The three measurements that decide whether a table is comfortable

Most dining tables are between 735 and 760 mm high, and within that range almost nobody notices the difference. Two other dimensions get far less thought and cause far more complaints.

Apron depth

The apron is the rail running under the top between the legs. What matters is the gap between the underside of that rail and the top of the chair seat. Below about 180 mm, a person of average build cannot cross their legs, and anyone with larger thighs feels the rail all evening.

A deep apron makes a table stiffer, which is why it keeps getting drawn. If you need the stiffness, take it from a thicker top or a stretcher lower down instead.

Where the legs sit

Legs at the extreme corners look correct in a drawing and put a leg exactly where the end diner wants to sit. Setting them in by 150 to 200 mm from each end usually gains a comfortable seat at each end of the table. On a longer table, consider how many people you actually want to seat before deciding the leg positions — not after.

Space per person

Allow around 600 mm of table edge per person for a comfortable meal, and 700 mm if you want it to feel unhurried. Then check the room: you need roughly 900 mm clear behind a chair for someone to get out without asking the person beside them to stand up. That clearance, not the table, is usually what decides the maximum size a room can take.

Doing the check before you commit

Measure the chairs you intend to use, not the chairs in the showroom. Seat height varies more than table height does, and a 30 mm difference in seat height changes the experience considerably more than the same difference in the table.