It would bother me A LOT if my chairs didn't slide all the way under mainly because it would appear that they weren't pushed in when not in use and also because my DR is small so I need every inch when the set isn't being used. This is something I notice when I'm in other people's homes because it just looks odd, IMO. If your new chairs stick out only a few inches, that may not matter. Try to find out the chair's leg distance before purchasing.

My first thought was to find a pedestal chair of some kind so the legs don't hit the table legs. There are some out there but they may not be for you.

The only other thing I can think of is to find chairs with a more narrow seating area which will make the legs not as wide (measure the distance between the inside of the table legs) but that may compromise comfort. Not even sure if they make such a thing. It could also be a bother trying not to knock the wood of the table every time you push the chairs in as far as they will go. This will cause knicks.

Maybe others have better suggestions. Good luck.

i have same dilemma. i think it will look ok for the chairs to not be completely tucked under. but have you looked at any square tables or pedestal tables? the table we got is the strut table from crate and barrel and now i'm thinking of the georgia chair from room & board or the cody chair from crate & barrel.

scale of room:

Srg, we have similar tables. Mine is the Halo from C&B. Yours looks like a 42" top also, yes? I know the chairs you're looking at. The R&B Georgia is 18" wide x 23" deep. That will not fit between the legs of my table, and it's pretty much the narrowest that chairs go. The C&B Cody is much bigger - 21" wide x 24" deep. Pretty chair, but it's big. It might overpower your table (unless you're only planning on two chairs, maybe).

Debi, that's a good point about the chair legs hitting the table legs and maybe causing damage. Sigh.

All of the pedestal tables I've seen at the 42" size seem too traditional for my more contemporary room. Also, not sure chairs would fit all the way under anyway - the pedestal would get in the way. (If the table is 42" diameter with, say, a 10" diameter pedestal, that's only 16" on each side for the chair to go in, so it would still stick out some.)

Even with a square or round table with wide enough legs, the chairs wouldn't all be able to go all the way under. One facing pair of chairs could fit under, but then the others would stick out. (I've mapped all of this out on graph paper.)

It is true that with this table, the chairs stick out further, though, than they would with a wider leg span.

I considered getting chairs that aren't as deep so they wouldn't stick out as far... I tried sitting in a couple of 18" deep chairs today and didn't find them comfortable. The leather chair I showed above is 23" deep - I know that one's comfortable. The wood one is 21" - haven't sat on that one yet.

Ugh.

Les, there's no problem with sitting close to the table. In fact, you'd need to pull the chairs out even further to sit. It's just that when you get up and want to push the chairs back in, they won't go all the way under.

Also, I don't really have room for a larger top. That would mean pulling the table out even further from the wall so the person sitting on the wall side would have room. The living room is only 12 x 19 feet including the dining space.

Don't be upset ,,, it will all work out. I've enjoyed watching your place come together. And, I agree, your new table looks gorgeous. First, you need to know the measurements of your new chairs to determine how well they will work with your new table (use your old chairs as a guide). Seat height, width, and depth are critical ,,, and an inch or two makes a difference. I'm guessing your potential new chairs might be smaller than your old ones?! You may also want to consider chairs with rounded corners or parson chairs, some of which are very compact. BTW, I'd go with a leather (or a solid surface) chair versus fabric so you don't have a repeat of the cat hair. And, assuming the measurements work, I like the leather chairs you've posted above. But regardless, make sure you like them and they are comfortable to you.

With a glass top your chairs are more visible and more of a focal point, regardless of far they push in. I'm guessing the footprint increase "feels" larger than what it really is and "feels" larger than what you expected. I also think your old chairs are contributing to the "obtrusiveness" problem. Sleeker chairs will look better, imo. As long as the space is still functional with sufficient walkways, I think you're fine. I'm wondering if you just need to give yourself a bit of time to adjust to the glass top. Clearly, you like glass top tables (as your alternate table is also a glass top). And to answer your question, no, I don't think the chairs need to push ALL the way in ,,, but I would want them to push in at least 50% or so.

Here's a suggestion ,,, add a tablecloth (or sheet) to the table, which will turn your table into a "solid" surface. This will give you a different perspective in evaluating the situation.

Also, check out the CB website, I think they have that table shown with the folio leather chairs, which go in maybe halfway ,,, how does that look to you?

