Expert Answers: How Much Space Per Seat Do You Need at Your Kitchen Island?

I see many furniture crimes in my work as an interior designer, and one of the big ones happens in the hub of the home. It’s led me to answer the question so many of you are wondering: how much space per seat at a kitchen island is needed?

It’s something a lot of our design clients get wrong, and something the team and I carefully calculate every time we’re ordering stools for a kitchen counter. Because what can mistakes like this be? Costly!

So let me show you how we do it here at TLC Interiors, so you can do you own calculations and order the right amount of seats for your kitchen island – no blunders!

On the hunt for seating? Here’s our roundup of 50 amazing stools for all budgets.

Allocate 20cm (or 7.87 Inches) Either Side of the Seat

One of the biggest things people don’t consider when working out how much space per seat is needed at their kitchen island, is what the experience is like for people sitting on the stools.

Sure, you can squeeze kitchen stools right up against one another at the island, but what happens when people are sitting side-by-side? Where are their elbows going? Where are their knees going? Do they really want to sit that close to the person beside them?

In most cases, people are wider than the seat they’re sitting on. So, to allow space for people’s arms and legs when they sitting down, leave a minimum of 20cm (or 7.87 inches) either side of the kitchen seat/stool you’re considering purchasing.

Calculating How Much Space Per Seat at a Kitchen Island is Needed

Below I’ll take you through how to work out how much space per seat at a kitchen island is needed, and I’ll also how you an image with the measurements laid out so it makes sense.

1. First Measure the Length of Your Kitchen Island

To work out how many seats will fit best, first measure the length of your kitchen island. You need this figure to begin, then we’ll move onto the width of the chairs you’re looking to purchase.

For this example we’ll use a kitchen island of 300cm (or 118.11 inches), which is common in a lot of the larger kitchens we tend to see in our design work. If your island is a different size, write it down regardless and we’ll work through it.

Important: Beware waterfall edges on some kitchen islands, as the horizontal length on top will be different to the space where the stools will sit underneath the countertop. You always want to measure the section inside the waterfall edge if there is one present.

2. Next Measure the Width of the Seats/Stools You’re Considering

All suppliers will list the width of the kitchen seats/stools they’re stocking, so you’ll be able to get those details from their website.

Now, ensure it’s not just the seat width they’re giving you, because the legs on some stools taper out wider then the seat itself. You want the widest section when calculating how much space you need for your island bench seats.

For this example we’ll say that the width of the seat/stool you’re looking at is 50cm (or 19.6 inches). This is a pretty decent seat width and allows for plenty of room to spread out.

3. Divide the Length of the Bench by the Width of the Stool

Now that you have the length of your kitchen island and the width of the stools you’re considering for it, it’s time for some basic calculations.

You need to divide the length of the bench by the width of the stool. In our example it looks as follows: 300cm divided by 50cm = 6 stools

But (and this is crucial), 6 stools is the amount of seating that would fit side by side under the bench with zero space between them. We don’t want this, because we know you need approximately 20cm (7.87 inches) between each one.

4. Allow for The Space Between Each Kitchen Stool

In the example we’re working with, we know we need space between the kitchen stools, so we can’t possibly fit six at the island.

By dropping it down to four stools, we allow for them to fit with plenty of room between: 4 stools x 50cm = 200cm. That leaves us 100cm of space in total to leave between the chairs and some left over for either side of the outer stools.

The image above lays it all out for you with all of the calculations listed. This is a beautiful kitchen via Arden Homes and the spatial planning here is perfect. If you were to reduce the width of the stools here, you could get one more in.

Adjust the Space Per Seat According to Your Needs

In calculating how much space per seat is needed at a kitchen island, we’ve gone with the ideal measurements, allowing plenty of space so people don’t feel cramped when sitting down.

Of course, if you have a family who don’t mind sitting closer together (or its rare everyone is sitting at the island at the same time), you could reduce the space between each stool. Or, you could have no space either side of the outer stools and the end of the island.

As a rule though, you wouldn’t want to have the kitchen island stools sitting with less than 10cm (approx 4 inches) between them. Not only would it be hard to get in and out of them when everyone is sitting, but it’ll look quite visually cluttered.

Or, Choose Kitchen Island Seats That Aren’t as Wide

The other option, if you want a sense of space between your kitchen island seats, is to reduce the width of each seat/stool. Rather than a 50cm seat width like we’ve gone with in the example above, reduce to 40cm each.

Also consider backless kitchen island stools, which look less visually busy in the space and will keep the overall vibe in this zone feeling more open and airy.

At the end of the day, something has to give if you have the need to fit a number of stools around the island. You’re either going to need to reduce the width of the seat, or the space between them.

Drop Your Space-Per-Seat Questions in the Comments Below

Hopefully this post has allowed you to accurately determine how much space at a kitchen island is needed at your place. We used some pretty common dimensions, but of course every home, kitchen island, and stool is different.

If the above calculations have left you with more questions than answers, feel free to drop a query below with the dimensions of your kitchen island and the team and I can help you calculate the right amount of seats for the area.

Happy decorating, and see you in the comments!