| If you want to buy dining furniture that is both suitable | | | | only two armchairs, at either end of the dining table |
| and likable; i.e. the kind that you can live happily with for | | | | leaving the rest of the chairs without arms. Also you |
| years to come, it pays to put some thought into what | | | | need to consider how many chairs you need, which |
| you buy. When you talk about dining room chairs, there | | | | will depend largely upon the shape of the table (which |
| are so many choices, that you need to give careful | | | | in turn may depend on the shape of the room). If the |
| consideration to both your requirements as well as | | | | dining table is rectangular, six chairs are usually required, |
| likings: whether you want armchairs or chairs without | | | | whereas four may be the right number for a square |
| arms, upholstered, wood or leather finish, dimensions, | | | | table. Mixing and matching is also an option if you don't |
| design, weight, portability etc. | | | | like a very uniform or matched look. For instance you |
| Dimensions: Make sure that the proportions of the | | | | may pair a traditional table with contemporary chairs or |
| dining room or area, are congruent with the size and | | | | a more contemporary table with old fashioned chairs. |
| dimensions of the dining table and consequently the | | | | Finish: Choose with care the kind of surface that you |
| dining chairs, so that the size of the room does not | | | | want your dining chairs to have: certain surfaces are |
| diminish the size of the dining room furniture or vice | | | | low maintenance and easy care while some are not. If |
| versa. The dining chairs should be sufficiently big to | | | | you like upholstered finishes to your chairs but think |
| offer proper seating support (the chairs should ideally | | | | that they could be very high maintenance, consider slip |
| be a minimum width of 17 inches) and should be the | | | | covers that go over your dining chairs saving them |
| correct height to match the height of the dining table. | | | | from stains, dust and dirt and other wear and tear. |
| An often overlooked aspect of dining room chairs is | | | | Some dining chairs also give you the option of |
| their height: the optimum height of a dining chair is | | | | removable seat cushions so that the seat covers can |
| usually 18 or 19 inches. The general rule is that there | | | | either be laundered or replaced. |
| ought to be a minimum of 12 inches between the top | | | | Weight: the weight of a dining chair should be enough |
| of the seat and the top of the table (usually the height | | | | so that it is steady and firm but also it should be light |
| of a dining table is 29 to 30 inches) | | | | enough that it is not too difficult to pull to and from the |
| Design: Consider whether you want armchairs or | | | | table when being seated. A chair with a slatted back is |
| chairs without arms. In general, having armchairs at the | | | | easy to grip whereas a fully upholstered one is not as |
| dining table creates a more formal appearance. You | | | | easy to get a grip of. |
| can tone down the appearance of formality by having | | | | |