena and Lily Riviera Counter Stools and bought these more affordable ones instead. Read on for all the details!
Serena and Lily Riviera Stool Dupe for Half the Price
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One of the very first purchases I made for our new home was our Serena and Lily Riviera Counter Stools. I knew that my kids would eat most of their meals at our kitchen island and I wanted something durable yet beautiful for them to sit in. They are an incredible option for kids because you can scrub them down if they get chocolate, spaghetti sauce, etc. on them. I opted for the stools with backs because I thought they would be the best option with kids. All of us loved them, but unfortunately we are in an 18′ wide townhouse and the space between the island and the stairway is very narrow. I tried to make the counter stools work, but they made passing through the space practically impossible while someone was seated. I also noticed whenever we had guests over- even if the chairs were empty- they would try to pass through behind the island and then they would change their minds and go through the kitchen instead because the pathway was so tight. The stools were beautiful, but the backs stuck out too much for our floor plan. I finally realized that backless stools were the best option for our home after seeing one of our neighbor’s homes (in a townhouse that is the exact same layout as ours). Even with the exact same space their walkway felt so much wider due to having backless stools. I also realized that the navy/white color combination on the stools didn’t work perfectly with the wallpaper I have in the adjacent dining room. It was time to find a substitute! Here is a photo of our Serena and Lily Riviera Bistro Stools, taken last Christmas, compared to how much less the new ones stick out:
I looked at the backless version of the Serena and Lily Riviera Counter Stools, but they are just so pricy and the color options are a bit limited. I had always loved the look and color of the light blue Serena and Lily Riviera Sunwashed stools but I knew that the seats were natural material so they wouldn’t hold up to food and scrubbing very well, and it turns out that they don’t even make that color in a backless option. I promptly dove into a thorough online search for backless bistro counter stools that came in the synthetic wicker I need (a necessity for messy children) and discovered an option on Wayfair that was exactly what I needed! They are currently $143.99 a piece vs $298 for the S&L synthetic stools in the same style, or $328 for the S&L sunwashed backless stools in the light blue. That is such a saving when you multiply that by how many stools you need! The added bonus is that they also ship for free and arrived within 2 or 3 days. The French blue is the common color throughout our house and they carry a blue that was the perfect option for our home (sometimes labeled “coastal blue” and sometimes labeled “baby blue” on their site- I believe they are the same though). They come in 20+ other colors too! With these smaller backless stools I can now fit 4 stools across rather than 3 of the wider and deeper stools with backs! My kids like them just as much as the old ones, even if they are lacking backs. At first I was worried that they would fall off the backless ones, but honestly it helps them have better posture and I’m no longer dealing with the occasional foot on the counter 😉
The synthetic rattan on the Wayfair stools looks and feels exactly like the synthetic rattan on the Serena and Lily Riviera Stools. They are the perfect more affordable option if you’re looking for a good Serena and Lily dupe!
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