Dining Chairs for Small Spaces: How to Fit More Into Less Room

By Alexandra PetterssonReviewed by Alexander TjernströmUpdated

Short answer

43 to 45 cm
16.9 to 17.7 in chair width
75 cm
29.5 in behind each chair, minimum
290 cm
114 in square for a table for four

In a small dining space, choose armless chairs 43 to 45 cm (16.9 to 17.7 in) wide that slide fully under the table, and pair them with a round table or one whose legs sit in from the corners. Leave 75 cm (29.5 in) behind each chair as the bare minimum and 90 cm (35.5 in) for comfort. A 110 cm (43.5 in) round table seats four in a space of about 290 x 290 cm (114 x 114 in).

Read the guideSee the chairs

Part of the guide to Dining Chairs

Dining chair Bella features a black frame and ivory leather cushion, perfect for a modern dining space.
Bella in ivory vegan leather, 43 cm (16.9 in) wide.Bella Dining Chair · fromFrom £399

A small dining area rarely lacks room for the table. It lacks room for the chairs: pulled out, they block the walkway, and pushed in, they still stick out. The right chairs take less floor, disappear under the table between meals and look light enough not to crowd the room. This guide gives the chair sizes that work in small spaces, the table shapes that seat the most people per square metre, the space to leave behind each chair, and how to make a dining corner feel larger. Every figure is in centimetres and inches, with the measurements of each by Crea dining chair.

What size dining chair is best for a small space?

Armless chairs 43 to 45 cm (16.9 to 17.7 in) wide and under 50 cm (19.7 in) deep take the least floor and still seat an adult comfortably.

Width decides how many chairs fit along the table; depth decides how far they stick out when pushed in. A light chair also matters in a small room, because it gets moved every time someone passes.

The chart below gives the footprint and weight of each of our dining chairs, most compact first.

Dining chair Karin in oak wood frame, showcasing sculpted curves and solid design in a modern dining setting.
Karin, 45 x 44 cm (17.7 x 17.3 in), our most compact dining chair.
Footprint and weight per by Crea dining chair
ModelWidth x depthWeight
Karin 45 x 44 cm (17.7 x 17.3 in)8 kg (17.6 lbs)
Bella 43 x 49 cm (16.9 x 19.3 in)6 kg (13.2 lbs)
Isabell 43 x 49 cm (16.9 x 19.3 in)6 kg (13.2 lbs)
Sella, with armrests 50 x 55 cm (19.7 x 21.7 in)8 kg (17.6 lbs)
Erik, with armrests 54 x 45 cm (21.3 x 17.7 in)8 kg (17.6 lbs)

Do chairs that slide under the table save space?

Yes: an armless chair pushed fully under the table takes almost no floor between meals, which in a small room is worth more than any other feature.

For a chair to slide all the way in, its seat, and its armrests if it has them, must pass under the tabletop or apron, so only the backrest stays outside the table's edge.

Bella, Isabell and Karin slide fully under our 76 cm (30 in) tables, whose underside is at 73 cm (28.7 in). On a table with a deep apron, check the height to the lowest point under the edge first; the dining chair height guide explains the measurement.

Which table shape is best for a small dining room?

A round table suits a small, square room and seats four in the least space; a narrow rectangle suits a long room or a table against a wall.

A 110 cm (43.5 in) round table seats four in about 290 x 290 cm (114 x 114 in), with room all round to pull out the chairs. A 120 x 80 cm (47 x 31.5 in) rectangle seats four in a space of 300 x 260 cm (118 x 102 in).

Table legs matter as much as the shape. Legs set in from the corners, or a central base like the crossed legs of our round Luna, leave the corners free for knees. Our guide to chairs for a round table has the full chart by diameter.

Round Dining Table Luna with a solid oak top on crossed black steel legs, seen from the front
Luna, 110 cm (43.5 in) across, seats four in a small room.View Luna
Luna Dining TableSeats four at 110 cm · from £2,799View Luna

How much space do you need behind a dining chair?

