What Is The Height Of Dining Room Chairs

The seat height of the dining room chairs determines how comfortable you are at mealtime.

A mismatch between the height of dining room chair seats and the table surface can make for some really uncomfortable meals. Most furniture comes in standard sizes and that includes heights. But handmade antique tables and chairs and the odd but fabulous flea market bargain may be taller or shorter than average. When shopping for chairs, or planning to make your own, it helps to know the most common -- and comfortable -- proportions.

Standard Sizes

The most common heights for dining chairs are those you will find in most restaurants and dining sets sold for home use. In the United States, typical dining chair measurements are 26 ½ inches from the floor to the top of the backrest and 16 to 17 inches from the floor to the seat.

Comfort Mandate

Common sense tells us that the heights may vary somewhat, based on factors like chair cushions and styles. The reality of chair heights, according to an evaluation of restaurant furnishings produced by the University of Michigan Extension, ranges from 15 to 18 inches for seat height, the critical factor for dining comfort. Table heights may vary from 26 to 30 inches tall. For a lower table, use a lower chair seat to ensure leg clearance. A taller table will require a higher seat height so diners are not reaching up to access tableware. When calculating relative heights, sit on chairs with springs in the cushions to see how much they depress under weight.

Fine Tune the Fit

If your table height is between 28 and 30 inches, a dining chair seat should be 18 inches from the floor. Double check to be sure seats with arms will fit into the table and under its lowest point and that diners' fingers and arms resting on those seat arms will fit, too. Otherwise, anyone using the chair will have to sit too far back from the table to reach. If your chairs are kitchen counter stools in contemporary open-plan spaces where a kitchen island serves as dining table, match 24- to 26-inch-high stools to a 36-inch-high counter.

Custom Considerations

Antique dining chairs will require careful matching to tables. For example, Chinese chairs that have high seats and footrests work well with tables from the Ming and later dynasties that are 32 to 36 inches high. When mixing and matching pieces in eclectic dining room design, it's important to note that standard dining chairs are too low to place around a table that high, unless you use a number of cushions. The table height should be about 10 inches taller than seat height, whatever the mix of periods. With the right proportions -- and a few telephone books for the kids -- everyone can gather around the table on dining chairs that let them enjoy the food without stretching or squirming.

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