Manufactured Home Space Saving Dining Tables Guide: For Family Get-Togethers

Dining tables are some of the most crucial pieces of furniture in any home, especially during the festive season. Whether you decide to anchor the dining table in the middle of your dining room or at the center or front in your open kitchen, it becomes the focal point for family gatherings.

Besides being a standout piece of furniture, the dining table should be comfortable and compact enough if you don’t have plenty of room.

That’s why you need to choose a piece that matches the size of your kitchen/dining room and still leave sufficient clearance for easy movement.

Related: How To Shop For Dining Room Light Fixtures

When shopping for a space saving dining table for a mobile home, we tend to look for the option that would occupy as minimal space as possible and even offer storage solutions for some frequently used dining items.

Manufactured Home Dining Tables For Small Spaces: 8 Shopping Factors

With that said, it would be great if you bore these factors when shopping for a manufactured home space saving dining table:

  • Size of Your Dining Room/Kitchen
  • Type and Size of the Space-Saving Dining Table
  • Style
  • Multi-Functionality
  • Versatility
  • Cost of The Options V/S Your Budget
  • Comfort Level

1. Size of Your Dining Room/Kitchen

Spontaneous buying almost always goes wrong. Impulse buying can result in a dining set that doesn’t fit in your room as perfectly as you would’ve wanted.

Whether you intend the dining table for your kitchen or dining room, it is prudent that you begin the journey by measuring the dimensions of the space.

Besides helping you to decide the clearance, the dimensions you’ll find can be used to determine the size of the dining table you need.

Here is how to calculate the size of the space-saver perfect for your dining area:

  • Start by measuring the length and width of the area you wish to use as the dining area.
  • Subtract at least 1 meter (or 100 centimeters) from both sides to allow a reasonable clearance. It can be more or less depending on the size of your room.
  • The result you get is the maximum recommended size for your space-saving table

There are still a lot of other factors to mix with your dimensions to choose the right thing.

2. Type and Size/Height of The Dining Table

While the design of dining tables may vary quite considerably, there is consistency in the height of what is considered to be the standard dining table.

Whichever type, size, or brand you have in your mind, ensure that your choice leaves plenty of space beneath it for users to fit and even cross their legs without feeling limited.

The rule of thumb is to leave at least 12” (or 30 cm) between the tabletop and the chair seat.

The size of the chairs you already have at home will influence this height and most probably the size of the table (if you don’t buy a table complete with its chairs, that is).

Standard dining tables come with heights in the range of 28” and 30” (or 71 – 76 cm) and should be matched with chairs with heights in the range of 18″ and 23″ (or 46 – 58 cm, from seat top to the floor), stools or benches.

The height of the accompanying chairs and that of the table itself can be affected by the shape of the dining table.

Some dining tables come with a single pedestal-like leg in the middle, which increases the total distance required by dining chairs.

What’s the ideal dimensions/size of a true space saving dining table?

The world of space-saving tables can be complicated. A truly compact table should measure between 35” and 45” at its widest point (mostly the length of the top panel).

However, this happens to fall between two types of rectangular tables you’d find in your local furniture store, the 4-seater 2’6” and the 6-seater 4’6” dining table.

This means we can compromise at times and take a table with dimensions close to the larger 6-seater 4’6” table.

Just so you understand, take a glance at the ranges most stores use to display their dining tables:

Space Saving Table Options

Table TypeRound Table sizeRectangle/Oval Table sizeSquare Table Size
2-seater dining table sizeRound ~ Min: 2’6”, Ideal: 3 ftRectangle/Oval ~ 2×2’6”Square ~ 2’6”
4-seater dining table sizeRound ~ Min: 3 ft., Ideal: 4 ft.Rectangle/Oval ~ 4×5 ftSquare ~ 3 – 5 ft.
6-seater dining table sizeRound ~ Min: 4’6”, Ideal 5 ft.Rectangle/Oval ~ 6×3 ft.Square ~ 4 – 6 ft.

Non Space Saving Table Options

Table TypeRound Table sizeRectangle Table sizeSquare Table Size
2-seater dining table size Round ~ Min: 5ft, Ideal: 6ftRectangle ~ 8×3’6″Square~ 6 ft.
4-seater dining table sizeRound ~ Min: 7ft, Ideal: 8ftRectangle ~ 10×4 ftSquare ~ 7 ft.
6-seater dining table sizeRound ~ Min: 8ft, Ideal: 9ftRectangle ~ 12×4’6″Square ~ 8ft

Space Saving Table Type #1: 2-Seater Dining Table Size: (Round ~ Min: 2’6”, Ideal: 3 ft.; Rectangle/Oval ~ 2 x 2’6”; Square ~ 2’6”)

  • This is the smallest you can ever go as far as size is concerned.
  • These tables are designed for 2 people, but the round options can comfortably accommodate 3 diners.

