Dining Chairs

In terms of functionality, considering the height of the chair with the height of the table is vital. Too high and the chairs won’t work; too low and they will make for uncomfortable dining. There is no set rule on the best height for a chair in New Zealand, however, a good place to start is aiming for around a 30cm gap between the height of the seat of the chair and the tabletop.  Dining room chairs need enough clearance beneath the tabletop for comfortable legroom, so measure both the seat height and the table before making a selection.

Once you have an idea of the right height of dining chairs, the next step is to work out how many are needed, and how many will comfortably fit around the table. It’s important to make sure there is enough space between each chair for people to easily sit and move around the table. When choosing chairs for dining sets, allow enough clearance for seats to move back without obstructing circulation around the table.

Comfort plays a large role in deciding the best dining chairs for any space in New Zealand, but it is often balanced with aesthetics: do the chairs add to the overall decor? Are they statement pieces or envisaged as furniture that should blend into the background? Classic dining chair designs can suit a formal room, while simpler forms often work well with an open-plan kitchen and dining area.

In many cases, comfort is important, and there are many types of chairs that offer differing levels of comfort along with various other advantages or disadvantages. Considering who will be using the dining area and how often is generally a good place to begin. 

Will children be using the space? Are there likely to be many spills? If the answer to this is yes, it may be that a more durable fabric or material is the best option to allow for spills to be easily wiped away. Often, wooden dining chairs are a sought after option in family situations in New Zealand. 

Conversely, if a dining area is part of a formal entertaining space that will be used less frequently, it may be that a different type of material is chosen. Leather is a popular option for formal dining settings, along with upholstered dining chairs.  Black dining chairs can add visual definition to a formal setting, particularly when the table and surrounding finishes are light in colour.

Whether it’s a mismatched aesthetic or a very formal one, there are many creative ways to style dining chairs to invoke an added sense of personality and individuality in a space. Playing with colour, texture and pattern and selecting different chairs that come together to make a statement is a great way to inject a real sense of character in a space. Whether that’s by mixing materials such as rattan, cane and wicker with modern dining chairs, or selecting different fabrics for upholstered chairs, there is unlimited design scope in terms of styling a dining area in New Zealand.  White dining chairs can keep a smaller dining area feeling visually open, while darker upholstery gives the setting more contrast. French fabric dining chairs can introduce pattern and texture, while the upholstery should suit how often the chairs will be used.

Layering dining chairs adds an additional design element. To achieve a cohesive yet eclectic layered look, selecting ‘head’ chairs and ‘side’ chairs is a good option. A head chair can be more of a bold statement, larger in form, or incorporate a bright or geometric pattern or texture. Accompanying side chairs make less of a statement. Using ‘head’ chairs at either end of dining table adds an element of punctuation; defining the ends of a dining area while the side chairs are typically smaller in either size, texture or pattern. In many cases, mixing styles such as oak dining chairs with retro chairs and upholstered chairs can work well when creating an eclectic, layered setting. Bar stools are a popular choice for those in search of higher seating for their dining area.