How Much Space Around a Dining Table?

Designing the interior of a house can be quite challenging and thought-provoking. What kind of color scheme should one go for? What is the right furniture to place in the different rooms? Should one focus on ergonomics too?

You need to consider these questions when sorting out the dining room decorations. The dining table is the centerpiece of the room. But what about the space around it? Should you leave any space or slide it towards the corner and against the wall?

There are a lot of questions that might be swirling around in your mind. This article will explore all you need to know about your dining room’s layout and the ideal space you should leave around the dining table.

Rule of Thumb: 24 Inches of Space

If you are entirely new to decorating a dining space, the only thing worth remembering is that the rule of thumb is leaving 24” of space between each person around the dining table.

This includes the chairs that are placed beside each other and the chairs that are placed across each side of the dining table.

Besides the chair, you also need to focus on the area surrounding the dining table. Typically, that space is around 36”, which leaves enough room for people to drag the chair back and then get off the chair comfortably.

Not leaving enough space around the dining table will make the area feel very congested, something that no one wants when eating their meals.

Also, each dining table should be at least 30-36” wide, allowing enough space for the dishes, platters, bowls, and food to be laid out without hassle.

Dining Room Dimensions

When it comes to sorting the dining room dimensions, there are certain factors you need to keep in mind. The most vital of them is the dimensions.

The first factor is determining the distance between the edge of the dining table and the wall surrounding it. You must leave 3 feet of space between the table and the wall. It doesn’t matter if you have a circular, rectangular, or oval table – this is a standard requirement.

Maintaining the 3 feet or 36 inches distance allows everyone to be seated comfortably in the chairs around the dining table without feeling trapped or congested in a room.

The space will enable people to pull out the chairs comfortably without banging them against the wall. It also provides people enough space to move around the back of the table.

Once you have the 3 feet distance calculated and sorted out around the dining table, the next is the distance between the chairs. This depends on how many chairs you have and how large the dining table is.

If it’s an 8-seater dining table, you can place three chairs at 8 inches distance from each other on either side of the table. And then you have the remaining two chairs at the two far ends of the dining table.

Here’s a quick breakdown of the dining table’s standard dimension depending on the table’s shape and the number of people to be seated.

Round Dining Table

Round dining tables are possibly the most common and aesthetic option you can add to your dining room. They create a very cozy vibe; wherein everyone is sat together and enjoys a meal over a discussion.

Installing a round dining table is also ideal for dining rooms with limited space. Here are some of the standard dimensions:

Oval Dining Table

Oval dining tables are pretty similar to the rectangular ones, except that they are curved around the edges. Since they have an elongated shape, they can seat more people quickly and comfortably. Also, since the corners don’t stick, the oval dining table works great in limited spaces.

Square Dining Table

This is a public favorite, especially in the apartments that have a very restrictive dining room layout. Square dining tables are also great for people who live alone or with their partner and don’t have many guests tumbling into their homes.

Rectangular Dining Table

Last but not the least is the most common shape of dining table found in most houses. They do take up a lot of space, meaning you should have a larger dining room to accommodate something like this.

How Much Room Do You Need Between the Dining Table and Wall?

We have briefly touched on this subject in a previous section of the article. But, the minimum distance you should maintain between the dining table and the wall is to keep 3 feet distance around all corners.

This means that irrespective of the shape and size of the dining table, you should have 3 feet distance from every direction of the dining table. This ensures a comfortable dining room layout, enabling everyone to feel at ease.

Also, leaving enough space allows everyone to pull the chair, get off the chair and move around the dining table comfortably without accidentally hitting anything.

How Much Space Between Dining Chairs In CM?

The size of the chairs affects the layout and design of the dining room you are sorting out. When setting up your dining room space, we’d recommend you start with buying the chairs first.

Knowing the dimensions of your chair will enable you to buy a dining table that can accommodate all those chairs without any issues.

Most side chairs measure between 16 and 24”, and they don’t have armrests. So, if your dining table measures 60” in length, you can place three side chairs and have extra room between each seating.

However, if the individual chairs measure over 24”, you might have to consider buying a dining table that’s 6” more than that total width of the dining table setting.

Also, when buying chairs for your dining table, you need to consider the chair’s height. You want to leave enough clearance space between the chair seat and the table top for comfortable seating.

Conclusion

Although the dining room layout and design might not seem very important in hindsight, we’d recommend you pay close attention to it. Designing the space with the proper ergonomics will ensure you won’t regret spending on the different elements in your dining room. It allows you to spruce up the look of the space without overburdening things.