Last call to join, plus the table math I do before anyone buys a dining table.
The November Room Redesign Challenge starts this Sunday, November 1.
This month is Dining Nooks + Dining Rooms. A formal dining room, an open-plan dining area, a breakfast nook or one awkward corner off the kitchen: if it holds a table, it counts.
Before Day 1, I want to give you one lesson whether you join or not. It’s the first thing I do in any dining space, before anyone shops.
I do the table math.
One of the most common things I see is a beautiful table in the wrong size. Too big, and every chair scrapes the wall. Too small, and the room feels empty and the table looks lost. Both are fixable on paper, before you spend a dollar.
The numbers I start with
You only need a few. Write them on a sticky note.
- 36 inches from the table edge to the wall or the nearest piece of furniture, on every side where a chair pulls out.
- 42 to 48 inches on any side where people walk behind someone who’s seated. That’s usually the side facing the kitchen.
- 24 inches of table edge per person.
- 24 inches of rug beyond the table on every side, so the chairs stay on the rug when they’re pulled out.
- ½ to ⅔ of the table’s width for the diameter of the light above it, hung 30 to 36 inches above the tabletop.
That’s it. Now let’s use them.
Example 1: a 12′ x 13′ dining room
Here’s how I’d size a table for a room that’s 12 feet by 13 feet. That’s 144 inches by 156 inches.
Step 1: The table’s length.
156 inches, minus 36 on one end, minus 48 on the end where everyone walks through to the kitchen.
That leaves 72 inches. A 6-foot table.
Step 2: The table’s width.
144 inches, minus 36 on each side, leaves 72. You don’t need a 72-inch-wide table, so this is your breathing room. A table 38 to 42 inches wide is comfortable. Let’s say 40.
Step 3: How many people.
72 inches of table edge divided by 24 inches per person = 3 chairs per side.
That’s 6 comfortably, 8 with a chair at each end. Good news for Thanksgiving.
Step 4: The rug.
Add 24 inches on every side of the table.
72 + 48 = 120 inches long. 40 + 48 = 88 inches wide.
So an 8′ x 10′ rug works. A 5′ x 8′ is smaller than the table plus its chairs, so it’s too small.
Step 5: The light.
½ to ⅔ of a 40-inch-wide table is about 20 to 27 inches across. Hang the bottom of it 30 to 36 inches above the tabletop, and center it on the table, not the room.
Five steps. One sticky note. And now you know exactly what to shop for, and what to skip.
Example 2: a breakfast nook with a banquette
Small space? This is where a banquette earns its keep.
A banquette sits against the wall, so you don’t need clearance behind it. You only need clearance on the open sides.
Let’s use the setup from my banquette guide: a 78-inch L-shaped banquette in a corner and a 48-inch round table.
Step 1: The footprint.
From each wall: about 20 inches of banquette seat, plus the 48-inch table, plus 36 inches of clearance on the open side.
That’s about 104 inches, roughly 8′ 8″, in each direction.
Step 2: Compare it to chairs.
The same table with chairs all the way around needs 36 + 48 + 36 = 120 inches, a full 10 feet, in each direction.
The banquette saves you about 16 inches each way. In a small kitchen, that’s the difference between a nook and no nook.
Step 3: The seats.
A 48-inch round with a banquette seats 4 to 6 people. Chairs go on the open sides, so people can get in and out.
Step 4: The heights.
A standard 30-inch table pairs with an 18-inch banquette seat. Keep the banquette 18 to 20 inches deep so it’s comfortable without eating the floor.
Step 5: The light.
½ to ⅔ of 48 inches is 24 to 32 inches across. Or use a pair of sconces on the wall above the banquette if the ceiling box isn’t where the table is.
Round, oval or rectangle?
The math tells you the size. The room tells you the shape.
- Round: square rooms, nooks and small spaces. No corners to bump, and everyone can see everyone.
- Rectangle: long, narrow rooms. Follow the long direction of the room.
- Oval: a long room that’s also tight. You get the length of a rectangle without the corners in the walkway.
Before you buy: the tape test
Once you have a size, test it on the floor.
- Tape the table’s outline on the floor with painter’s tape.
- Set your chairs around it.
- Pull a chair all the way out, like you’re about to sit down. Does it hit the wall?
- Walk around the table carrying a plate. Can you get past a chair with someone in it?
- If anything feels tight, take 6 inches off the table and tape it again.
Ten minutes with tape is cheaper than a return.
What happens in November
That’s one decision. In the challenge, we take it the whole way, one short lesson a day:
- the table and chairs, starting with what you already own
- the light over the table
- the rug (or no rug)
- the sideboard and the walls
- a plan for the one dinner you’re hosting
Thanksgiving lands on Day 25, so your table is ready when your people arrive.
You don’t need a new dining set. We start with what you have and decide what’s worth replacing, if anything. The Entry + Living Room lessons stay in the archive for you too.
A final thought
Your dining table is where the conversations happen. It deserves a plan, not a guess.
If you’ve been meaning to join, this is the time. Become a paid subscriber before Sunday and you’ll be ready for Day 1. Free gives you the ideas. Paid gives you the plan. Here’s everything the November challenge includes.
Already a paid member? Thank you. I’ll see you on Sunday.
Jill
Plan it on paper first
If you like working this out on paper, my Drawing & Layout Library has 85 real floor plans and design drawings by room, including dining spaces, plus printable planning sheets and a short guide to reading design drawings, so you can sketch your table, chairs and clearances before you buy.
Want help with your own room?
If you’d rather have me design your dining room with you, my Complete Room Design is my online design service for one room, $397. The table math above is exactly where I’d start.
Dining table size: FAQ
How much space do you need around a dining table?
36 inches from the table edge to the wall or the nearest piece of furniture on every side where a chair pulls out, and 42 to 48 inches on any side where people walk behind someone who’s seated.
How do I know how many people a table seats?
Allow 24 inches of table edge per person. A 72-inch table seats 3 per side: 6 comfortably, 8 with a chair at each end.
What size rug goes under a dining table?
Add 24 inches to every side of the table so the chairs stay on the rug when they’re pulled out. For a 72 by 40 inch table, that’s an 8′ x 10′ rug.
How big should the light over a dining table be?
About ½ to ⅔ of the table’s width across, hung 30 to 36 inches above the tabletop and centered on the table, not the room.
Read more on Substack: subscribe free for more room fixes like this, or upgrade for all the perks and the full November challenge.
Originally published on Your Design Guide. Read the post and the comments on Substack: November starts Sunday
