There’s nothing like gathering around a table with the ones you love. Eating a delicious meal, playing an overly competitive game of cards, or just chatting over a glass of wine. The dining room is definitely a place to make memories, so of course, we all want that space to be both comfortable and beautiful.
One of the hardest pieces of furniture to select for your dining room are the chairs. This is because there are all sorts of chairs on the market with different height, width, colour, style and more, but only certain pieces will match with your table and space perfectly.
Over the years, we’ve spent a considerable amount of time designing dining rooms and ensuring the chairs work seamlessly with the table and the rest of the space. We’re here to let you in on some of these dining room secrets so you too, can master the art of selecting a chair. Yes, it is most definitely an artform ;).
When selecting dining chairs there are two important aspects to keep in mind; size and style.
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Sizing Up Dining Chairs
Let’s start with size because how comfortable your chair will depend on finding the proper size for your dining chairs.
The main measurement that needs to be taken into consideration is the space between the height of the seat and the bottom of the tabletop (ie. where your legs go). It can be quite uncomfortable if this space is too large, and you’re sitting too low…Remember what it was like to sit at the adults table on Thanksgiving as a kid? We don’t want that.
Or if the space is too small and you feel crammed. Hopefully, you never had to sit at the kids table as an adult at Thanksgiving!
As a rule of thumb, the average person finds a space of 10-12 inches the most comfortable. Now that for the most part table and counter heights are standard, this makes it much easier to find a chair that fits properly. Check out this post where we talk about the dining table sizes and the number of chairs that fit them.
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That’s how we know that the average dining table height is 29-31 inches. Most dining chair seat height is between 18 and 20 inches. If your dining table is on the higher end, you might want to choose a dining chair with a high seat height too.
You’ll also want to make sure you have the right amount of dining chairs around your table. If they are too close together, diners will feel cramped. There should be enough elbow room for everyone to sit and eat comfortably. There’s nothing worse than being elbowed just as you’re about to eat that large forkful of spaghetti!
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However, you don’t want your dining chair to be so narrow that you or your family and guests aren’t able to sit comfortably. On average, most dining chairs are about 16-20 inches wide at the front. We think that 18 inches is a great width for most homes.
Again, thanks to standardizations, it’s easy to figure out how many chairs you can comfortably have around your table based on the size and shape of your table.
The depth of the chair is also another measurement that lends itself to how comfortable the chair will be. On average most dining chairs are about 16-18 inches. We prefer chairs that are 18 inches in depth for a comfier fit.
By making sure you pay attention to the size of your dining chairs, you’ll ensure your dining room is a lovely place to sit and relax (and no one is getting elbowed on the regular).
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Styling it Up with Dining Chairs
Now that you’ve got the right size chair all figured out, let’s talk style.
As we always say, it’s important to stay true to yourself and pick chairs you absolutely love that go with the rest of your dining room aesthetic.
If you have a coastal style, you’ll want to stick with something lighter in colour, with a natural texture. If your style is more on the Glam side, you might want a nice velvety fabric, or a pop of colour with a metallic frame. There are chairs on the market for just about every style, but we want to put the spotlight on a few of our faves for 2022…
A classic wishbone chair has become super popular, and for good reasons! It has a sleek, classic, minimalistic style that is sure to withstand the test of time. It can match well with many styles and better yet, it comes in various different tones, like all black or dark walnut.
Cane dining chairs have been really on trend this year. They can come in different shapes and styles but the key piece is the natural cane element that usually sits on the back and bottom of the chairs. Usually paired with natural wood elements, these chairs are a beautiful addition to any modern dining room.
We also love to see a pop of colour in the dining room, and so why not do it with some funky dining chairs?
Now that you’re well versed in the art of dining chairs you can ensure the seating in your dining space is perfect for your table and the room around it. Dining rooms are one of our favourite places to not only decorate but also to hang out with friends and family. So go ahead, find that perfect chair, and start making memories!
