When choosing chairs, overall dining chair height matters less than chair seat height. Chair seat height describes the measure from the floor to the top of the chair's seat and is one of the determinants of whether a chair will fit comfortably under a table or counter.
Before buying new chairs, we recommend measuring the height of your table so you are more easily able to choose a chair height. You should allow for at least 12" of space between the seat of your chair and bottom of your table or counter. If your table has an apron, there should be 7" of space between the top of the seat and bottom of the apron.
The two most common dining chair seat height ranges are 18" – 23" and 24" – 26". This is because chairs are most often paired with standard-height tables (28" – 30" high) or counter-height tables (34" – 36" high). Standard-height tables should be paired with chairs with seats that are 18" – 23" high, and counter-height tables need chairs with seats that are 24" – 26" high.
Chair arms should also be able to slide under your dining table with ease. We recommend choosing a dining chair size that leaves at least 7" of space between the chair arm and the bottom or apron of the table.
Choosing the perfect dining chair size is an important part of creating a stunning dining space. They add functionality, aesthetic appeal, and affect the ambience of the room itself. Both the height and the width of the chairs in your dining room have an impact on its overall look and feel, as well as impacting the number of people your dining room can fit. Read on for help choosing the perfect dining chair for your space.
In this ultimate guide to dining chair size, height and width, we’ll cover everything you need to know on this topic. Not only will you learn why the size of your dining room chairs is so important, but we’ll also help you find the perfect size, height and width for you! Create an inviting atmosphere and comfortable seating arrangement in your dining room by using our brief summary below, or read on for more detail.
Dining Chair Size Summary
Allow at least 12 inches between the underside of tabletop and the seat of the chair to ensure you have enough leg room
The chair seat should be at roughly knee height for optimal posture (18 inches)
Ensure at least 36 inches of space behind each chair but 48 inches is ideal
Leave 8-10 inches between chairs to ensure diners have enough elbow room
Why Choosing the Right Size Dining Chairs is Important
The correct size dining chairs can really make a difference to the layout of your home. It not only ensures your dining room looks the part, but it also plays a role in the number of people you can entertain and whether they can sit comfortably. Ultimately, choosing the right size dining chairs affects:
The look and feel of the room
How many people your table comfortably fits
Room layout opportunities
On an even more practical note, the height and width of your chairs need to be suitable for your dining table, ensuring the chairs fit underneath it, and that enough of them can be placed around the table. It's important to measure your table beforehand and work out if your chosen chairs will suit your vision and your family size.
Top Tip: some people also mark out on the floor using masking tape so you can easily visualise how your new dining chairs will fit the space.
The first step in ensuring you get the perfect size dining chairs is understanding what the right height chair is for you. Firstly, you need to make sure that your chairs are low enough to slide under the dining table. This goes without saying, but it’s no use buying a set of high bar chairs for a low table!
Ideally, the backrests will be slightly higher than the table and the seat itself significantly lower. Backrests should ideally reach the mid to upper back of someone who’s seated at the chair for optimal comfort. The seat height should be significantly lower than the table, ensuring your legs fit underneath the table comfortably.
The average height for a dining table is about 30 inches, so dining chairs generally need to be around 18 inches high. There should be around 12 inches between the tabletop and the seat. If you follow this rule of thumb, it's likely that you'll find the perfect height!
Next, it’s important to find the perfect width to ensure you can sit comfortably and enough chairs can fit under the table. Most dining chairs come in widths between 16 and 20 inches, however, the exact width will depend on the style of the chair. You will find the full dimensions including width, depth and height of all of our dining chairs for sale in the individual product description. This is especially important to note if you’re planning to style your room with mismatched dining chairs.
From an aesthetic perspective, the size of the chairs in relation to the dining table and the room itself can affect the perception of space. Overly large or small chairs may make the room feel cramped or empty, so it's essential to consider proportions.
What is the Ideal Space Between Dining Chairs?
It’s important to keep in mind that you need enough space between the chairs to ensure people can be seated comfortably. If you have a small or medium-sized table, then opting for a smaller chair will help you fit enough chairs around the table, as well as provide some much-needed room for your arms. Larger dining tables can more easily fit dining chairs with arms or wider chairs.
In general, it’s advised that you leave roughly 8-10 inches between chairs to ensure they’re not placed too close together. This will give your guests a comfortable amount of room to eat and manoeuvre.
How Many Chairs Do I Need?
In short, the amount of chairs that you require varies depending on the size of your dining table. An easy way to work out how many people you can comfortably fit around your table is to simply take the external width of your chosen chair and add 8-10 inches. Then measure your table length and divide it by this number to give you the quantity of chairs you can fit on each side.
How Far Away From the Wall do Chairs Need to be?
Allow at least 36 inches between your dining chairs and the wall, or any other furniture for that matter. This will give enough room for people to walk past, and to comfortably pull the chairs out. If you have a bit more room than average, 48 inches is preferred as this will allow ample room for people to sit down and manoeuvre around the chairs.
Ready to Find Your New Dining Chairs?
Finding the right dining chair size is important so you can seat enough people at the table and ensure that everyone sits comfortably. As long as there’s a minimum of 12 inches between the table top and the seat, the height of the chair allows people to sit comfortably. Additionally, if you can fit enough chairs around the table when you leave 8-10 inches of space between them, you have found the perfect dining chair size!
If you have any questions after reading this post, or would like to inquire about the different dining chairs we stock, please feel free to reach out to our customer support team. They’re always happy to help!
Now you know how to work out how many you need using our ultimate guide to dining chair size, height, and width, it’s time to find your perfect dining room chairs. We stock a huge range of dining chairs, including leather dining room chairs, plastic and acrylic chairs, and metal dining chairs. They all come in a range of different styles too, including modern, industrial, and Scandi style dining chairs. So there’s something for everyone at Lakeland Furniture.
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