Kitchen seating at island only - 4
"Formal" dining is part of a great room with living area - 12

Seating at Island -2
Eat in can seat up to 10, but usually keep comfy for 4-6
Formal Dining Room 8-10

Oh! Duh. You wanted seats?

Kitchen island-table 2 (squeeze 4)
Dining room: 8 big chairs. Seats 14 in card chairs, 20 with extra table length and card chairs. 30+ if extra tables are extended all the way to the LR fireplace. More and I have to move furniture.

We went from a large kitchen table that seated 6, to a smaller round table that seats 4, plus a couple stools at the counter. Three stools can fit but I knew they would never be used. The counter stools are mainly for me to sit while I work.

Formal Dining Room = 12.

We did not have a DR set for many years and the bigger kitchen table was it. Having both was not necessary for us.

well our kitchen is in the demo stage right now, but the finished plans would have:

Do you have an eat in kitchen? Yes -- eating nook for 2-3 people, and seating at a bar between the kitchen and dining room for 2 people.

Formal Dining? Sort of. The living/dining area is one large room with separate sections. Not a real "formal" dining room, but where the dining table will be.

Kitchen -- Loveseat, plus table for 2-4. Island without seating.
Living room -- Dropleaf table for 2-6 for dining/games.
Central library hall/DRM -- Dropleaf table with leaves sits decoratively against wall normally (gathering fairly little junk and dust), moves out to seat 8 to 12.

Island: One stool for a worker

Kitchen Table: 4

Dining room: 9 - 12 at table, up to 16 with little table that fits up to end of main table...Can add tables and seats to stretch through the next 2 rooms to seat more diners in the future for special occasions.

pllog - I was mostly interested in #s (of seats in each space) but I would love to read that thread! THanks for posting the link.

Current:
Kitchen table 4-6
DR table 4-6
patio table 4-6

Proposed for remodeled house
island 4
kitchen/DR table 4-6
table on deck 4-6
table overlooking pool 4-6

Jamming family and friends into every nook and cranny regardless of where they have to sit... PRICELESS :-)

End of island: 3 seats
Kitchen table, next to the kitchen (open space): 8
Dining room: 2 square tables, each can seat up to 8 apart, if pushed together, 10-12.

Kitchen table - 6
No seating at island, table is 43" away.
Dining room - table for 10, will inherit table that extends to hold 14 but I doubt I can fit more than 12 in my current dining room.

This is what fits our needs. There are 4 of us. Add my dad, my brother and his family and we total 9. We only host meals for my side of the family, never for my hubby's side for various reasons.

And that's okay because there are a lot of them, 5 generations (!) of family. Even though my in-laws live in a 1400 sq. ft house with a dining room half the size of mine (which isn't that big to begin with), and the only kitchen seating is 3 seats at the bar, they regularly host family gatherings for 30-35 people (and possibly more this past Christmas). I remember one Thanksgiving when they set up 3 rented banquet tables in their (heated and cleaned up) garage. Most of the time, though, my MIL sets up a potluck, we fill our plates and sit on chairs, couches, fireplace hearth and, if we're not quick enough, on the floor. It's cozy but it works. If my in-laws were to plan for a house to seat that many people regularly, their house would be mostly tables and chairs. LOL!

It's interesting to see what others do but it ultimately comes down to what your needs are on a day to day basis with some room to spare. As plllog has shown, you can always expand as needed.

Just remember my kitchen table actually seats 8 when opened to a full square ( it is rectangle regularly seating 6 but day to day we only fit 4 (our family)

Our island is 46" away with NO seating.

Our formal dining room seats 6, planned kitchen expansion will have 4 with a leaf to 6+. No seating at the island.

4-5 at built-in kitchen table
3 at kitchen bar
6-8 in formal DR

Sam Johnson
___________
EverydayFaucets.com

Here is a link that might be useful: picure of kitchen seating

Island - 5
Eat-in Kitchen - up to 8
Dining room - turned into cute sitting room after remodel

Island 2
Kitchen table (grandma's old DR table) 6, but can expand to 14 ft.
Dining table 6-8 can expand to seat 18.

We sat 22 at Thanksgiving - used both tables, and changed seats partway through. Fun.

Island: 3
Dining 10

The dining is a hybrid between formal and eat-in. It's an open floor plan. We didn't want 3 eating zones-felt it was over kill.

Breakfast Bar = 2
Eat In = 8 to 10
Dining Room = Presently home office but could fit 8 to 10 with new dining set

Island 4 plus 2 small stools on ends occasionally
Kit. Table - 8 to 10
DR - 10 to 12

And I can't wait!