Anyway, I think once you get your new chairs, and add any other decor changes you're planning (maybe a centerpiece), it will come together nicely. Although it's wise to evaluate as you go, this might be a case where you need to complete that area and give yourself some time to adjust before deciding if you like it or not.

Good luck!!

Hi jlt - thank you for your soothing words! This is really driving me crazy, so a bit of sanity and perspective are welcome.

Regarding the size of the current chairs - they're actually about the same size or smaller as the new ones would be. The current chairs are 20" wide at the seat, but with a leg width of 18". Front-to-back they're about 21".

The leather chair above is 19" wide by 23" deep. These are from Room and Board - they're very similar to the C&B Folio chairs, but I liked the little opening at the bottom (and they're $50 cheaper per chair!).

The wood chair is 18" wide by 21" deep. Also from R&B. I noticed it on their website today when I was trolling for smaller chairs. It's surprisingly expensive for such a simple little chair, but I'm feeling a little desperate. (It's available with a leather seat too, but then it's even more money!)

Btw, the cat hair situation is exactly why I've been considering leather in the first place. At the very least, I reject all velvet. Cats have velvet ears, but cats and velvet fabric (esp. in comfy places where cats like to snooze) are not a good mix. No velvet. No nubby fabrics. ;-)

I wish I had more time to make up my mind about this... C&B only gives you 7 days to decide about returning furniture.

Forgot to mention - jlt, your saying that "clearly, [I] like glass tables" made me giggle. Besides the fact that it's a pretty clever pun ("clearly" - "glass tables" - get it? ;-)), I actually never wanted a glass table and only decided to get one recently because (a) I couldn't find a small extension table anyway - they make a lot more small tables that get smaller (drop-leafs) than small tables that get bigger (extensions); and (b) I started liking the idea of being able to see through the table so it wouldn't look as big. So I put aside my fears of fingerprints & dust; embraced the luxury of not needing coasters for glasses; and invested a whole pile of cash in the company that makes Windex. ;-)

One more note - I measured, and the chairs would go about 10" under the table. So more somewhere in the 43%-50% range, depending on what chair I get.

Honestly? If you had just showed us a picture without asking about the chairs, I never would have noticed! lol

I think they look fine and not even noticeable. Maybe if you were having a magazine shoot or something where everything has to be perfect but that's not how we live.

Love your living room!

Part of it is just simple mathematics. For a smallish diameter table the center support would have to be a rather narrow "stalk", or legs out at the perimeter to really tuck in, and even then the chairs themselves would start to hit each other under the table.

Have you considered chairs like Room and Board's Miles? Its small and only 18" deep so relatively it will tuck in more.

Overall, don't overthink it too much, its one of those small space compromises. Unless you want to sit on stools there is a certain amount of space that things take up.

Here is a link that might be useful: Miles

Yes, it would bug me, too.

A couple of thoughts.
First, can you just buy the glass from them?
At Pier 1, you can buy the glass tops & the base is separate. Change the base.

I like the wooden chair if you're keeping the table. If you're changing the table, I definately prefer the iron set. Your room isn't huge, so that bit of continuity speaks to me. I have to say that for me the metal bases on your table look more like you picked them up until you could find something else. They're too ... church hall? confernece room? Not as homey and elegant as your other furnishings. I hope that doesn't offend; we all have different tastes.

Cats: I have had a few as one and as many as 7. I have learned (no velvet) that a micro fiber is FANTASTIC for cat proof material. Not only can you clean it with a carpet cleaner hand attachment, but you can take the cat brush and brush the fabric & ALL the fur will come up. Even to the point where the sticky roller doesn't pick anything further up. I discovered this by accident off a donated couch & love seat. Hated them, loved the maintenance. Thank you, house fire!

we're really on the same page here since i've also been looking at the measurements of all the chairs etc. i don't think it's a big deal if the chair sticks out half way.

Not what you want to hear, but yes -- you really do want chairs to fit all the way under. Especially when you're dealing with a compact space. And as someone else pointed out, the table legs will get damaged from the chairs bumping them. I like the steel table, if it the openings are wide enough for your chairs. Cool chairs, b-t-w. And

I'm glad you went for glass tabletop -- I remember your fear of fingerprints! FWIW, I clean my glass table tops with hot water on paper towel - I think it works better than Windex, and cheaper. Plus don't need to worry about cats licking Windex off their paws.

