Before relatively recent, not alot of furniture was being built with precise height and size requirements in mind. Everything was created with a standard eye and the thought of a custom bar stool that was over 36 inches high was kind of comical. The only extra tall bar stools that were around existed for a pure avant garde aesthetic. Now, with many kitchen countertops and bars being built much taller than they ever were in the past, kitchen bar stools and other styles should naturally follow suit.
In the modern context, extra tall bar stools are not just a small niche market anymore. They are a growing necessity. In addition to the general preference for tall stools, extra tall bar stools provide a practical solution for people who are "vertically gifted". If you are over six feet, the standard bar stools simply don't suffice. You end up squirming around in your seat and your feet don't sit comfortably on the foot rests because the rail is too high. You have to hunch over and you may find yourself having to deal with lower back problems. Sometimes, your knees will even hit the underside of the counters. It's embarrassing when others begin to notice and it's just a disasterous train wreck.
Fortunately, in recent years, bar stool manufacturers have finally caught up to the growing demand and designed extra tall stools that sometimes reach above 40-inches high to provide that much needed space for the tall man or woman. Additionally, even if you are of average height, you can purchase the extra tall barstools to achieve a particular style. The long and elegant legs of these stools look unbelievably chic when placed in the landscape of the kitchen. Whether you want a backless tall swivel stool or a stationary one, you will know which extra tall stools serves you best--both by genre and function.