Dining Room Spacing

Posted on March 15, 2014 by Richard Marken

What's the best way to lay out your floor plan or dining room? Best to be prepared and follow a few easy guidelines. 

LENGTH: A few things you'll need to know? How many people will be eating at this table? If it is your personal dining room, how many people would you like to entertain at one time?

• Give each person a minimum of 24" of table surface. Better yet, you should allow about 30" each for a roomier dining space.

• For Rectangular or square table tops you should allow for an additional 12" at either end to accommodate diners at the "head" and "foot" of the table.

• I.e. For a typical household dining table that seats 6, you would need to ensure; 12" each for each end or, 24". Plus 24" to 30" for each guest on the sides (2 each side = 4), so 48" to 60", this should equal a minimum of 72" long.

WIDTH OR DEPTH: Most dining tables are about 36" wide and vary from 30" to 48". If it is any more than 48" wide, it can get difficult to reach across the table. 

TABLE HEIGHT:

• Standard Table Height is 30" high.
• Typically, standard seat height is 18" (from the seat to the floor). This allows for comfortable leg room for people of most height varieties
• A good rule of thumb is to allow 12" between the top of your dining surface and the seat height of your chair seat. (you can follow this along for bar stools, etc.)

ROUND TABLES: You should allow 30" per person along the circle, as their "wedge of the pie" will get smaller as you go inward toward the center of the table. 

So, as per the below guide, you should be able to determine the number and types of table tops sizes you will need:

• A 60" round (diameter) table will comfortably seat six
• A 48" round (diameter) table will comfortably seat four and you can squeeze in six, if it is a lounge or patio - or just a busy night.

ROOM SIZE: To ensure enough room for a person to stand up and push their chair back from the table, you should allow a minimum of 36" between the table edge and the wall or next chair. Optimally, 44". Check with your state or provincial guidelines, but you may require as much as 54" for wheelchair access. 

NOTES:

• You can seat up to 6 people at a table that is 36" wide x 60" long if its in an informal dining area like a lounge or patio.
• Pedestal base sizes are determined by the table top size. Make sure that you are not putting on too small of a base size for the table top, making the table unstable. Or conversely, too large and getting in the way of your guest's feet.
• Bar Height Tops: These are great for informal dining and lounge seating. Standard bar table height is 42". Use a 30" barstool to go with this (remember: 12" between the top of your dining surface and your seat)

*Image courtesy of Serge Bertasius Photography / FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

Posted in #tables #sizing