Armchair Dimensions: What Size Do You Need?

Armchair Dimensions: What Size Armchair Do You Need?

By Alexandra PetterssonReviewed by Alexander TjernströmUpdated 27 September 2026

Short answer

65 to 85 cm: Wide
35 to 45 cm: Seat height
90 cm: Walkway, as a planning guide

Most armchairs are 65 to 85 cm wide and 75 to 90 cm deep. For comfort, look at the seat: a lounge armchair usually has a seat height of 35 to 45 cm and a seat depth of 50 to 55 cm. In the room, a good planning guide is about 90 cm of walkway around the chair and 40 to 45 cm between the chair and a coffee table.

An armchair is bigger than it looks in a photograph. The footprint of a deep lounge chair is closer to that of a small table than a dining chair, and the measurements that decide comfort, seat height and seat depth, are rarely the first ones listed. This guide explains every dimension on an armchair, what the typical ranges are, which numbers matter for your body and which for your room, and how much space to leave around the chair. Every figure is in centimetres, with the full measurements of our own armchairs, Kent and Einar.

What is the standard size of an armchair?

Most armchairs are 65 to 85 cm wide, 75 to 90 cm deep and 70 to 100 cm tall, depending on the style.

Compact armchairs for small rooms start around 60 cm wide; generously padded club chairs can pass 90 cm. Height varies most, from low lounge chairs to high-backed wing chairs.

The chart below gives the full measurements of our two armchairs, taken from their technical drawings.

Full measurements of by Crea armchairs
Measurement	Kent	Einar
Width	67 cm	71 cm
Depth	82 cm	81 cm
Height	70 cm	70 cm
Seat height	38 cm	38 cm
Arm height	49 cm	49 cm
Seat depth	53 cm	53 cm

What seat height should an armchair have?

Lounge armchairs usually have a seat height of 35 to 45 cm, lower than a dining chair's 45 to 48 cm.

The lower the seat, the more you lean back and the more relaxed the chair feels. The trade-off is that a low seat is harder to rise from.

Seat height is measured from the floor to the top of the seat cushion at the front edge. Kent and Einar sit at 38 cm, a true lounge height. For a chair at a table, see our dining chair height guide instead.

Armchair Einar with oak frame and ivory bouclé cushion for modern living spaces. — Einar's seat, 38 cm from the floor and 53 cm deep.

How deep should an armchair seat be?

A seat depth of 50 to 55 cm suits most adults in a lounge armchair: deep enough to lean back, not so deep that your feet leave the floor.

Seat depth is measured from the front edge of the seat to the back cushion. Taller people are happy with more depth; shorter people may want a cushion behind their back in a very deep chair.

Kent and Einar have a seat depth of 53 cm, with full-height back cushions. Our guide to what makes an armchair comfortable explains how seat height and depth work together.

How high are the arms of an armchair?

The arms of a lounge armchair usually sit 45 to 65 cm from the floor: low arms keep a chair open and light, high arms wrap around you.

Try the arms with your forearms resting on them. They should carry the weight of your arms without lifting your shoulders. Arm height also decides which side tables work beside the chair.

The arms of Kent and Einar are 49 cm from the floor, 11 cm above the seat cushion, a low line that keeps the chairs open. A side table of 45 to 55 cm sits comfortably next to them.

Armchair Kent in black velvet with a sleek black frame, paired with a wooden side table in a stylish minimalist setting. — Kent with a side table at the height of its arms.View Einar

Einar ArmchairArms at 49 cm · from 14.995 krView Einar

How much space do you need around an armchair?

As a planning guide, leave about 90 cm of walkway in front of or beside the chair, and 40 to 45 cm between the chair and a coffee table.

The coffee table distance is close enough to put down a cup without leaning forward. The walkway lets people pass without climbing over feet.

With a deep lounge chair, also check the depth against the wall behind it: Kent and Einar need 81 to 82 cm from the wall to the front edge. Our guide to where to put an armchair covers layouts with a sofa.

How do you measure your room for an armchair?

Measure the width and depth of the floor you have in mind, subtract the walkway, and mark the chair's footprint on the floor with tape before you buy.

Measure door openings and stairs too. Our armchairs are delivered fully assembled, so the chair has to pass through the narrowest doorway on its way in, turned on its side if needed.

For a small room, our guide to armchairs for small living rooms suggests the footprints that fit. Browse all our armchairs with their full dimensions.

Armchair size in three numbers

67 x 82 cm: Kent. Einar is 71 x 81 cm.
38 cm: Seat height, 53 cm seat depth on both.
40 to 45 cm: Between the armchair and a coffee table, as a guide.

Plan for a footprint of 65 to 85 cm wide and 75 to 90 cm deep, a seat 35 to 45 cm high and 50 to 55 cm deep, and, as a rule of thumb, 90 cm of walkway around it. Kent measures 67 x 82 cm and Einar 71 x 81 cm. Both are made in our own factory in Malmö, Sweden, delivered fully assembled and covered by a 10-year warranty.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average size of an armchair?

About 65 to 85 cm wide and 75 to 90 cm deep, with a height of 70 to 100 cm depending on the back.

What is a normal seat height for an armchair?

35 to 45 cm for a lounge armchair, lower than a dining chair. Our Kent and Einar sit at 38 cm.

How deep is an armchair seat?

Usually 50 to 55 cm in a lounge armchair. Kent and Einar have a 53 cm seat depth.

How far should an armchair be from a coffee table?

As a guide, 40 to 45 cm, close enough to reach a cup without leaning forward, with about 90 cm of walkway elsewhere.

How wide is a small armchair?

Around 60 to 70 cm. Our Kent, at 67 cm, is the narrower of our two armchairs.

Are by Crea armchairs delivered assembled?

Yes, fully assembled, so check that the chair fits through your narrowest doorway, turned on its side if necessary.