I am wondering what chairs were displayed with this table? Something must have been made to go with this table!

Wow, thanks for all your comments, folks!

Palimpset, you are right, it is mathematics, and it is going to come down to a small space compromise. I've actually been sitting here with a piece of graph paper figuring out all the ways chairs can fit under a 42" table even if legs or pedestal weren't getting in the way. There is no way all four chairs can fit - at best, one pair of facing chairs is going to stick out.

In this drawing, I'm illustrating a 42" round table over 18" x 23" chairs:

So the "header" chairs would still stick out about halfway in order to allow the "side" chairs to tuck under. They stick out even more with the current table's legs in the way though - about another 5" on each side. And of course, with the current table, the side chairs don't get to tuck all the way under at all.

Did someone mention I'm overthinking this? LOL!

Will take a look at the Miles chair. Suspect that 18" deep won't be comfortable - I tried sitting on a couple of 18" deep chairs yesterday, and I felt like I was perching at the end of them. Maybe if I were (way) skinnier... :-(

CEFreeman, when you say the metal bases on my table look like I picked them up till I could find something else - are you referring to the coffee table?? Or the proposed dining table? I am afraid with that much metal in the room, it would start to become more hard-edged contemporary than what I've been going for (coffee tables notwithstanding). I considered whether I could keep the beveled glass top from C&B and put it on the top of the R&B metal frame - maybe that would soften the look of the table a little. Not sure.

For more context, here's a thread that has more pictures of my living room: Living Room In Progress

Regarding microfiber - yes, when I bought the new sofa and chair a couple of years ago, I insisted on getting them in microfiber. They've held up like champs. Cat hair doesn't stick to them at all! Would certainly consider microfiber for the chair seats... The wood chair does come in a microfiber, but it's a greigy color that I'm not sure goes in the room:

Hi gwbr54 - wow you remember well. That was a long time ago. The idea of dust and fingerprints on the glass table still kind of bug me. But I coudln't find the 42" round extension table I wanted, and I do like the way the glass top opens up the space. I'm making compromises all over the place here. ;-) I'll keep the hot water on a paper towel trick in mind.

just a thought...if the chairs are going to stick out too much, then why not just get a 48" top table and the chairs will fit completely underneath?

Ellendi, that's a good question. C&B shows the leather Folio chair with the table. Here it is in a darker finish than the table I got. Note that the chairs all stick out:

The Folio chair is 18.5" wide by 21.75" deep.

The R&B Madrid chair that I show earlier in the thread is 19" wide x 23" deep. So half an inch wider, and a little over an inch deeper.

Not sure that size difference makes much of a difference since the Folio doesn't fit under the table anyway.

I'm wondering if I should scrap this whole idea of the round table and just get a rectangular table with one end against the wall and the four chairs facing each other. I thought a round table would be helpful since my room is rectangular and everything else in it is rectangular.

Plus my mom is going to give me (someday) a small heavily-carved antique drop leaf desk that belonged to my grandmother. The only space I have for it is on the wall behind the dining table, so I was hoping the glass top table would help make it more visible. Of course, then I'd have to pull the chair & tables out even more to make room for it. (I might try turning the table 45 degrees to catty-corner the seats, if that would help it fit.) If I do a rectangular table with its end against the wall, the desk definitely won't fit anymore. Maybe I'm just dreaming and it won't fit anyway.

I don't care much for the pulled out look either. You could also look for a chair back that curves around to close up some of the space. Here's an example. I think introducing more curves would also look good in your space.

Here is a link that might be useful: curved back

Hi srg - my mom made the same suggestion about the 48" top! After we discussed it, we both came to the conclusion that it wouldn't really help because I'd have to pull the table out even further from the wall to allow room for the chair on that side to pull out.

Also - I really think 48" would overwhelm the room. The living room is only 19" long. The "living part" takes about 2/3 of that space. This leaves about 7 feet long for the dining part. I think a 48" table in that length space would just look too big (even if the chairs are better covered).

Spring-meadow, that's a very interesting idea about curved chairs! Have to look into that...

The idea of the glass table is a good one. Just got back from vacation and the condo had three glass tables. One in the kitchen, one in the dining room and one out on the lanai. It gives a light and airy feel. I think that it is the base of your table that is the problem. All above mentioned tables had matching chairs that went under the table. So, maybe get rid of this one but still look for a glass table but with chairs that fit.

