The question we get most on WhatsApp isn't "which table is prettiest?". It's "will it fit?". And it nearly always arrives with a photo of the living room and a tape measure stretched across the floor.
So we start there, with the numbers. Looks come later, and they're easier to get right once the measurements are clear.
The dining table: count chairs first, then centimetres
One person eats comfortably with about 60 cm of table width. If you like elbow room, or the chairs have arms, go for 70. Across the table, each diner needs about 40 cm, so a table 80 cm wide is tight for plates on both sides and a dish in the middle. At 90 or 100 cm you feel the difference.
In real tables:
- 4 people: 120 × 80 cm rectangular, or a round one of 110 cm.
- 6 people: between 160 and 180 cm long.
- 8 people: from 220 cm.
What people forget most is the space around it. To pull the chair out and stand up without hitting the wall you need about 90 cm from the table edge. If someone has to walk behind with a tray, 110 is better. A 180 cm table in a dining room 3 metres long fits, yes, but it eats the whole walkway.
Round or rectangular
A round table works better than you'd think in square rooms and open kitchens: no corners, everyone sees each other and you can squeeze in one more person without fuss. A rectangular one makes better use of long rooms and can go against a wall or a bench when needed.
If you're unsure, think how many times a year there are more of you than usual. If it's Christmas and not much else, an extendable table saves you living with a huge one the other 360 days. HAY's CPH30, for example, comes in a version with leaves you only pull out when guests come.
Material, depending on how you live
There's no right answer here, only the one that suits your home:
- Oiled wood (oak, ash). Ages best. It marks, but it can be sanded and re-oiled. Give it a coat of oil once or twice a year.
- Lacquered or varnished wood. More resistant to everyday stains and less upkeep. If it scratches, the repair is harder.
- Marble and natural stone. Beautiful, cool to the touch and very sensitive to lemon, vinegar and wine. If you cook a lot or have small children, we recommend a stain-proof treatment and coasters close at hand.
- Ceramic and compact laminates. Nearly indestructible. They take heat, knives and felt-tip pens.
The coffee table: sofa height and two thirds
With coffee tables, two rules work almost every time.
The first is height: the same as the sofa seat or a little lower, between 5 and 10 cm below. If the seat is at 42 cm, a table of 35 to 40 cm is right. Higher gets in the way of the view and the conversation. Lower makes you bend down to put your coffee down.
The second is length: roughly two thirds of the sofa. A 220 cm three-seater asks for a table of about 140 cm, or two smaller tables side by side, which we like a lot because you can split them up when you need to.
Between the sofa edge and the table, leave 40 to 45 cm: you can reach your glass without getting up and still walk through.
In small living rooms it's worth looking at tables with a tray or a lifting top. HAY's Tray Table is exactly that: a steel tray on legs that lifts off to carry things to the kitchen. And in rooms already full of straight furniture, an organic shape like Ferm Living's Burl breaks the line and makes moving around easier.
Side tables: at arm height
Side tables have one easy rule: they should sit at the height of the sofa or armchair arm, give or take 5 cm. That way you can put down a cup or a book without stretching.
They're useful for more than you'd think. Next to the bed they work as a bedside table when there's no room for a chest of drawers. On a terrace they hold a glass and a phone. And in the living room they're the easiest piece to move when you change the layout.
If you already have a coffee table, choose a different material for the side table: metal if the coffee table is wood, or the other way round. Two identical pieces side by side look like a catalogue set. HAY's Slit tables, in lacquered metal, sit very well next to any wooden table, and the DLM has a handle that makes it easy to carry from one room to another.
Before you buy: the tape test
It's what we tell everyone, and it works. Mark the size of the table on the floor with painter's tape and leave it for two or three days. Walk past with the shopping, pull out chairs, sit on the sofa. If it bothers you now, it'll bother you more with the table there.
And if you have doubts, write to us with a photo and the room measurements. We'll tell you what fits and what doesn't, even if the answer is "none of the ones we have".
See dining tables · See coffee and side tables
