Dining Etiquette Spaces at a Dining Table Creative Correct Table Setting and Seating Arrangemetns

Over the Counter Etiquette
by Harold Almon
Be at Ease School of Etiquette Austin

A dining table is to be selected based on number of place settings it is to be able to accommodate. For reasons of honor in seating, the ideal number of place settings is two, six, nine, ten, or any combination other than a multiple of four. For a multiple of four is easy to show the place settings, not so easy to correctly show honor.

A hundred and four inch table is divided into centers for each place setting. At a table, or Dais, the first center is sixteen inches in from the end of the table. The second center is twenty four inches from the first center. The third center is twenty four inches from the second one. The fourth center is twenty four inches in from the third one and sixteen inches in from the far end of the table.

The ideal place for the host and/or hostess is center the ends of the table, opposite each other. When this is so, the first side center can be twenty-eight inches in from the end of the table. The second side center is twenty-four inches in from the first center. The third center is twenty- four inches in from the second one, and twenty-eight inches in from the far end of the table. The actual space allotted for each person may be adjusted to be in balance with the table to be used.