How many people can sit around your dining table? Interior designers decide

When hosting a dinner party – especially during the holidays, it can be tempting to invite everyone first and worry about seating later. 

This leads to too many squashed guests fighting for space when trying to eat. But how do you work out the capacity of your best dining table? 

Here, interior designers and furniture experts have shared their tips for working out how many people can sit around your dining table.

How to work out the capacity of your dining table  

Of course, working out how many people can sit around your dining table is much easier if you have a standard square or rectangular dining table – especially if you accurately judge how big a dining table should be compared to the room. All you have to do is put chairs around the table until no more fit comfortably beneath.

If you have a round dining table, however, things can get a little trickier. Luckily (or unluckily depending on how you view math) there is a simple formula to help you work it out, says Artem Kropovinsky, interior designer and founder of Arsight:

‘When determining seating capacity for any table, always start with the idea of personal space. At a dining table, ensure each person has about 24 to 28 inches of space. This ensures not just physical comfort, but ease in conversation flow,’ he explains. 

‘For round tables, a good starting point is its diameter. Subtract 12 inches (to account for the table's centerpiece and breathing room) and then divide by the aforementioned 24-28 inches. For instance, a 60-inch round table can comfortably seat five to six people, giving each person ample space.’ 

Artem Kropovinsky

Based in New York, Artem Kropovinsky, founder of Arsight, has a decade of extensive and considerable global design experience. Prioritizing minimalism, sustainability, and authenticity, Artem, alongside his team of professionals, works on projects in the US and worldwide.

It is not just the size of your table that you have to consider, but the type of seating you are using, your dinnerware sets, glassware sets, and your dining table decor too, Artem continues. 

‘Overcrowding isn’t just about the number of people. Think about table settings and centerpieces. Opt for taller, slender centerpieces over wide ones. This maximizes your table surface area,’ he suggests.

If you have worked out your table capacity and don't have enough space, it is important to remember the rules about adding more people, Virginia Frischkorn, hosting expert and founder of Partytrick and Bluebird Productions adds.

Rather than adding extra seats to a small dining room, Virginia suggests setting up a separate serving area at the side of the table to allow guests to refill their drinks and plates at will in a more casual setting to keep table space free for people to sit and eat.

Alternatively, you could swap out the seating itself for options that allow more people to sit more comfortably together, such as ‘benches mixed and matched with traditional dining chairs,’ she adds. 

‘One key piece of advice to remember is just because you can add more seating to a round table does not mean you have to,’ she continues. ‘The comfort of your guests is what is important so try to keep a round table to a maximum of eight guests to avoid them butting elbows.

Virginia Frischkorn

With the goal of helping hosts elevate their own gatherings, Victoria Frischkorn founded Partytrick – a digital party planning platform that provides hosts with the tools they need for the perfect party. As the founder and owner of Bluebird Productions in Aspen, CO, Frischkorn is recognized as one of the top luxury event planners in the US by Vogue, Martha Stewart Weddings, Brides, and more. 

FAQs

Sometimes, the size of our table defeats us and our plans and there is a point where you simply can’t squeeze more people in comfortably no matter how hard you try. In these instances, Virginia Frischkorn, hosting expert, reminds us to keep in mind that, at times, ‘it's more practical to have two separate tables rather than attempting to squeeze all the guests around a single large table.’

While this does divide up the conversation a little, it is more comfortable than being sat on top of one another. You can always move the party on to another room after dining to socialize together.