The grownup outdoor entertainer has no use for cheap lawn chairs and folding card tables. She has progressed beyond her college kegger days and left the Christmas lights just for the winter months. The right patio dining set is the centerpiece for your outside setup and will set the tone for everything. These days, outdoor and indoor dining sets have been playing around with different table and chair heights, the result of which changes the feel and formality of any occasion.
The majority of tables used for the purpose of dining or writing have throughout modern times measured between 28 and 30 inches, with 29 inches as a common height. The chairs then sit proportionate, with typical seats measuring 11 inches lower. Also, there should be about two feet of leg room beneath the table top and the floor, as well as a foot minimum for knees.
A recent trend in furniture design which has influenced the patio dining set is the appearance of high dining tables. Also known as gathering height and balcony tables, these are raised about half a foot higher than typical tables, or on average 36 inches high. The seating then lies at about 26 inches. This unique realm is in between dining table and bar height, so it is not uncomfortably high, but noticeably so. The chairs themselves are designed to be easier to get in and out of than barstools, especially ones that feature a swivel action. The resulting feeling can either be more formal than a normal table, or more akin to bar-side dining, depending on the surrounding ambience of the decor and the occasion itself. A high patio dining set is inherently more modern looking and is also useful in locations with good surrounding views, getting an elevated perspective over a high wall or fence. It would not however be ideal in areas that are already adequately elevated, like roof decks and could give users the adverse effect of feeling too high up. For indoors, balcony tables look great in cathedral ceiling and loft spaces.
On the other end of the height spectrum are low tables, another relatively modern trend. They are also called chat, gathering and conversation groupings. These are the type of patio dining set you often see at swank clubs and lounges, which have a feeling that is reminiscently Asian in design. These setups are reserved for more casual occasions, such as brunch, drinks, or as the name would imply, chatting. However, they are not necessarily for everyone. Those with long legs or back problems might have trouble fitting underneath and finding comfort sitting so low to the ground. Also, as the opposite of the high patio dining set, the gathering set is perfect for roof balconies, but can tend to feel dwarfed when surrounded by noticeably taller surrounding furniture and walls.
Choosing the right height for a patio dining set requires the consideration of a few factors. The one thing to ask yourself is where it is going to go. What kind of space do you have to work with? Is it indoors, outdoors, on a roof or in a backyard? The second consideration is how it will match your decor and the ambience you want to imbue upon your guests. Is most of your other furniture traditional or modern in design? Do your friends prefer formal sit-down dinners, sophisticated soirees or drinks and mingling? There is no right or wrong answer, it is all up to personal preference.
todd arend is a freelance writing professional whose expertise covers a variety of areas, including patio and backyard furniture, landscaping and design. he regularly writes about patio dining set and outdoor patio dining set.