There are also clear acrylic chairs, if they're not too modern for you. Two narrow examples:

http://www.interiortradefurniture.com/set-of-2-clear-acrylic-dining-chair-new.html

Here is a link that might be useful: acrylic chairs

Oh brother, what is it with these furniture designers? The same darn thing happened to us! We bought a counter height table I really loved and size wise was great for our little room, but it had a couple of shelves under it for baskets and they prohibited the chairs from tucking in all the way. We didn't realize it until it was in our dining nook and ate up another 8 inches on each side. We ended up having to send it back and exchanging it for something else.

I don't have a good suggestion but am rooting that you'll find a resolve that allows you to keep the table.

Wow, spring - invisible chairs. Wow. (Wonder what a cat would think of those? )

They might be too modern, but I'm going to mock them up to see...

Keep the great ideas coming!!!

(lukkiirish, honestly I think the furniture designers are in cahoots with the handbag designers. Is it really that difficult to design something that is beautiful AND functional???)

I know. :c( Sad isn't it?

Hi! I just saw this and I think it looks great- I think that as you mentioned of course when a body is sitting in the shair (and the body has legs and feet:) it won't go all the way under I think it is totally fine and you shouldn't over think it!!!!!!
I think the photo with the white chairs clearly(yes clearly ) shows the chair does not tuck under entirely- maybe it is less obvious with the white chairs but it all looks fine.

I love your new table and I do not see it as a problem that the chairs do not completely fit under the table.

Also regarding the cat hair, have you tried using a rubber (dish washing) glove and dragging your hand across the fabric? My dog's hair embeds itself into my vehicle carpet and no matter how many sticky rollers or vacuums I use, it refuses to come out. So periodically I pull on rubber dish washing gloves (specific to this purpose - I'm not using my normal dish washing gloves) and vigorously rub the dog hair right out of the carpet.

I think if you get chairs with legs, it will look fine. Your chairs that you have now look awkward because of the chair base. I like the first one...I believe it is leather...it is more square. The second chair you showed, flares out more in front than it does in the back and IMO would not be the best chair for your table. I love glass dining room tables....have had one for years.

I have a small space too and I have a round 42" table with just the standard 4 legs and my chairs fit all the way under, but with four chairs it is a squeeze. Most of the time I only have two chairs there. It would bother me not to put the chairs under because every inch counts in a small space. If it was me I would get something where it wouldn't be a problem.

I had the same problem, you need to change to
a table with a small base so that the chair won't
hit the legs.

Prickly, I tried the damp rubber glove trick! It gets the surface fur off beautifully, but some of the fur just won't come off at all, and it just got worse and worse over the years. Doesn't help that the chairs had tufts, yet, which the fur liked to wrap around. The chairs are very old and not in good shape anyway, and I just give up on them. :-(

So I obsessively researched the web all weekend looking for alternative tables... (Believe it or not, there aren't a lot of furniture stores in NYC where I can go and see things in person.) Didn't really find anything other than the R&B black steel criss-cross table I pictured above.

Which would work stylewise in the room since I have other black metal elements. And it would be more functional - the chairs would fit under it (subject to the size restrictions any 42" table would have). So why am I not embracing it???

I guess it's because my original dream was to have a wood table. There's something about a wood table that feels warm and family and friends to me. I even wanted an extension table so I could fit extra family & friends around it on special occassions! But I couldn't find an extending table of the right size & style (& price). And when I started looking at fixed-size tables, I also opened my mind up to glass tops and started realizing the advantages of them - esp. in a small space. So when I found this beautiful Halo table in Crate & Barrel - it seemed the best of all worlds. It had the glass top so it would take less visual space, but it also had a substantial wood circle showing through the top, so I would still get my "atmosphere" of warm wood.

The black steel table just wouldn't do that for me. It would look nice in the room, but it would be colder, and it just wouldn't be "the dream."

Maybe if I would have noticed the problem with the chairs fitting from the beginning, I would have gone with the metal table instead and not felt terribly bad about it. But the wood table is in my home now. I see how beautiful it is, how well it fits in with everything else and creates the atmosphere I want. I can imagine it decorated with beautiful placemats and centerpieces. Now that I've come so close to the "wood table dream" - it's hard to let go.