Winsome supplies some cool convertible 2-seater tables, including these models:

Winsome Suzanne 3-Piece Coffee Finish Set Space Saver Kitchen Table – Cost: $150

Dim: 29.6” W x 29.13” D x 32.76” H

This table comes with two drop leaf sides that can be raised to expand the overall size of the table. Once you’ve finished dining, just drop the “leaves” (sides) and it will stand there like a tiny piece of a cabinet.

Two stools can be easily tucked beneath it while the leaves are dropped to save even more space.

The best thing about it, however, is that two drawers have been added on the top panel to store stuff you can’t store elsewhere. It features tiny wheels that ease the process of moving them around the kitchen/dining room.

Winsome Suzanne Teak Square Kitchen Table – Cost: $163.40

Dim: 29.13” W x 29.61” D x 32.76 H

It is very similar to the cousin mentioned above except that it assumes a near-perfect square when fully extended. The best thing about this table is that it’s shipped with its stools tucked beneath it.

Space Saving Table Type #2: 4-Seater Dining Table Size (Round ~ Min: 3 ft., Ideal: 4 ft.; Rectangle/Oval ~ 4 x 5 ft.; Square ~ 3 – 5 ft.)

  • This type of space-saver can support up to 4 diners.
  • The round option can accommodate as many as six people because it has no limiting edges.
  • It is the second smallest type of space-saving dining table you can obtain from any furniture store.

Here are a few examples:

Oliver Smith 4 Person Solid Wood Space -Saving Drop Leaf 5-Piece Table – Cost: $130

Dim: 48″ x 35″ x 30″ H // 13″ x 12″ x 18H

Probably the most practical space-saving table on this list, and one that saves a great deal of space. The top panel measures just 14.25″ x 35″ when folded.

When you unfold by raising the “drop leaves”, the panel becomes 48″ x 35″, a sizable dining space for a family of four people.

The impeccable design and the versatility of this space-saving table could be one of the reasons why you might consider it for your kitchen or dining room.

Winsome Wood Orlando 5-Piece Set High Dining Table with 2 Shelves & 4 Saddle Seat Stools for 4 People – Cost: $123

Dim: 33.8″ W x 33.8″ D x 36″ H

This table is everything you’d expect from a Winsome product in the space-saving segment – solid wood construction, roomy shelves, and walnut finish.

Two open shelves have been added underneath to place vases of flowers or storage. You can choose between composite and solid-wood options.

As mentioned earlier, the best space-saving dining tables measure between 35” and 45” between any two farthest points.

The farther down you are at this range the more compact the table; the higher you go the lesser space you save.

IKEA Applaro Drop-leaf Brown Folding Wood Dining Table for 4 People – Cost: $218.95

Dim: 30” x 23.5” x 7.5”

IKEA is one of the top makers of space-saving furniture in the world and this is one of their finest space-saving dining tables for four diners.

It is made from solid wood complete with wood grain finish all over it. When not in use, it can be folded down and stored away from the kitchen.

IKEA NORDVIKEN Drop-leaf Black Dining Table – Cost: $114

Dim: 29 1/8/41 x2 9 1/8”

Finally, an affordable space-saver from IKEA that, though doesn’t feature storage compartments beneath it, was designed with a small kitchen/dining room in mind.

It is a solid wood table with beautiful grain patterns that will fit in any size of the eating room. One side can be easily extended to quickly make more space for 4 people.

Space Saving Table Type #3: 6-Seater Dining Table Size (Round ~ Min: 4’6”, Ideal 5 ft.; Rectangle/Oval ~ 6 x 3 ft.; Square ~ 4 – 6 ft.

  • The 6-seater dining table is the farthest you can ever go if you are looking forward to saving some space in your dining room or kitchen.
  • If you choose the rectangular or square options, you will only sit the mentioned 6-people. Circular options, however, could support as many as 8 diners without cramming.
  • Some 6-seater dining tables may measure slightly longer than 45” at their widest parts.
  • You can compromise at this point if the dimensions of your dining room/kitchen permit it. Otherwise, it would be prudent to stick with those 25” or less.

