I am looking to buy a Dining Table with 12 chairs...How long a table do I need? I see pics of dining room sets with the chairs rubbing each other- we need some elbow room.
You'll need roughly 2 feet per cover, so that would be about 12 feet. There are several things to consider. Chairs can be small antiques, overstuffed behemoths or anything between. You need to measure the chairs! How do you typically set the table? A plate, cup/glass and 3pieces of flatware don't require the same space as a formal dinners service with several wine glasses and an array of flatware. Will you be using the table in that configuration daily or at least frequently? If so, you really do want to have plenty of space to be comfortable, but most people don't mind being crowded for a couple of meals per year. The width of the table matters, too. The people on the end will need more room if the table is narrow. If the table is very wide (e.g. Monet's dining room at Giverny) you might be able to get 2 chairs at each end, which would allow a slightly shorter table. And then there's the size of the room ...