A chair can look very beautiful in a photo and not match well with the table you already have. Before choosing your color, check two different heights: the one that places you facing the meal and the one that lets your legs pass through. Here is a method for comparing a model online without confusing back height, seat height and actual available space.
Start with your table, not with a so-called standard height
Prepare a tape measure, a sheet and, if possible, a chair that you already use. Raise the height of the floor above the board. Then measure from the floor to the lowest point under the table, where you will sit: this could be the underside of the tabletop, a wooden belt or a crosspiece. A table advertised at 75 cm does not necessarily leave 75 cm of clearance.
Also note the distance between the legs of the table. A wide top can hide a narrow passage between two inclined legs. For an extendable table, take these measurements closed then open: the actually usable positions may change.
The correct comparison: seat, top and space under the table
The total height of the chair includes its back; it does not allow you to know at what height you will be seated. Look for a measurement explicitly named seat height. For an upholstered seat, ask how it was raised and if an indication under load exists, without deducing settlement yourself.
As a starting point, the manufacturer by Crea generally recommends a gap of 25 to 30 cm between the seat and the top of the top. This benchmark is neither a universal standard nor a guarantee of comfort. The space under the belt, your position and a test remain decisive.
- Gap with the top of the table: height of the table minus seat height.
- Space under the table: height of the low point under the table minus seat height.
- Passage of the chair : width available between obstacles, to be compared to its overall width.
These three checks answer three different questions. A chair can leave a satisfactory gap with the table top and meet a crosspiece under the tabletop. It can also be suitable in height, but not stored between the legs.
Two tables of the same height can give a different result
Example of calculation, unrelated to the dimensions of an Oléa product: imagine a table whose top is 75 cm and a chair whose seat is 46 cm. The gap to the top is 29 cm. If the underside of the top is 72 cm, the calculated space under the table is 26 cm.
With a second table, still 75 cm high, but whose belt goes down to 64 cm, only 18 cm remains above this same seat. The first calculation has not changed; the passage under the table is much reduced. These figures only illustrate the method: they do not validate a person's comfort and do not describe any chair in our catalog.
Faced with a deep seat, do not automatically choose a lower seat. It can free your legs more while placing you too low in relation to the meal. Compare the two effects before deciding.
Test with your current setup
Your current chair provides a concrete point of comparison. Sit at the table like you would during a meal, not just a few seconds at the edge of the seat. Observe what is bothering you: do you have to move forward to reach the tabletop, do you feel too low, do your legs meet the underside of the table? Note the seat height of this chair and the differences sought.
- Test your usual seat and a place at the end of the table.
- Pull back the chair, stand up, then put it back without moving the table.
- Ask another person in the household to do the same test.
- Reproduce the intended use: daily meal, reception more long or frequent passage behind the guests.
The objective is not to obtain a perfect measurement on paper, but to identify a problem before purchasing. If you are comparing a model in store, provide the heights of your table and those of your current chair. Do not modify the legs of a piece of furniture or stack unstable supports to simulate another height.
Don't let the width and back ruin a good choice of height
Mark the footprint on the floor excluding any communication for the chair, then check the necessary setback in your room. The backrest may protrude from the table even when the seat is stored. The feet can also be further apart than the seat: remember the maximum dimension, not just that of the cushion.
For chairs with armrests, add their height to your measurement sheet and check that they pass under the lowest point encountered. For a model without armrests, do not conclude that everything is fine: the backrest and the sides of the seat can limit forward movement. Also check the sideboard openings and paths to the kitchen in real life.
Apply this method to an Oléa chair
The modern green textured Oléa chair provides a concrete visual example: its photos show a rounded silhouette, an openwork back, a ribbed seat and a green finish. These elements help to appreciate his style; they do not give its scale in your dining room.
At the time of preparing this guide, the consulted sheet did not provide a seat height or a dimensioned plan that could be used for this comparison. We therefore do not attribute compatibility with a 75 cm table. Before choosing it, ask for the seat height, overall width and depth, as well as a plan or sized photos of the exact reference. Then compare these measurements to those of your table.
Once the dimensions have been validated, you can work on the color association. Our article on mismatched chairs around a table addresses this second choice, distinct from dimensional compatibility.
Your decision sheet before ordering
- Height above the tabletop and height of the low point under the table.
- Distance between the legs and presence of crossbars.
- Seat height of the exact reference, without confusing it with the total height.
- Overall width and depth; height of the armrests if there are any.
- Comparison with a chair already tested at this table.
- Backing, circulation and storage checked in your room.
Keep a photo of the table and this reading on hand to ask a specific question. “Is this chair suitable for my table?” » becomes much easier to examine with the two heights and a photo of the bottom.
Frequently asked questions
Should all chairs be chosen at the same seat height?
A close height simplifies the comparison of seats, but is not enough: two seats of the same height can have different depths or shapes. For a mismatched set, check each model rather than relying on their common appearance.
Can a cushion correct a chair that is too low?
It modifies the perceived height, but also the space under the table and the available depth. Its compressed thickness is not necessarily its advertised thickness. Don’t make this an assumed solution before purchasing a set; first choose a seat whose dimensions correspond to your use.
Is a dining room chair suitable for a kitchen island?
The name of the room is not enough. Note the height of the surface used: an island can be significantly higher than a dining table. Then compare a seat designed for this height rather than extrapolating from a table chair.
Can we calculate the dimensions from a product photo?
No, not reliably without a known scale and without taking perspective into account. An ambient image helps to project oneself, but does not replace a dimensioned plan. The illustration in this article is a staging, not proof of compatibility with the table represented.
To remember: choose the seat height by looking at both the top and bottom of your table, then validate the size and use. The style completes a combination that already works in the room.
