A dining room table height should be 30” off the floor. This has been determined as the appropriate height to eat given the body size of the general population and is the height that is code for commercial restaurants. It makes sense to use the same measurement in your own residence. The seat height for a chair should be between 15”-18” from the floor to the highest point of the chair seat. 15” seat height can be too low for shorter people. An 18” seat height is usually the best height for most people.
A person seated at a table should have at least 18” of clear space in front of them. That means from the center of a place setting, there should be at least 9” of space on either side. Remember no one has ever complained about having too much space to eat. This is a good rule to decide how many chairs can comfortably fit around a table.
To seat six people comfortably around a rectangular table, it should be at least 48” long. That gives 24” of space to two people each on the long side of the table and the guests at the ends will have the entire end to themselves. Larger people should be placed on the end so they can eat comfortable. To get eight people around a rectangular dining table, it should be at least 72” long. To seat twelve people a table, it needs to be 96” long.
Lighting fixtures such as chandeliers need to hang at least 30” above the table surface. The general rule is to have 30-36” of clear space from the table to the bottom of the lighting fixture. This clearance space allows people to set the table and reach on to the table to access food dishes or anything else, without risking hitting their head.
Follow these simple dining room measurements to set up a relaxing space to entertain friends and family.