The heart of the dining room, the kitchen and sometimes the living room has always been the dining table, as a base for carrying out most daily activities.
However, tables and chairs are often furniture for which one does not have a very clear idea. Over time, apartments have become smaller and the way homes are furnished has changed, adopting more and more of a philosophy of maximum optimization of the available space has turned towards.
The Space required for tables and chairs has therefore become something we had to keep in mind when planning the decor of our apartment or deciding to breathe some fresh air into our dining room.
In this article you will therefore find out everything you need to know to optimally furnish your rooms, taking into account the types and dimensions of tables as well as the characteristics that the chairs you choose must meet.
The dimensions of the table
Before choosing this piece of furniture, you should consider the actual size of the table Number of seats required take into account.
Once we have determined the number of guests at our table, we must take into account that each guest at least 50 to 60 cm in width and 40 cm in depth needed to be able to sit comfortably at the table.
The dimensions of a table for six people should be around 120-140 cm by 80 cm. If, on the other hand, we choose one If we choose a table for eight people, we need a table measuring 160-200 cm x 80 cm.
For a square table, 120 cm per side would be enough to easily accommodate 8 people.
Many believe that the round shape of the table the best option is to use the space on the tabletop. Actually offers a table with a diameter of 120 cm can comfortably accommodate 4 to 5 people.
Taking into account the dimensions of a rectangular table for 6 people (120×80 cm) and the space occupied by the chairs with the seated guests, that is, about 50 cm on each side, the is The total space required for the table and chairs is approximately 220×180 cm.
How much legroom is needed under the table?
In addition to the size of the table top, the space required by the table legs must also be taken into account.
From the point of view of comfort, a table that comes with a is ideal central support is equipped and offers guests more seating space. On the other hand, a table with a single center leg might be slightly less stable if someone is leaning on one end of the table.
For this reason, people often tend to prefer the classic table, where the legs are attached to the corners of the table top, even if they can make sitting a little more difficult if there are a few more people than usual at the table.
How big the distance must be between the table and the wall
Before figuring out what the distance between the table and the wall should be, you need to understand whether the space along the wall is a transitional area or not.
If it is not a passage area, it is enough to leave a distance of 50 cm for the chairsso that you can sit at the table unhindered.
However, if it is a passage area, at least another 30 cm of space must be planned in addition to the 50 cm of space that the chair offersso that the table can be circled around and all guests can be served easily.
The Space required by the table and chairs must therefore be carefully calculated according to the space available in order to keep the passage areas clear. In addition, a large table in a room with limited dimensions would literally overwhelm the environment and would only be a useless and really inconvenient burden.
How much space needs to be left between the table and a piece of furniture
If the piece of furniture next to the table is on the side without doors or drawers is a distance of 50cm ideal for guests to sit comfortably.
If the piece of furniture is positioned on the opening side insteadit is necessary to take into account the opening space of the door and drawers, which is approximately 40 to 60 cm, to which the 50 cm space occupied by the chair must be added.
In this case, too, you have to calculate the space required for the table and chairs down to the centimeter so that you can open doors and drawers if necessary without having to ask your guests to get up.
Rectangular table or round table?
Often it’s just a question of taste, but let’s try to compare the different strengths of rectangular tables and round tables to clarify.
round table
The dining table is synonymous with conviviality, and the more compact a table is and keeps people together, the better it fulfills its function in terms of conviviality.
From this point of view it is fulfilled round table Its function is perfect as it eliminates annoying corners and reduces the distance between those eating.
The round extendable Emma table has a diameter of 120 cm when closed and can be extended up to 160 cm. It offers space for 4 people when closed and 6 people when open. Emma is equipped with crossed iron legs in the middle, which makes it easier to sit and can also accommodate one more person than a rectangular table with the same surface.
However, it should be noted that the Overall space requirement of a round table is larger is than that of a rectangular table. In fact, the rounded and bulbous shape of the tabletop can cause space issues if the table is placed close to a wall, making it difficult to move around it.
Rectangular table
The rectangular table is certainly the easiest to fit into a room. For example, rectangular tables fit much better into long and narrow rooms than round ones.
Our selection of extendable rectangular tables was designed with functionality and design in mind. When closed, the dimensions are particularly small and can be placed in both the living room and the kitchen.
The Table Emma is also available in rectangular shape in two different sizes to better adapt to your spaces, and When open, it can accommodate up to 10 people.
Discover our selection extendable tables and optimize the space required for your table and chairs!
If 60 cm in width and 40 cm in depth are required for each guest, there should be about 30 cm of space between the table top and the seat so that everyone can sit comfortably at the table.
The table tops are on average 70 to 75 cm high, which means that the The height of the seat must be approximately 42 cm above the floor. All guests must have enough space to move their legs and at the same time the table top must not be too high or too low so that users do not assume unnatural positions.
The space that the leg band takes up under the table top must also be taken into account. There must be a distance of at least 20 centimeters between this and the seat so that every guest can sit comfortably.
Also remember that when calculating the space required by the table and chairs a seat depth of 50 cm and a distance of 30-50 cm from the wall must be taken into account.
If you have limited space, also read our article about the Setting up a small apartment and discover all the tricks on how to make the most of the space needed for tables and chairs in your living area, and what mistakes you shouldn’t make to make the most of every space.