To measure your room for a velvet dining chair, you need six measurements. Take the table height and the underside clearance. Measure the table length and width to work out how many chairs will fit. Check the space behind each chair and the width of nearby walkways. Finally, measure the doorways and the route the chair will take into the room. Compare those figures with the chair’s seat height, width, depth and overall height. A good fit usually means roughly 25 to 30 cm between seat and tabletop, about 60 cm of table width per chair, and 75 to 90 cm of clear space behind each seat.
Velvet chairs are often a little more generous in shape than plain wooden chairs. Curved backs, deeper padding and wider seats are common. That makes careful measuring worth the few minutes it takes. Here’s how to do it step by step.
You don’t need anything specialist. A metal tape measure is more accurate than a soft sewing tape for larger distances. Keep a notebook or your phone handy to record figures, and use some masking tape for marking out chair footprints on the floor. If you can, ask someone to help hold the tape across longer spans.
Measure in centimetres, as most dining furniture is listed that way. Round to the nearest centimetre rather than estimating.
Start with the table, as it sets the rules for the chair. Measure from the floor to the top of the tabletop. Most dining tables sit at around 75 cm, but older, handmade or designer tables can vary.
Next, measure from the floor to the underside of the table. If there’s an apron, the frame that runs beneath the top, measure to the bottom of the apron. This is the figure that determines leg room, and it’s often overlooked.
Compare this with the chair’s seat height. Velvet dining chairs typically have seat heights of about 45 to 48 cm. Subtract the seat height from the underside measurement. A gap of around 25 to 30 cm usually feels comfortable. Less than that and your knees may feel cramped. Much more, and the table can feel too high.
Remember that thick padding can compress slightly when you sit, so a velvet chair may feel a centimetre or so lower in use than its listed height.
Measure the length and width of your tabletop. As a general guide, allow around 60 cm of table edge per person. For wider velvet chairs, especially those with curved or winged backs, allow a little more.
Check the chair’s overall width, not just the seat. The widest point is often at the back or the arms. Then check the space between your table legs. On rectangular tables with a leg at each corner, the chairs along the long sides need to fit between those legs. On pedestal or trestle tables, there’s usually more flexibility.
For round tables, measure the diameter and multiply it by roughly 3.14 to get the circumference. Divide that by your per chair allowance to see how many will sit comfortably.
If you often host larger gatherings, one of our extending dining tables UK can give you extra seating space when you need it, without dedicating that space every day.
This is where many dining rooms feel tight. With the chair tucked under the table, measure from the table edge to the nearest wall, cabinet or piece of furniture.
For someone to pull out a chair and sit down comfortably, aim for around 75 cm between the table edge and any obstruction. If people will also need to walk behind seated diners, 90 cm or more is more comfortable. In very compact rooms, you may choose to place a bench against one wall instead of chairs, which needs far less clearance.
Mark the chair’s depth on the floor with masking tape, both tucked in and pulled out. Seeing the footprint on the floor is often more helpful than numbers alone.
Dining areas rarely stand alone. In many UK homes, they sit within a kitchen, a through lounge or an open plan space. Measure the main walkways around the table: to the kitchen, to doors, to the garden and to any storage.
Keep main routes as clear as possible. A walkway of around 90 cm is generally comfortable for one person, with more needed where people pass each other regularly. Consider how chair backs will sit when pulled out, as a curved velvet back can project further than a straight one.
A rug under the table can help define the dining zone. It should be large enough that chairs stay on it when pulled out, otherwise the back legs catch on the edge. Our rugs UK range includes sizes suited to most dining tables.
Velvet chairs with tall or winged backs can have real presence. Measure the chair’s overall height against features such as window sills, radiators, dado rails and the underside of any wall mounted shelves or cabinets.
If chairs will sit in front of a window, check that the backs won’t block light or clash with the sill. Where a chair sits near a radiator, allow some space: velvet can be affected by prolonged direct heat, and it’s more comfortable for the person sitting there too.
Look at the table from across the room as well. Very tall chair backs can dominate a low table, while very low backs can look lost against a high one. Around 90 to 100 cm overall is typical for a dining chair, though designs vary.
It’s easy to forget that the chair has to reach the room. Measure the width and height of each door along the delivery route, including the front door. Note any tight turns in hallways or on stairs.
Most dining chairs are compact enough to pass through standard doors, but chairs with wide arms or wings are worth checking. Many velvet chairs arrive with legs that attach on assembly, which makes them easier to carry.
Once you have your figures, compare them with the chair’s listed dimensions. A simple checklist helps:
When everything lines up, you can choose on style with confidence. Our modern velvet dining chairs UK collection lists full dimensions for each design, which makes comparison straightforward.
Velvet brings richness and softness to a dining room, but it has some particular qualities worth bearing in mind when planning space.
First, velvet chairs are often more substantial in shape, so they can feel larger in a room than their measurements suggest. Deep colours such as emerald, navy and burgundy add visual weight too. In a compact space, lighter shades or slimmer legs help keep things balanced.
Second, velvet responds to how chairs are used. Pushing a velvet chair repeatedly against a table edge can flatten the pile at the top of the back. Leaving a little clearance when chairs are tucked in avoids this.
Finally, velvet catches the light. Where you place the table relative to windows and lamps will change how the colour looks through the day. It’s another reason to think about the whole room, not just the table.
If you’re planning a room from scratch, your table choice will shape how many velvet chairs you can fit. Round tables are sociable and work well in square rooms or corners. Rectangular tables suit longer, narrower spaces. Oval tables give a softer outline with less chance of catching a hip on a corner.
Browse our modern dining tables UK to compare shapes and sizes. Matching them against your room measurements before choosing chairs makes the whole setting easier to plan.
At Furniture in Fashion, we offer velvet dining chairs in a range of shapes and colours, with free delivery to most UK mainland postcodes.
Most velvet dining chairs have a seat height of around 45 to 48 cm, which suits a standard table of about 75 cm. Always check the individual listing, as designs vary.
Aim for about 75 cm from the table edge to any wall or furniture so people can sit down easily. Allow 90 cm or more if others will need to walk behind seated diners.
Often, yes. Velvet chairs tend to have deeper padding and fuller shapes. Check the overall width and depth rather than assuming they match your previous chairs.
Only if the arms clear the underside of the tabletop or apron. Measure the arm height and compare it with the clearance under your table before choosing.
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