Human Dimensions to Furniture Making

Have you ever wondered how furniture should be made or arranged keeping our body dimensions in mind? For example, how much distance should there be between a sofa and your coffee table or how high should a dinning chair be in proportion with the dining table? This is called Anthropometrics – study of human dimensions. In this case, we will incorporate making furniture with anthropometrics to build and use furniture efficiently.

Seating
Depending on where you are sitting, the chair is designed so that you can sit upright or sit back. If you are lounging, the chair is made to recline or while dining, the chair is made upright to help a slight forward motion.
Further, if your feet are unsupported, the body loses stability leading to discomfort. Hence, a bar or some kind of a support is required to help maintain comfort while seating. On the other hand, if the seating is very low, the legs may extend forward which is fine for lounging but not for dining.

Tips while making or choosing Furniture
1. Seat height for dining chairs should be at least 18 inches high.

2. Seat height for lounge chairs and sofa should be at least 16 inches.

3. Knee space under dining table should be a minimum of 12 inches, though 14 is better.

Spacing Requirements while Arranging Furniture
1. Allow at least 24 inches between the side of the bed and the wall so you can get in to make the bed and change the sheets.

2. A dresser and the foot of the bed should be at least 42 inches apart so you can open the drawers easily.

3. Sixteen to 19 inches between sofa and the centre table will give you enough space to get around the table as well as be able to reach it for access.

4. A passage or a hallway created by a wall and the back of the sofa should be 30 to 36 inches wide.

5. Give yourself 36 inches from the edge of the dining table to the wall for easy access in and out of the chair.