A table for 10 or 12 people

The short answer

For ten people, choose a long table of about 300 x 110 cm. Four people then sit along each long side and one at each end, with enough room for plates, glasses and serving dishes.

Twelve people can fit at the same table if you sit a little closer. To seat twelve generously, go for 340 to 360 cm. Our tables go up to 360 cm long.

If you are usually fewer and only now and then ten, a Finnish or Danish oval of 280 x 120 cm is a good middle ground: more compact in the room, yet with space for ten when needed.

Count per long side

Allow 70 cm of table edge per person to dine comfortably and 60 cm if you sit a little closer. Four people side by side therefore need 240 to 280 cm, five people 300 to 350 cm. Someone can only sit at the ends if the table is wide enough there: from about 100 cm.

These are the large tables we make most often, with the guide price including VAT:

The first three have a fully rounded edge and a 4 cm top. The rectangle of 360 x 180 cm has a straight edge and an 8 cm top: a table that anchors the whole room.

Width matters too

With a long table you think of the length first, but the width decides how the table feels. At 100 cm wide there is just room for two plates facing each other. At 110 to 120 cm there is also room for serving dishes, carafes and a row of candles down the middle.

Wider than 120 cm is lovely if you serve a lot, but the other side also moves further away. At a table 180 cm wide you mostly talk to your neighbours. That suits a table for twelve to sixteen, less so a relaxed dinner for ten.

Can it be round?

Yes, but a round table for ten gets big. A table of Ø 200 cm seats 9 to 10 people, Ø 220 cm seats 10 to 11. Everyone sees everyone, but the other side is more than two metres away. The conversation naturally breaks into small groups.

A large round table also needs a large square space: for Ø 220 cm, easily 380 to 400 cm square. If you have that room, it is an impressive table. In a longer room, an oval or a rectangle usually works better. A Finnish or Danish oval table combines the length of a rectangle with the soft shape of an oval.

Will the table get in?

A table of three metres or more also has to get into your home. That is why, for every delivery, we ask how wide the doors and stairs are, whether there is a lift and how the route to the dining room runs. A few photos help us most. Everything about it is under Delivery.

Think about the space around it as well. With 80 to 90 cm free on each side, a table of 300 x 110 cm needs an area of about 460 x 270 cm. How to work that out for your room is explained in How much space do you need around a dining table? Looking for a table for eight instead? See A table for 8 people.