Few points to note:

  • Square dining tables look great in a square space. If your dining room is square-shaped, adding a square space-saver can make it look even more spacious.
  • Square dining tables are best for a maximum of 4 people, but they are highly preferable for two 2 people.
  • Rectangular dining tables are common because rooms in homes tend to be rectangular, but they are only preferable for 4 people or more.

While you are free to choose any shape of space-saving tables, most interior designers recommend round tables for tight rooms with no sharp corners to bump into

3. Cost of The Options v/s Your Budget

Badly as you need a space-saver, you don’t want to spend a fortune on it.

That’s why you should prepare a budget even before considering any of the tables you saw in the store.

Besides preventing you from overspending, the budget will let you factor in such things as the transportation of the table to your home and the cost of labor if you need any.

If you want to be accurate, consider preparing your budget after you have researched about your favorite brands, their products, and the prices of those products.

It is always recommended that you make a comparison of products between different brands. It can help you identify cheaper options with the same qualities as what you had planned to buy from elsewhere.

Most of the space-saving dining tables you will find on Amazon, Home Depot, Ikeas, and Lowes fall in the range of $85 to $200.

Price tags can be influenced by the material of construction, brand, and presence of some special features. It is not uncommon to come across space-saving tables with price tags as high as $300.

4. Comfort

It is easy to focus too much on practicality and space-saving qualities and overlook the comfort aspect of the dining table. Also, some manufacturers pay too much attention to the space-saving side of their products to a point of forgetting entirely about their comfortability.

Once you find a piece of an affordable space-saver that looks pleasing to the eye, take a moment, and evaluate the degree of comfort it offers.

You want something cozy and relaxing to sit on and enjoy your dinner after a tiring day.

For this reason, it only makes sense to shop for the table in a physical big box store like Home Depot that may be close to you so that you can test the furniture by sitting on it.

5. Style

Just because you want a space-saver so bad doesn’t mean the appearance of the dining-table doesn’t matter.

There are products you would regret buying after they’ve been delivered when you realize the color doesn’t click with the color scheme in your kitchen or dining room.

You want something that syncs with the décor you already have in the room.

If you want a more relaxed space, go for soft and neutral colors. Colors are powerful tools for creating a perception of your space.

6. Necessary Add-Ons

By necessary add-ons, we mean the chairs that perfectly go together with the space-saver of your choice. Even non-space saving dining tables come with their matching chairs.

There is no good reason why you should compromise on this unwritten rule. Yet, it is not uncommon for some manufacturers to offer space-savers without matching chairs or offering them separately from the table.

This can be tolerated for full-size dining tables, but not for space-savers because sourcing the matching chairs from another manufacturer can be an ordeal.

Also, it will cost you extra bucks which will end up bloating your budget.

Brands like IKEA and Winsome will happily supply their space-savers complete with their matching chairs.

7. Versatility

By versatility we mean, can the space-saver of your choice be used with the tiny benches or chairs you already have at home?

This is a question you should ask when you spot a space-saver that can fit well in your dining area but doesn’t come with matching chairs.

If you already have two benches or chairs that can be used with the table, you can gladly combine them in your eating area and save yourself the trouble and extra costs of buying chairs.

8. Multi-functionality

Because you are trying to save space in your kitchen or dining room, you may be looking for a table that can save space and remove the need for other items.

Tables that make use of their underneath by incorporating a few spacious drawers may remove the need for more cabinets in your kitchen.

A table that can serve as a kitchen island can even be better, although it might need to be a 4-seater or higher.

Multi-functionality is one of the factors that may compel you to buy a space-saver with wheels on the legs because they make it possible to move it easily between the dining room and the kitchen to serve different roles.

Related: How To Shop For Space Saving Desks

Conclusion

Space-saving dining tables, just like any other space-saving furniture, are essential in making small spaces sizable.

If you find options with drawers or shelves beneath them, you can use those spaces as your extra storage zones. Besides coming in clever designs and thoughtful storage spaces beneath, a space-saver should never measure beyond 45” at its widest point.

Still, it doesn’t mean you should compromise on other aspects. The best way to start your shopping is to measure the dimensions of your space. The obtained dimensions are important in deciding the appropriate size of the table as well as the clearance area.

Consider the cost of the space-saver with other options as well as your budget. Your choice should also guarantee comfort, versatility, and multi-functionality.