Leave 75 cm (29.5 in) between the table edge and the wall as the bare minimum for pulling a chair out and sitting down, and 90 cm (35.5 in) for comfort.

Below 75 cm (29.5 in), the person on that side has to squeeze in sideways. Where the space behind the chairs is also a walkway, allow 110 cm (43 in) so someone can pass a seated guest.

In a tight corner, put the table against the wall on one side and seat people on the other three. You lose one or two seats, but gain the width of a whole walkway. Our guide to how many chairs fit a dining table gives the count for every table size.

What is the difference between a kitchen chair and a dining chair?

There is no fixed difference: a kitchen chair is usually a lighter, simpler dining chair, and any dining chair with an easy-clean seat works in a kitchen.

What a kitchen asks for is a seat that shrugs off daily spills and a frame that is easy to lift and wipe. Vegan leather wipes clean with a damp cloth, lacquered oak needs no oiling, and a bouclé tested for pet claws copes with a busy household.

If your kitchen has an island rather than a table, you need counter stools instead of chairs; our guide to bar stools for small kitchen islands covers that case, and the best fabric for dining chairs compares the upholstery options.

How do you make a small dining area feel bigger?

Choose chairs you can see through, with slim legs and open frames, keep their colour close to the walls or floor, and keep only as many chairs at the table as you use every day.

A chair with free-standing legs and no rails between them, like Bella, lets the floor show through; a slim black steel frame reads as a line, not a mass. Oak chairs in the same tone as the floor blend into the room rather than breaking it up.

Extra chairs for guests can live elsewhere, in a hallway or a bedroom, and come to the table when they are needed. Our dining chairs are all delivered fully assembled, so every one is ready to use from day one.

Small spaces in three numbers

43 cm
16.9 in: the narrowest chairs, Bella and Isabell, at 6 kg (13.2 lbs).
75 cm
29.5 in behind each chair at least; 90 cm (35.5 in) for comfort.
110 cm
43.5 in: a round table that seats four in a small room.

Choose armless chairs 43 to 45 cm (16.9 to 17.7 in) wide that slide fully under the table. Leave 75 cm (29.5 in) behind each chair as the minimum and 90 cm (35.5 in) for comfort. For four people in a square room, a 110 cm (43.5 in) round table needs about 290 x 290 cm (114 x 114 in). Every by Crea dining chair is made in our own factory in Malmö, Sweden, delivered fully assembled and covered by a 10-year warranty.

Frequently asked questions

What size dining chair is best for a small space?

An armless chair 43 to 45 cm (16.9 to 17.7 in) wide and under 50 cm (19.7 in) deep that slides fully under the table.

How much space do you need behind a dining chair?

At least 75 cm (29.5 in) from the table edge to the wall to pull a chair out and sit down, 90 cm (35.5 in) for comfort and 110 cm (43 in) where people walk behind.

Is a round table better for a small space?

In a square room, yes: a 110 cm (43.5 in) round table seats four in about 290 x 290 cm (114 x 114 in). In a long, narrow room a slim rectangle fits better.

What is the smallest dining table for four?

A round table of 90 to 110 cm (35.5 to 43.5 in) across, or a rectangle of about 120 x 80 cm (47 x 31.5 in).

Are chairs with arms a bad idea in a small dining room?

They need 70 cm (27.5 in) of table each instead of 60 cm (23.5 in), so they cost seats. One pair at the ends of the table is often the right compromise.

Which by Crea chair takes the least space?

Karin, at 45 x 44 cm (17.7 x 17.3 in), has the smallest footprint; Bella and Isabell are the narrowest at 43 cm (16.9 in) and the lightest at 6 kg (13.2 lbs).

Shop the chairs in this guide

All dining chairs
  • Made in Malmö, Sweden
  • Delivered fully assembled
  • 10-year warranty
  • Try a chair at home
  • Made in Malmö
  • Fully assembled
  • 10-year warranty
  • Try a chair at home
Karin Dining ChairFrom £469 Shop