A perfect table and chair is the holy grail of any dining room setup. They are the two biggest pieces of furniture in the room, and your choice will influence the dining experience for you and your guests.
Buying the perfect dining room chairs can be overwhelming due to the abundance of choices available. Dining chairs can come in the form of upholstered seats, good old wooden chairs with a slim profile, or even a bench. To guide you through the process of choosing the right one, here are a few things to consider:
#1 – Dining chair height
Let’s start with the elephant in the room – the giant table around which your chairs will be positioned. Your dining chair is only perfect if it’s a perfect match for your table. The standard height for most dining tables is between 75-85 centimeters. An ideal dining chair size for such tables is between 45 to 50 centimeters high.
Generally, you want to leave a clearance of about 27 to 30 centimeters between the chair seat and the table top. Measure the height of the dining table and make it an important reference point when you’re shopping for a chair to go with it.
#2 – Chair Width
The size of the individual chair will determine how many of it you can position around your table. It’s good to choose a suitably sized chair so they don’t end up bumping into each other or overcrowding the space. Your guests will feel cramped at the table if the chairs are too big and the chairs will look out of place if they’re too small.
#3 – Seat Depth
The seat depth is also important because it determines how much space the chair offers for comfortable sitting. It refers to the distance between the edge of the chair and the armrest. On average, your chair should have a depth of about 30 to 45 centimeters.
#4 – Dining Chair Materials
Material is an important consideration in choosing any piece of furniture. That’s because the material influences the style, durability and maintenance of your chair. The most common materials for dining room chairs are wood, cane, plastic, leather or cane. In choosing the ideal material, consider your lifestyle, existing decor and intended use of the chair.
For instance, for a luxury dining setup, wooden upholstered chairs or leather chairs may be a better alternative to cane. Similarly, materials like plastic are perfect for an outdoor dining area. If you’re choosing a chair with upholstery fabric, the colour and type of fabric should also fit in with the rest of your interior decor.
#5 – Dining Chair Style
Dining room chairs are quite varied in terms of their shape, style and overall silhouette. Some of the common chair styles include:
- Parsons chairs – upholstered chairs characterised by a straight back and no arms.
- Side chairs – this is the classic armless dining chair typically placed on the side of the table.
- Armchairs – as the name suggests, armchairs have two arms which can be straight or curved artistically.
- Slope dining chairs: slope chairs have broad sloping seats with no arms. They’re typically upholstered with leather or any other type of fabric.
- Wingback chairs: wingback dining chairs have backs that rise and extend to the sides like wings, hence the name.
- Ladder back chairs – this is a traditional dining chair design with parallel wood slats that look like the tiers of a ladder.
These are just a few of the different styles of dining chairs you can consider for your dining room. Of course, your choice here depends mainly on your aesthetic preferences and the existing set-up of your dining room space. Most of all, when shopping for something as important as dining chairs, remember to have fun and express your personality!
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