Short answer
Allow 70 cm (27.5 in) of table edge per chair for comfort, or 60 cm (23.5 in) when you need to squeeze in one more.
The edge of a round table is its diameter multiplied by 3.14. A 110 cm (43.5 in) table has 346 cm (136 in) of edge: four chairs with room to spare, or five at a squeeze.
The chart applies the rule to the common diameters. Use the first column of counts for everyday dining and the second for the occasional extra guest.
| Diameter | Edge | Comfortable | At a squeeze |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90 cm (35.5 in) | 283 cm (111 in) | 4 | 4 |
| 100 cm (39.5 in) | 314 cm (124 in) | 4 | 5 |
| 110 cm (43.5 in) | 346 cm (136 in) | 4 | 5 |
| 120 cm (47 in) | 377 cm (148 in) | 5 | 6 |
| 140 cm (55 in) | 440 cm (173 in) | 6 | 7 |
| 160 cm (63 in) | 503 cm (198 in) | 7 | 8 |
| 180 cm (71 in) | 565 cm (222 in) | 8 | 9 |
Slim, armless chairs with a back no wider than the seat work best, because chairs around a circle meet at their front corners first.
Around a straight edge, chairs stand side by side. Around a curve they point to the centre, so the gap between them narrows towards the table. A chair of 43 to 45 cm (16.9 to 17.7 in) keeps a usable gap at every common diameter; one of 55 cm (21.5 in) or more needs a large table.
Our Bella and Isabell are 43 cm (16.9 in) wide and Karin 45 cm (17.7 in), which is why they suit round tables down to 90 cm (35.5 in). A back that follows the shape of the seat, as on all three, also lets chairs slide in close without touching.
Yes, at tables of about 140 cm (55 in) and up, where each chair gets at least 70 cm (27.5 in) of edge and the armrests clear their neighbours.
Below that, chairs with arms push each other apart and rarely slide in fully. At a 110 cm (43.5 in) table, four armchairs fit but sit well back from the edge.
Check the base as well as the edge. Armrests have to pass under the tabletop, so measure from the floor to the underside: our Sella's armrests are 64 cm (25.2 in) high and Erik's 67 cm (26.4 in), both below the 73 cm (28.7 in) underside of our round Luna. Our guide to dining chairs with arms covers the rest of the choice.
Sella Dining ChairArmrests at 64 cm · from £479View Sella
A round table fits more people into a small or square room, because there are no corners to walk around and chairs can be pushed closer together.
A 110 cm (43.5 in) round table seats four in a space of about 290 x 290 cm (114 x 114 in), including 90 cm (35.5 in) all round to pull out chairs. A rectangle for four, 120 x 80 cm (47 x 31.5 in), needs a space of 300 x 260 cm (118 x 102 in) and seats nobody at the ends.
In a long, narrow room the rectangle wins, because it follows the walls. Our guide to dining chairs for small spaces compares the options in more detail.
Leave 90 cm (35.5 in) between the edge of the table and the wall on every side, so a 110 cm (43.5 in) table needs a clear circle of about 290 cm (114 in) and a 140 cm (55 in) table one of 320 cm (126 in).
Where people walk behind seated guests, allow 110 cm (43 in) on that side.
A rug under a round table should be round too, and large enough that the chairs stay on it when pulled out: roughly 240 cm (94.5 in) across for a 110 cm (43.5 in) table and 270 cm (106 in) for a 140 cm (55 in) table.
Our round Luna table comes in 110 cm (43.5 in) and 140 cm (55 in), 76 cm (30 in) high, and seats four or six of any by Crea dining chair.
The 110 cm (43.5 in) table suits four Bella, Isabell or Karin chairs; the 140 cm (55 in) table takes six of them, or six Sella or Erik chairs with armrests.
Luna is a solid oak top on crossed black steel legs, in Oak, Dark Oak or Black Oak, and like our chairs it is welded, finished and assembled in our own factory. For the full range of shapes and sizes, see our dining tables.
Isabell Dining ChairFrom £39943 cm wide · full-height back
Bella Dining ChairFrom £39943 cm wide · free-standing legs
Karin Dining ChairFrom £46945 cm wide · solid oak
Sella Dining ChairFrom £479Armrests · from 140 cm tables