Kitchen table=8 (sometimes I pull one leaf so it sits 6)
Dining room=8 (can fit 10 in the room and Great Aunt's table could fit more with 5 leaves)
Coming Soon!!
Island=4
Also have:
School room=4 (we homeschool)

We had 25 over Thanksgiving weekend with plywood countertops. It was a sneak peek for my family.

For our family of 7:

Kitchen table - no leaves, seats 8
Island - 2 stools
DR - table extends to 12 ft., seats 14 comfortably-- we use it several times a year. For really big parties I set up one or two folding 8' tables in the LR, each seating 10

We also have an open layout...we took down the wall b/w the Kitchen & DR and eliminated in-Kitchen seating that we had outgrown as a family.
Peninsula - 2 (mostly used by me for my laptop when I work from home!)
Dining Room (Formal/Informal): Well, it should seat 10 - 12, but it's an old, inexpensive set we inherited from my in-laws and the chairs have been breaking one-by-one...we're down to 5 chairs! (Plus, 4 folding chairs!)

I can't wait until we can save up to purchase my "dream" set...but, backsplash & college for two children first (*sigh* my DD is in 8th grade...so at least 8 years to go!)

We hosted Christmas dinner for 30 people this year (with the kitchen being 98% finished!) and this set-up worked really well:

Kitchen island (seats 3 but we used it as a buffet)
Kitchen table-6
Card table in "sunroom" open to kitchen-4
Dining room-10
Pub table in family room-6
Card table in family room-4

For our family of 5 + brother w/injured back and no work who is currently living w/us.

eat-in kitchen - yes, table seats 6
island seating - yes, 2 stools
dining room - yes, table w/extensions seats 6-10

dining room 10-14 - depending on squeezing

kitchen zero - there is a four-top table but I use it as a work surface, sometimes we feed a kid or two there, amidst the cutting boards and sharp knives, but the dining room is way more convenient.

Eat in kitchen 6

Kitchen island 3 counter stools

Dining room 8 (I wish my dining room were larger. I think builders really skimp on the space in here if you like to entertain!)

Remodel will include covered living area/porch eating area that will seat 8 at a table.

I'm answering based on what we will have once the work is done. :o)

Do you have an eat in kitchen? No
Seating at island? 4
Formal Dining? 16

We also have a table for 6 in our schoolroom.

But you might be interested to know that for the past year we've been feeding our family of 14 in a kitchen with a table for 6 (but we cram 8), two high chairs, and a rolling island (around which we put 4 stools even though it's not an "eat at" island.) Now ask me how anxious I am for my kitchen to be done! ;o)

Island - 3
Peninsula - 2
Dining Room - Normally at 6, extends for 10

Island 'table' ~ where we eat most of our meals ~ can seat 3; we have only 2 chairs. Rather than a stand-alone table in the kitchen there is casual seating for 6-8 in the Keeping Room end of the kitchen.

The dining table keeps company with a sofa and piano in the room across the hall from the kitchen. The table seats 8. The impromptu music was fantastic New Years day!

Kitchen table - 4 comfortably with no leaves,
8 with both in.

Dining room - 10 comfortably, 12 in a pinch. Oval
seemed like a good idea when we got it, but it
really eliminates adding a card table to the end.

Bfast nook: currently seats 4-6 (I've been on the hunt for a new table, would love a bench to cram more in!)
Island: 4 stools
Dining Room: empty right now, but will eventually buy a table that seats 12 comfortably. right now the toys have drifted into there from the playroom and I've got a changing table station for the first floor ;)

seating at island: 4
breakfast room seating: 4/8
dining room: 10

seating at island - 5
kitchen table - no
dining table - no

Actually, we do have a table that we keep stored in the garage. We take it out when we need it for holidays or parties. Our "dining area" is narrow and there are only 3 of us so I prefer to keep that area open most of the time.

Kitchen Island~7
Kitchen table~8

Dining room(when I had a table in there)8-12

Kitchen table: Up to 5
Island: 0
Dining Room: Up to 10, if I put away a few sewing machines.

Eat in kitchen? Yes, for 4-5
Seating at island? Yes, for 3
Formal dining? Yes, our new extendable dining table will seat 8-12. (Was originally going with a fixed table seating 8, then a post here on GW convinced me that I should accommodate our future growing family!!)

Our family-2 senior citizens

Eat in kitchen-no
Seating at island-we have a peninsula with 2 big chairs but could fit 4 small counter stools
Formal dining-our DR is open to the kitchen and LR so informal also-seats 6 but can expand to fit 12 comfortably with both leaves in-14 in a pinch.

