How to choose a dining table size: seats, space and shape

How much table width does each person need?

Plan 60 to 70 cm of table edge for each person, so that elbows do not touch. A table 160 cm long seats four, one of 200 cm seats six, and one of 220 cm seats six comfortably or eight when two people sit at the ends.

If you often host, size the table for the busiest dinner, not the usual one. People sit closer for a few hours far more easily than they live with a table that is too small every week. A table that is a little long is also easier to live with than one you have to extend or replace.

• 160 cm long: 4 people
• 200 cm long: 6 people
• 240 cm long: 8 people, a few more with the ends
• 280 cm long: 10 people or more

How deep should the table be?

A depth of 90 to 100 cm suits most tables: it leaves space for plates and serving dishes and still lets you talk across it. Under 80 cm feels tight with food on it, and over 110 cm makes it hard to pass a dish.

Our dining tables are 100 to 110 cm deep and 75 cm high as standard.

How much space should I leave around the table?

Leave at least 90 cm between the table edge and the wall or a sideboard, and about 100 cm if people walk behind the chairs. That allows a chair to be pulled out (about 60 cm) and a person to pass.

Add this to the table length and width to find the minimum room size: a table of 220 by 100 cm needs a space of roughly 400 by 280 cm for comfortable seating. Measure the room with a tape, then mark the table on the floor to check how it feels.

In a small room, choose the shortest table that seats your household and push one long side towards a wall. In an open-plan room, size the table so that the walkway from the kitchen stays at least 90 cm wide. Because the length is set to the centimetre, a table can end exactly where the sofa area begins.

Which table shape is best?

A rectangle seats the most people in a long, narrow room, a round table suits a small or square room and makes talking easier, and an oval is a softer rectangle that reduces sharp corners. Round tables of 120 cm seat four, and 150 cm seat six.

Our dining tables are sized by length on a slider. If you want a round or oval table, or another shape, send us the idea on the custom design page.

What sizes are Enzo dining tables?

Enzo dining tables are 220 cm long as standard, and the slider runs from 160 to 280 cm in steps of 20 cm. Their lead time is 5 to 7 weeks.

Some tops are red beech wood and some use marble, so the weight and the price differ. Check that the lift and stairs can take a top of that size, since a long table top is the hardest part to carry through a stairwell.

• Mesa: 220 cm long, 100 cm deep, 75 cm high
• Piazza: 220 cm long, 100 cm deep, 75 cm high (marble)
• Forno: 220 cm long, 100 cm deep, 75 cm high
• Aria: 220 cm long, 100 cm deep, 75 cm high (marble)
• Tavola: 220 cm long, 100 cm deep, 75 cm high
• Cena: 220 cm long, 110 cm deep, 75 cm high

How high should the table be, and how many chairs fit?

A dining table is usually 73 to 76 cm high and the chair seat 43 to 47 cm, which leaves about 28 to 30 cm for your legs. Pair a table and chairs by these two numbers, and sit on the chair before you order if you can.

A chair needs about 45 to 55 cm of table edge, and a chair with arms needs 60 cm or more. Count the chairs against the table length before you order, and remember that the chairs at each end sit on the short sides.

Chairs from Enzo are 60 to 80 cm wide, so check the width of the chairs you like against the table length.