The most common mistake when buying a dining table is measuring the table and not the room. A table that fits the floor space on paper can still leave you squeezing past chairs every mealtime. This guide gives you the numbers to check before you order.
The two measurements that matter
Table edge per person. Allow about 60cm of table edge for each seat. That gives enough elbow room to eat without knocking the person next to you. On a rectangular table, seats go along the two long sides, with one at each end if the table is wide enough (usually 90cm or more).
Clearance around the table. Allow 70cm to 75cm from the table edge to the nearest wall or piece of furniture, on any side where someone will sit. That's enough to pull a chair out and sit down. If people need to walk behind a seated person, make it 90cm to 100cm.
What size table for 4 people
A rectangular table 120cm long by 80cm wide seats four with two on each long side. A square 100cm table also seats four, one per side, and suits a corner or against a wall. A round table 110cm across seats four comfortably.
Room needed: roughly 260cm by 230cm for a 120cm rectangular table with chairs on both sides. See our 4 seater dining table and chairs.
What size table for 6 people
A 150cm or 160cm rectangular table seats six — three per side. A 130cm round table seats six at a closer squeeze; 140cm round is more comfortable.
Room needed: roughly 300cm by 230cm for a 150cm table. See our 6 seater dining table and chairs.
What size table for 8 people
A 180cm rectangular table seats eight if you use both ends, or six down the sides only. A 200cm table seats eight along the sides without needing end seats. Round tables for eight need to be 150cm or more across, which is rare in marble and takes up a lot of floor.
Room needed: roughly 330cm by 230cm for a 180cm table. See our 8 seater dining table and chairs.
What size table for 10 people
You need 220cm or longer, or a 200cm table with end seats. At this size, check the ceiling light position — a long table off-centre under a single pendant looks wrong.
Room needed: roughly 370cm by 230cm. See our 10 seater dining sets.
If you only need the extra seats sometimes
An extendable table sits at 120cm to 160cm day to day and opens to 200cm or more. It's the right answer if you host a few times a year but don't want the table dominating the room the rest of the time. Ceramic and sintered stone extending tables are lighter to open than solid marble.
A quick check before you buy
Mark the table's footprint on the floor with masking tape, then add 75cm on each seated side. If you can still walk around it without turning sideways, it fits.
