Seat height and table height: how chair, stool and table fit together
Allow about 300 mm between the seat and the table top. With that rule of thumb and the chart in this guide you choose a dining chair, counter stool or bar stool that fits your table.
The right seat height for a chair follows from the height of your table, not the other way round. Legroom under the top, armrests and the table base also decide whether you sit comfortably.
Quick guide
- Dining table of 760 mm: choose a chair with a seat height of about 460 mm.
- Kitchen island of 900 to 950 mm: choose a stool with a seat height of about 600 to 650 mm.
- Bar of 1050 to 1100 mm: choose a bar stool with a seat height of about 750 to 800 mm.
Seat height and table height: the 300 mm rule
Measure the seat height from the floor to the highest point of the seat. Subtract it from the table height and the difference tells you how you will sit. As a rule of thumb, keep about 300 mm between the seat and the top of the table.
With a smaller gap it soon gets tight under the top, especially for tall people. A 760 mm table with a 40 mm top leaves 720 mm under the top: with a 510 mm chair, only 210 mm is left for your thighs. With a much larger gap you sit low and eat with raised shoulders.
Table: which seat height for which table height
| Top height | Matching seat height | Where you find it |
|---|---|---|
| 740 to 750 mm | 440 to 450 mm | Low dining table, shorter users |
| 760 mm | 460 mm | Standard dining table at Tulmans |
| 770 to 780 mm | 470 to 480 mm | High dining table, taller users |
| 900 to 950 mm | 600 to 650 mm | Worktop or kitchen island |
| 1050 to 1100 mm | 750 to 800 mm | Bar or high table |
The table is a rule of thumb, not a law. If you are torn between two chairs, take the lower one: a few millimetres of extra legroom feel better than a few millimetres too little.
Matching a dining table and dining chairs
Most dining tables are between 740 and 780 mm high. At Tulmans, 760 mm is the standard, and in the table configurator you set the height in steps of 5 mm, up to 780 mm. That way you match the table to the chairs you already own, instead of hunting for new chairs to suit a table.
A dining chair usually has a seat height between 450 and 490 mm, so a 480 mm chair calls for a 780 mm table. When comparing dining chairs, always check the stated seat height: two chairs that look the same can differ by 30 mm.
Legroom under the top
The top height does not tell the whole story: your knees meet the underside of the top, not the surface. A 40 mm solid wood top on a 760 mm table leaves 720 mm under the top. Keep at least a fist's width between your thighs and the underside of the top.
Look at the base as well. A frame or crossbar just below the top takes legroom exactly where you sit. Under table legs you can see where the legs and rails sit in relation to the seats.
Chairs with armrests
A chair with armrests only slides under the table if the armrests are lower than the underside of the top. Measure the armrest height and compare it with the underside of the top, not the surface. If it does not fit, the chair always stands a little way back and you need more room around the table.
How to measure at home
Measure your current table from the floor to the top surface, then to the underside of the top. Measure your chair to the highest point of the seat and to the top of the armrest. With those four numbers you know whether a new chair or table will fit.
Kitchen island and counter stool
A worktop or kitchen island is usually 900 to 950 mm high. It suits a stool with a seat height of about 600 to 650 mm, often called a counter stool. A bar stool of 750 mm or more is too high for a kitchen island: your knees end up against the top.
At a kitchen island, also measure the overhang, the part of the top that sticks out. Without an overhang your knees hit the cabinets and you sit far from the top.
Space per stool
Allow about 600 mm of width per stool, and more for stools with armrests. Behind the stools you need room to stand up, just as at a dining table. At a dining table allow at least 900 mm, and 1100 mm if someone walks behind the chairs.
Bar and bar stool
A bar or high table is usually 1050 to 1100 mm high. It suits a bar stool with a seat height of about 750 to 800 mm. Check the seat height of every model under bar stools: it varies by model and does not automatically fit every top.
A footrest is no luxury on a bar stool. Your feet hang above the floor, and without support you slide down within a quarter of an hour.
Tall and short users
Tall people are the first to feel cramped: their thighs are thicker and their knees sit higher. If you are tall, choose a higher table with the same chair, so more room is left under the top. If you mostly eat with children or shorter adults, a 740 to 750 mm table with a lower chair is more comfortable.
If people of very different heights sit at the table, choose the table height for the largest group. A cushion on a chair is easier than a table that is not quite right for anyone.
A bench at the dining table
The same rule applies to a dining bench: the seat height of the bench and the table height should be about 300 mm apart. A bench meant as a lounge bench often sits lower than a dining chair and then suits a dining table poorly. Check the seat height before you put a bench next to chairs at the same table.
Configuring your table at the right height
Start with the chairs if you already have them, then choose the table height. Use bespoke dining tables as a starting point, or configure your own table with top, size and height. More on size and shape in the guide how to choose a dining table.
If in doubt, sit at a table with the chair you have in mind in the showroom in Maasbree, Netherlands. Ten minutes of sitting tell you more than an hour of measuring. Questions about your measurements can go through contact.