Eat in kitchen: 6-8 (60 inch round)
Island seating 4
Formal dining room: 14 comfortably with the leaves

I have an eat in kitchen with a solid wood Ethan Allen Table that I bought 12 years ago when I moved here that had sides that go down to make it a little table for two. I decided to invest in a good table that can be very expendable since I am using my dining room as part of my home office. I can make the sides go up to a round table that is 42" wide with the 4 matching chair and the table sits 4. Add the leaf in the middle of the table and the table become an oval and fits 6 people comfortably without bumping into each other.

I am not sure when I renovate my kitchen and change out the laminate counters if I am going to extend the counter top on the bar area to allow seating for 2 people like many of my neighbors have since it takes up walking space.

Right now I have never entertained more than 6 people formally. If there are more than that, it can be a buffet with people sitting on the sofa and recliner to use the coffee table and end tables. I have a home office in the living room and dining room so IF I have to, I could use the conference big cherry desk for sitting if I had an informal buffet. Usually if there are more than 6 people, we go to someone else's home which is fine by me.

funny, cooksnsews - me too :)

Breakfast room at end of kitchen - up to 6
Island - 8
Dining room - 12-14

My daughter's baby shower was here and we had probably 13 or 14 people eating around the island and only 4 or 5 at the DR table. And the kitchen is completely open to the DR. People always hang out at the island.

Island: 2 (ish, it's not meant for long term hanging out and sitting, but kitchen table is right there)
Kitchen table: normally 6, but can expand to 12
Dining room: up to 10 at the table, but can add lots more!

I had to laugh about the in-laws story. My in-laws also live in a 1400 sq ft house and had 30+ for Thanksgiving. They swapped the LR and the DR, put in tablecloth covered plywood tables and it was amazing. They do it all the time for the large family and it's a huge lesson for me, you can always fit in friends and family!

Our kitchen is open to the dining room with a large arched wall, so the table is sort of like an eat in kitchen but sort of like a formal dining room if you get the lighting right etc.

No island seating.
DR seats 10-14.

Island: 3-5 (we have 3 stools, but I am looking for one or two backless ones to add)

Dining Room: 10, but we squeeze in an extra chair when our oldest is home on breaks from college, and the baby isn't eating at the table yet. It isn't a formal dining room- it is next to the kitchen and will be next to the living room too when we get to that stage of the remodel.

I also have an additional table (that will live in the living room) that we keep round to seat four, but has 5 leaves to extend it if needed. With our large family + relatives, it gets used often for family gatherings. Otherwise, it gets used for homework and playing games, etc.

For my family of 4 with two young kids:

Do you have an eat in kitchen? Yes...Nook with banquette, seat 4 normally, more if it's kids, but 5 adults.

Seating at island? No island.

Formal Dining? Used nightly for dinner (not formal but put the right table cloth and china and silver and it's formal). Current table can seat 8 but it's not comfortable...shopping for new table (would love for it to fit 10 with leaves). I have a gateleg table that can add an extra 5 on to the existing table...but it extends into LR then.

Outdoors (in So. Cal we eat out there almost all summer): 6 at adult table, 4 and kid table, and 4 at BBQ bar.

Kitchen table: We went from a table that was 54" round and could have leaves added so it could reach 12' long...To a small (42") round table that has 4 really comfy leather-loungy chairs. I wanted this area to become a place to "hang out" since we took down the 1/2 walls between the kichen and family room. It's like my own Starbucks...

No seating at island.

Dining room: Can seat up to 8, it is an octogan table, we could fit more, and I have thought about putting a round wooden overlay on top of the octogan glass so as to fit more if necessary--the points make it hard to seat an odd number without looking weird.

Kitchen island - 2 seats
Kitchen peninsula - 2 counter height seats
breakfast nook - seating for up to 6 at a banquette
dining - stays set up for 6 but can be made to fit 12

None of it built yet, hope to break ground next month

Townhouse:
Island = 0 I'm not a fan of island seating when you have kitchen seating, seems like overkill and people get sloppy about eating properly (which should be done at a table as a family IMO)
Kitchen Table = 4 to 6 easily when we add a chair (bench seatting around a round table otherwise
Formal Dining Room (and I'm a firm believer in FORMAL as in not part of the kitchen) = 8 to 10 if I'm creative, very comfy with 6 or 7

House:
No island at this time, but I may include a couple of seats at a low area on a corner if it works in the design, purely as a spot to visit while in the kitchen...there won't be a table in the kitchen.
Kitchen table = 0
Family Dining Room (off of kitchen, informal space) = 8 to 10 will be set up for 4 most often
Formal Dining Room = 20 plus and up to 30 (seated) if we extend the table into the smoking parlor.