Like palimpsest said, it's one of those small space compromises. I get to have the wood table I want if I can just accept that the chairs will stick out.

SO - I am actually considering trading the 42" for the 48" table top, though I am still worried that will seem too big for the space. I would hate to pay the extra delivery charge to have them bring me a 48" top and then decide that the 42" was better after all! I am also looking for slightly smaller chairs. Hoping that what grandmaof3 said is right, that the chairs look funny now because of the tubular chrome frame, but chairs with legs will look better.

Also thinking that leather chairs with leather-wrapped legs (like the chair above) will mitigate the problem of the chair legs hitting the table legs and causing damage.

You are all awesome for helping me think this through!!!

Without rereading my post, I thought I said the chairs look like they were picked up for something else. They don't click with the rest of your decor, IMHO.

Christine

Before you decide to get a bigger glass try one of the chairs that you like. Is the store that you bought the table from local? I would go in there and put some of their chairs up to it to get an idea if you like the look or not.

I like your table, but I do not think the chairs are doing your room justice. I would keep looking.

Charlikin!!! Wow! This is the first time I have seen such good pics. Wow...oh...did I say that already? :-)

I think you should send the C&B wood table back. Sorry...I'm going to play devil's advocate for a minute or two. Feel free to reject, as always!

Here's why. You know I am into function first. I think the function of the R&B steel table is far better. Not only do you have the chair tuck-in issue..what about tall people's feet? I am short, but I am worried that people are not going to be able to stretch out after dinner with a glass of brandy. (Okay....fantasy life... whatever.)

I also wonder about how the steel table base may compete less with the eventual family heirloom positioned behind it. I know that breaks the Magnaverde "Decorate for the life you have right now" rule...but it is further/future justification for the steel.

What about wood chairs? Might that be a way to bring the wood you crave into the picture? I like the second on in your original post. I also think that the chair decision should come first. IME, it is much harder to find a chair to love.

And finally, I think that you might "experiment" with letting the table go and see how you feel. I know that sounds crazy but if you send it back, keep looking and thinking, consider chairs, etc. and then come back around to that table, you'll know you made the right choice. You have been working on this space for a long time and I know you want to get it right. Hang in there...it's all going to be great!

And hey...I wanna see that little orange table! I think I see it hiding over there.... :-)

Hi Amy!!! Good feedback on the table. But too late. Deadline for returning the table was yesterday. :-)

Basically, I decided I really loved the table, and loved it enough to forgive it for not letting the chairs go all the way under. The thing about tall people's feet didn't occur to me (tall people have feet?? who knew!). I'm just going to hope it works out. If someone really needs to stretch out their feet with a glass of brandy, they'd be much more comfortable doing it on the sofa or armchair anyway - which are only a few steps away!

I did go back to Room & Board this week to take another look at the black steel table - it's nice, and it would have gone in the room okay, but it did seem kind of cold and hard-edged. I just don't get the same feeling looking at it that I do with the wood table. Maybe if I'd realized this thing about the wood table's legs before I actually bought it and put it in my house, I would have gone for the steel table - but maybe it's just as well. (I can always CL the wood table later if I decide it really doesn't work, and chalk it up to an expensive lesson learned - or a "table rental fee". ;-))

As for chairs - they *are* really difficult! I sat in the wood chair at R&B. Not so comfortable. The leather chair was much more comfortable. Go figure. Finding a relatively small chair that is still comfortable and attractive is crazy.

So here's a form vs. function thing: I found these chairs on the West Elm web site:

The size is good, the style works, the color is fun and might work in the room. BUT (lots of but's here) - the store only had them in dark gray, and I'm nervous buying them without seeing the actual "persimmon" color first. (Colors on web sites can be deceiving!) The fabric was a somewhat loose nubby weave that might prove irresistible to a cat's claws (assuming I ever get a cat again). And finally, there's the issue of West Elm furniture quality - I got my coffee table from them, and though I like the style of the table, not so happy with the quality.

On the plus side, the chairs were pretty comfortable. (For now. The padding felt kind of, uh, hollow, like it might not hold up over time.)

Still intrigued by the style & color though - if anyone has seen chairs like this elsewhere, please let me know!

