Dining Bench or Dining Chairs? How to Choose for Your Table

The Vela bench is 59.1 inches long, 15.0 inches deep and 17.2 inches high without the cushion; with the cushion it is 18.6 inches high. At that length it can seat several people along one side of a table without the extra elbow room that separate chairs need. Check the bench against the length of your table before you order. The Vela table is 62.0 inches long closed and 77.8 inches extended.

A bench has no backrest, so it suits shorter meals, casual dining and children better than long dinners. A chair gives each person back support: the Vela chair's backrest rises 13.7 inches above the seat, its seat is 19.0 inches high and its seat depth is 16.5 inches. If you or your guests like to linger at the table, put chairs on the sides where people stay longest and use the bench where people come and go.

Yes, and it is a common solution. Put chairs at the ends of the table, where people tend to stay longest and want back support, and a bench along one side, where it seats extra people in less space. A bench works especially well along a wall. The heights line up well: the cushioned Vela bench is 18.6 inches high, and our dining chairs have seat heights of 18.0 to 19.0 inches, so the two sit at similar levels.

The Vela bench is 18.6 inches high with its cushion, or 17.2 inches without it. Our dining chairs have seat heights of 18.0 to 19.0 inches: 19.0 inches for the Vela, 18.5 inches for the Ushi, 18.5 inches for the Aurbit and 18.0 inches for the Orsa. That puts the cushioned bench within about an inch of the chairs, which keeps the seating consistent when you mix them. The Vela tabletop is 30.2 inches high.

Replacement covers for the Vela bench are sold separately, so you can refresh the bench later without replacing the whole piece. This is different from the Vela and Ushi chairs, whose cushion covers are removable and machine washable. Check the care instructions on the product page for the bench cover you choose before you wash it, and follow the care label on the cover for the water temperature and cycle. The care label and the product page always take priority over general advice.

It depends on how much room each person needs. As a rough planning guide, a common rule is about 24 inches of table edge per person, which is general advice rather than a product specification. On the 59.1-inch Vela bench that works out to just under two and a half places, so plan on two adults, with a third place only for a short meal or a child. A bench is flexible, but comfort drops if you squeeze too many people on, and with no backrest it is best for shorter meals.