Dining table for built-in breakfast nook seating?

[cattig]

We are renovating our kitchen and part of this includes adding custom built-in seating in our breakfast nook. This seating will be made of cherry and stained with the cabinet manufacturer-provided stain to match the kitchen cabinets. The seating starts where our dishwasher cabinet ends. The nook has three angled walls with three separate windows. BUT...I have many questions about what to do for a table!!

Our new kitchen design does away with a breakfast bar to make room for a pantry wall unit but we want to replace this seating when we do have larger gatherings.

The opening into the nook is 92" across and the seating on either side is 20" deep which leaves 52" of open floor space for the table. My first thought was to choose a round table (for every day use) in which leaves can be added to extend it to an oval table coming out of the nook to accomodate larger groups of guests. For everyday, we would probably not have any chairs around the table as we would sit on the built-in seating but would bring chairs out as the table is extended for more guests. Our look is more traditional but not ornate.

Given a floor opening of 52", what diameter should the table be with the seating being in a fixed position?

I found a cherry unfinished single split pedestal table where the pedestal opens into three pieces to support the extended table with leaves? Is this configuration durable and sturdy?

I found a couple Amish sites that will custom stain the table using the customer-supplied stain which I have to match the kitchen cabinets.

Are there other possibilities I should consider or online retailers that may have other table options?

Thanks in advance for any insights or recommendations!!

[drcollie]

This is difficult to envision without seeing a room layout and the angles of the built-ins. You can use the free ROOM PLANNER if the Decorating part of the forum to lay it out, or post photos of the room if its done, or scan a copy of the builders plan and post here. I cannot determine from your description if your built in seating is 90 degree, or a series of 45 degree angles.

Split pedestals can be sturdy - or not, seen them both ways.

[cattig]

Attached is a copy of the old floor plan but the dimensions of the nook are will remain the same. The breakfast bar across from it will taken out in the new kitchen design.

[drcollie]

One of the problems with built-in seating for a high-use area such as your kitchen eat-in is that your seating is fixed. That means the table has to scoot into YOU, or whomever is using the area. You might not even notice it, but every time you go to sit at a table for meal you unconsciously 'scoot' your chair in to the table. That will not longer happen and as such you will really want to focus on three things if you continue with the built in seating:

1) Back angle of the seating. Most folks like more upright, and if you think about it in most restaurants that have booths, they are about 80 degrees vertical.

2) Dining Table height ratio to Built in Height. What you don't want is for the table to be too tall, because you can't scoot in to compensate for it. Most tables are 30" high, I'd probably want a 29 or 29.25" " height if I set my built-in seating at 18" seat height.

3) Avoid a large table. Because your seating is fixed and at 45 degree angles, you will probably need to do a custom table to follow the seating area. I'd want one that splits in two, so I could easily pull the table towards me when sitting in the built-ins. For company, it could be attached.

Quite honestly, I don't like your concept in that room configuration and think you will find it difficult to work with on a daily basis. Think it through carefully before you spend thousands to build it and then discover its not what you expected in terms of functionality. Ever go to a restaurant where you have to wiggle into the back seating area of an U-shaped booth? That gets old real quick!