Do you have a decent budget or are you looking for a bargain?

I keep eyeing the round tables at room and board for myself. Very MCM.

If your dining room isn't very big, a round table is going to take up much more space than an equivalent oval or rectangular table. Just something to keep in mind where space is a problem.

The table needs to be 60" to seat 8 comfortably. Will your space hold that size? Don't forget to add extra room for the chairs.

Agreeing with what has been said -- round may not be your best option if we are understanding correctly that you are limited on space. Or is this for a large space in your kitchen/breakfast room and you want 8 because the DR is too small for that? If so, get a really nice table and repurpose the DR.

I have a 60" table in my breakfast room. We bought 6 chairs with backs but no arms (the seats are 18" round -- on the narower side and no corners) for it and then added two backless stools so we can seat 8 when we have guests. You need at least that 60" and 72" might be preferred if you are going to seat 8 daily. You can seat 8 people at a 54" square -- that was our last table -- again 6 chairs and we pulled up 2 stools when needed.

I have my table custom made, but you can find them. I saw some at Arhaus and various Amish furniture makers (some offer customizing). Custommade has artists who will make anything for you. I found the guy who made my table by searching online for custom furniture on google. He was maybe a mile from where I went to jr high and a yarn shop I go to, but I'd never noticed him there or would have found him without a google search. You should find plenty of options in a wide range of prices -- but they may not be at the local bricks and mortar stores.

Love our 60" table and yes, it fits perfectly in my 15x16 dining room. I have 6 chairs around it and a 7th in the master bedroom. Seating 8 is possible but it would be tight. Conversation is easier with round tables vs rectangle ones.

OP, I was going to show you mine till you mentioned MCM simple clean lines. Hope you find something that will work for you.

We saw this table a few weeks ago when we were in a modern/scandi store looking for a sofa. It seems a little yacht-ish, what with the big pedestal and all, but I thought it was a pretty cool way to be able to seat more on occasion without having a table that consumes your room.

My favorite is the classic Saarinen tulip table. I think it is perfect and every other MCM table pales in comparison imho. Someday, when I wear down DH, we will have one!

Saarinen 60" table

Here's one at West Elm Arc Base Pedestal Table

It's $599.00, and when I went to their site, a pop-up offered 15% off.

Hmm. Now you all have me wondering. Our dining room is essentially a 11' square. We have an oval table in it now, but if we expand into the dining room space slightly when we open the wall between kitchen and dining, we were thinking a circular table would work better. Thoughts?

Interesting thoughts. I have a 12' square dining room and we have a 48" round in it now with a sideboard and it is tight. I realize from all the comments that we are better off with an oval or rectangle. One day.

I have this 62" table from wayfair and it mentions that it can seat 6, but for us we can only seat 4 because of the table legs which are on outer edge of that table. If the legs or pedestal had been more in the center than we could seat more.

Please do keep that in mind before you buy a round table. Also for a 8, I think a 72" table would be better, like this one, which is similar to mine but larger:

http://www.hayneedle.com/product/stevesilverhartfordlargerounddiningtabledarkcherry.cfm

Cooks

Will post a floor plan soon! We're working on it now.

If you have any other furniture in the room, it will be tight, If the table and chairs are all you have, 60" will work -- 72" would probably feel cramped. The 60" leaves you 3 feet all around -- that give 2 feet for sitting and a foot leeway -- tight for walking past, but if you position the chairs so none back straight to a wall, it will give a little more clearance. At 72", you would have more room for 8 at the table, but just 30" beyond the table. You need at least 18-24" for chair clearance when sitting and that doesn't leave much walking space -- if that is important. If you have doorways and open walls, on 2 or 3 walls, you might be able to fudge some.

As cooks pointed out, the legs for your table make a big difference on sitting space. If the legs come to or near the edge, they will dictate chair placement and may prevent you from really using all that space. A pedestal will allow you to use more or that space -- just make sure it is really sturdy and/or you won't have people hanging, sitting, pushing or such on the edges of the table so that it strains that support. (with 8, I am guessing you have chiildrena dn at least some guys who will be guys - at least until they've broken a few things and finally been taught to be kinder, in the house)

When you decide of size and shape, you might consider looking in antique orsecond hand shops. ;)