Dining Chairs & Benches for Stylish Dining Spaces

How to Pick Dining Chairs for Your Dining Room Table

Every home needs to feel warm, inviting, and fit in with your personal style. These are protected sanctuaries that play witness to endless memories. From cozy family dinners celebrating a recent graduation to loud neighborhood lunches full of games and good-natured stories, dining table chairs provide a wealth of comfort and functionality.

Our team at Dot Furniture is proud to equip these unique spaces with the finest dining chairs available. We source our products from only the best quality manufacturers with your style, durability, and customized needs in mind. From our selection of practical dining benches to the perfect new set of dining table chairs for your annual New Year's party, we have you covered.

When you are searching for quality dining room chairs, there are a few things to keep in mind.

What is the Functionality & Comfort?

Every home is going to have different needs. You should consider how your new dining table chairs will fit into your lifestyle. For example, young families, where the dining room is a bustling center of activity, probably want to focus more on durability and cleaning ease. You never know when an impromptu pasta dinner or child art session can end in a big mess.

Working professionals, especially at home, will prefer ergonomic or sleek leather dining chairs. These provide the support you need to make it through a busy workday. That is much different than recent graduates outfitting their first apartment. Style and stackability will most likely play a more significant role.

Even vacation homeowners and those furnishing family cabins need quality dining benches to ensure everyone has a place to eat, relax, and play board games on a long rainy day.

Dining rooms come in all sizes, shapes and styles, and the dining room table is often the centre of attention, but your dining chairs are the most important element in the dining room. There are a few things to consider to be sure that you are picking the right chair for you and your family or guests.

 

How many dining chairs do you need?

Generally, the size and shape of your dining table will determine how many chairs you can fit around your dining table comfortably. The number of chairs that you can fit at your dining table also depends on the size of the chairs. Typically dining chairs measure between sixteen to twenty inches wide.

As a general rule, you need at least six inches of space between each chair to allow guests to sit comfortably. This space also allows for enough room for your guests to slide in and out without disturbing other guests. Let's also not forget that extra dining chairs always come in handy for when you have a few extra guests. Sometimes you may not strictly be dining at your table, you might just be sitting around the table socially and then you can easily sit back further from the table and “squeeze” in a few more guests.

What to Look for in a Dining Room Chair

When selecting the perfect chair, you need to think beyond general aesthetics. Functionality and comfort are paramount to your purchase because you want to get as many years as possible. So, what do you look for in a comfortable dining room chair?

• Supportive Design: Ensure your dining table chairs have backrests that align with your spine's natural curve. This promotes good posture and reduces fatigue during those long holiday meals.
• Cushioning: Quality is critical. Always be on the lookout for dining chairs with high-grade foam padding that doesn't lose its form over time and gives you just enough cushioning to feel relaxed.
• Ergonomics: Dining room chairs should be ergonomically designed to let your feet rest flat while ensuring a right angle at your knees. The seat depth should comfortably accommodate your thighs and shouldn’t prevent you from standing up whenever you need to freshen up your drink.
• Armrests: While offering additional support, ensure your choice of armrests allows the chair to slide neatly under the table. For some people, more room to move without armrests is the way to go. For others, enjoying a glass of wine requires an armrest parallel to about halfway up the chest.
• Stability: No one wants a wobbly chair. Stick to dining table chairs with a balanced and multi-point foundation for you and your guests (regardless of size).

How tall should your dining chairs be?

Since dining tables and chairs come in several different sizes, it is important to choose sizes that work together. The standard dining table is thirty inches tall and there needs to be twelve inches between the seat of the chair and the bottom edge of the table for your legs to comfortably fit.

 

What kind of dining chair works best for you?

Beyond style and preference, some chair materials might work better before you than others. Metal Dining Chairs are lightweight and simple to clean and maintain. If you have children or if the dining room receives a lot of traffic, you can quickly wipe these down or even touch them up to keep them looking their best. Upholstered dining chairs feel softer and more comfortable, making them the perfect choice for when you have dinner parties. Softer seating means that you will linger longer and enjoy having conversations with your family and friends.

Let’s Talk About Dining Chair Materials

Canada's vast landscapes and diverse climates inspire our rich array of quality-made dining table chairs. From the soft material along our Tribeca Dining Chair to the handcrafted inlay wood in our Oslo Bench, be sure to read the details so you get the core dining table chairs you want.

 

• Wood: Reflecting the grandeur of Canadian forests, wooden dining chairs are versatile, fitting into most décor themes. Oak brings a light airy feel, while walnut introduces depth and gravitas. With a bit of regular dusting and cleaning with a damp cloth, you can easily preserve these dining chairs and their charm even during harsh winters.
• Leather: Ah, the timeless charm of leather! Leather dining room chairs add sophistication, aging gracefully and only getting better with time, much like a fine Canadian wine. The only thing to watch for here is to keep your leather dining table chairs in the same relative temperature to avoid cracking in the summer.
• Metal: For those inspired by urban Canadian architecture, metal frames, particularly steel or brushed brass, lend an industrial touch to your dining area. These are highly durable dining chair materials that only require the occasional dusting or polishing to reflect the beautiful light of a Canadian morning.

There are other materials like wicker, rattan, and polypropylene, but you get the idea from our collection. We especially love to showcase how our dining chairs with upholstery hold up exceptionally well to busy households full of pets, kids, long-lost relatives, and the occasional college roommate couch surfing for the summer.

While shopping around our dining table chairs collection, don’t forget to consider a new entry to the modern Canadian home, the "dining bench." This option provides a ton of flexible seating, especially when those family gatherings grow larger than expected.

 

What is your style?

Consider the other furniture in the dining room, especially the dining table. The colour and design theme of the rest of the room may lead you to the best dining chair choice. Light colours are a great way to brighten up a room and make it seem larger and airier. While darker colours often present a more polished and elegant look to the design. 

Quite often, if your dining room is filled with traditional styles and that is your taste you will most likely want dining chairs that fit the same style. The same may even be true if your dining room is more contemporary and has modern pieces. But why not consider your options? Perhaps an eclectic look might just be what you need to make your dining room exactly your style. Add dining chairs in different colours or different styles for a unique look. You might even want to add a toss pillow or kidney pillow to add that pop of colour and provide additional comfort and support.

 

Have you considered a dining bench?

Choosing the right dining chairs for your dining room can maximize the comfort and style of your space but let’s not forget one more fun option: dining benches. A dining bench is very inviting, functional and way more fun than an upright chair.

• They Save Space. If you need to save some space you can position your dining bench against a wall and your dining table in the corner of the dining room instead of in the centre. This can make the room appear larger and less cluttered.
• They Offer More Seating. You can comfortably seat more guests around a table by choosing a long bench instead of dining chairs. The people seated in the middle could feel like they might be at a slight disadvantage when it comes to leaving the table, quite often this bench is reserved for children.
• They Can Enhance Your Décor. Whether it’s through the style and colour you choose or the cushions you add later, a dining bench can be a central part of your decor.

Making your dining room practical, functional and beautiful can be just that easy when you make the right choices for you!

 

Find Your Best Dining Chairs Today!

For more than two decades, Dot Furniture has proudly served the personal styles of our client's authentic Canadian spirit. Be it dining chairs, dining room chairs, dining table chairs, or the increasingly popular dining bench, our range promises quality, style, and that unmistakable Canadian charm.

If you have any questions about our carefully curated collection, shoot us a message. After all, the dining room isn't just about meals. These spaces are all about cultivating shared memories to last a lifetime - one chair at a time.