Designing for Comfort: Seat Height, Depth, and Back Tilt

We aspire to create spaces that are welcoming and generous. While visual expression is essential to a cohesive and beautiful project, the ultimate success of a space is defined by how comfortable you feel in it. Spaces that fit your body and your life are the ones you return to again and again. These are the spaces where memories are made.

A built-in bench integrated to the backyard at Avenue 60

Why Comfort Matters

Too often, custom furniture is proportioned for an “ideal” adult male body or designed as a visual gesture rather than a lived experience. At Supernatural, we design around people — real users with different bodies, ages, and needs. That’s why we pay close attention to three key dimensions: seat height, seat depth, and back tilt.

Seat Height

Seat height is the distance between the ground and the seating surface, corresponding to the heel-to-knee measurement. ADA standards require public seating between 17”–19” high — allowing easier transfers from a wheelchair and making it less difficult for people with hip or knee issues to sit.

But comfort isn’t one-size-fits-all. For younger kids we design seating as low as 8”, while in schools or public spaces we’ll include a range of heights — sometimes up to 28” — so people can perch, lean, or cluster naturally.

Seat Depth

Seat depth — the distance from the front edge to the backrest — defines whether a seat feels upright or lounged. Dining chairs are typically 16”–18”; sofas 20”–24”. But when outdoor benches mimic the depth of indoor lounge seating without pillows, the result can be uncomfortable: most users under 6’2” can’t sit back fully, effectively making it a backless bench.

Our approach: vary depth intentionally, so a bench not only looks good in photos but also works in practice.

Back Tilt

Back tilt is the angle between the seat back and the seat surface. A tilt of 8°–12° often provides the most comfort for upright seating, while more lounged angles require a seat surface that drops slightly toward the back. Mock-ups during construction let us fine-tune comfort with real bodies in real contexts.

Designing for All Ages

Children are not just smaller adults. They squirm, sprawl, and gather in clusters. In school and playground projects, we design furniture at a range of scales to welcome those behaviors — furniture that invites rather than resists play.

Comfort Creates Memory

By carefully considering height, depth, and tilt, we create furniture and site elements that feel good to use — not just to look at. When people feel comfortable, they stay, they return, and they make memories. That’s the ultimate test of design success.