In the Know | Seat Height to Table Height Guide - Updated

At Inside Out Contracts, we have a space planning service and we’ll work with you to solve your dimension queries and ensure that you get the right balance between maximising the usage of space, and the customer experience. We can advise on everything from the industry standard dining table height in cm, to the best combinations of tables and chairs to optimise comfort. Alternatively, you can look at this quick guide, which will take you through the different options, such as standard chair height and standard dining table height.

When it comes to working out the optimum seat height to table height, you first need to decide what types of tables you’re going to be furnishing your venue with. The two main categories that are used in conjunction with a specific chair height are dining tables and poseur tables. For each option, it is essential to have a space of between 250mm and 300mm from the chair seat height to the base of the table top. The optimum distance for comfort is 260mm.

Dining table

A standard dining table is 760mm high. There are some exceptions – usually special furniture sets or specific styles – but these are rare. Therefore, when you’re choosing your chair style, you should be looking for a dining table chair height of 450–500mm. This is the standard height of most of the dining chairs that we supply, so you’ll have plenty of options and you can mix and match materials and finishes to create specific interiors.

Poseur table

A standard poseur table is 1100mm high. So, a standard seat height for a matching set of chairs or stools would ideally be 800mm. This is the is also the standard height of our bar stools, so again you’ll have plenty of choice if this is the combination you’ve chosen for your venue.

Another important factor to consider when choosing your furniture is whether the table tops have built-down edges. Chunky table tops are a popular choice as they give the appearance of a thicker top without adding to the weight. They’re also cheaper than solid wood table tops and have the added benefit of avoiding the need to cut down the base to create the correct dimension that works with an average seat height. However, the lower edges mean that the gap between the table height and seat height is reduced, so you must always measure from the drop-down edge, rather than underneath the table top.

In this guide, you’ll find a handy comparison chart of seat and table heights, as well as examples of different wood varieties and thicknesses for table tops, so you can choose the perfect dining chair height. Finally, there’s a guide to table uses and their heights that will require, for example, a choice between standard vs high top seating. Our Inside Knowledge video can be paused so you can view diagrams individually to make note of the different options available.