One more thing about the table... Dd50, I did go back to C&B also and look at the 48" version of the wood table. They had it up on a pedestal though, so I couldn't see how it looked with chairs under it. Anyway, it did look kind of big, and I'm not sure it would have made that much difference with the chairs, so I decided to stick with the 42" top.

Finally, Amy, some extra pix showing the little orange table:

Opposite the sofa:

Mocked up with the picture that still needs to be hung over the sofa, the curtains that still need to be purchased, and a smushed make-believe vase munged from my green lamp base standing in for a centerpiece on the dining table:

Wonderful pics! Thanks!

So, congratulations on the table. Done is good. I am sure it will work out....brandy on the sofa. :-)

I love the persimmon chairs (and all things persimmon) but not next to the little orange table. I think they would detract from each other.

As for finding chairs, I can't help much. It takes a lots of hunting and many tush-tests. I looked for two years for chairs to go with my dining room table -- ended up settling and still dream about getting different chairs. We went everywhere, including DWR where we found the chairs to be incredibly uncomfortable. If I won the lottery (which would require buying a ticket, of course) I would buy a set of Wegner wishbone chairs in one of those fabulous colors.

Can't wait to do the next set of pics with chairs, picture over sofa, and curtains... Then I can start obsessing over what to hang on the wall over the dining table.

Winning the lottery requires buying a ticket? *That's* what I've been doing wrong???? D*mn.

Hey Charlikin!

Living in 460sq feet I sympathize with the difficulties of getting it right (I have agonized over, then done and re-done too many projects). I think you are right about sticking with the smaller size and I like the way the chairs look not pulled under (lets you really see and appreciate the line of the chair) and I think visually this configuration will take up less space. Love the "persimmon" chair (colour and line). Any way to get a colour sample? Wondering how dark the legs are in comparison with the wood on the table - not convinced it makes a difference but it's worth a thought. Good luck!

Hi Caryscott! 460 square feet? That's pretty tight. Small spaces can be really cozy though, and I bet you've done yours nicely. :-)

I called West Elm and they don't have fabric samples for the persimmon chair. I think I'm giving up on that idea - too risky, both color-wise and fabric-nubbiness-wise. (It's a really cute chair, though.)

So I think it's going to be the brown leather chairs. Now I just have to decide what I'm doing about the home office furniture before I can order them, because if I'm ordering anything else from the same store, I want to get in on the same delivery fee. (Why does the knee bone have to be connected to the thigh bone???)

It is compact, I lived in a bachelor for years so having a bedroom still feels luxurious. It will be 2 years this July and it has been slow incremental progress. No room for a dining table so I have one of these:

which does this:

I have done a few sit downs and it has worked out well. I have a breakfast bar for day to day.

The Leather chairs look good and are going to be very functional and durable (good qualities in dining room chairs). Don't blame you on the shipping, you need to save where you can.

Gosh, I feel your pain with all this. First off, I love the table you selected much better than the one with the metal legs. I am also familiar with decorating in smaller spaces and I agree you want every inch to count. I think your space issue has more to do with the real estate that the chairs take up than the real estate of the table 42" vs. 46". Theroretically, the chairs would tuck more fully under the 46" table so when all said and done, it shouldn't take any more space. Another important consideration, though is the amount of table space for dining with 4. Try setting the table as you would if 4 guests are dining. I don't think you will be able to set out 4 placemats, but I could be wrong. Those you could skip, but see how it looks with your plates, glasses, etc. Then do you want to have a centerpiece on the table? Where do the serving dishes go? On the table of will you serve buffet style? Make a template out of cardboard to mock up the 46" size and put that on top of the table with the chairs around. This should give you pretty good idea which table size works best for your space, both in terms of clearances and dining space.

Lastly, how many people do you seat on a regular basis? If it's only 2-3 then for most times, the chair can be scootched closer to the wall and reduce the clearance for the chair?s) facing the wall as no one will sit there. Then whe you have a larger group, pull the table out from the wall so those diners have clearance to get in/out of their seat.

I agree completely with palimpset's prognosis that it will be a small space compromise. As long as you make sure what you have works for your daily life, you can always compromise when guests come to visit.

i am facing the same issue. Someone gave me 4 french country chairs. They are excellent quality, much better than what I had. I was planning to paint my

table and buy cushions for the chairs. How does it look with these chairs???