Design Tip: Seat Height
One of the most important design “rules” is to keep furnishings in the proper scale. Here are some nice tips from designer, Stephem Milioti regarding chair heights.
A rule of thumb is that the seat height of a chair, sofa or other sitting object. should be between 15 and 18 inches from the ground. Any higher and a seat will feel too throne-like; any lower and you will feel like you are sitting on the floor.
You might think that in a room with several seating arrangements, there would be some flexibility in seat heights. Not so. Excessive variation in seat heights makes it hard for people to talk to each other, which is a problem especially when you are entertaining. Three inches is the maximum seat-height disparity you can have without ruining the party. But don’t try to get around the problem by buying matching seating, which will erase a room’s character.
Please do not buy a matching furniture set with no personality from a big-box store in order to get corresponding seat heights. If you want to buy all your furniture from one company, make sure you get pieces that are similar in seat height, but also present different textures and color tones.
2 Responses to “Design Tip: Seat Height”
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Posted by Jennifer on March 19th, 2007 at 7:21 pm
When I was at design school I took a class on ergonomics and we learned about the 99% man. This is the standard with which all chairs, etc are designed for. Everyone else? Too bad. Unfortunately furniture doesn’t come in sizes, but maybe someone should specialize in that! The petite furniture department.
When I was in grad school we would learn these types of specs, and this girl in my class who was 4’11″ was always lamenting these specs – her legs were always dangling. Then on the other side there’s my 6’4″ dad. I guess I”m lucky to be 5’7″!
Becky