G-Jessica Dining Table: 1.6m or 1.8m, and what 20cm changes

The G-Jessica Dining Table (1.6/1.8m) gives you one decision to make, and 20cm sounds like the least important choice in furniture until you work out where it lands. The listing gives 160 x 90 x 75cm and 180 x 90 x 75cm: same 90cm depth, same 75cm height, same gold frame and ceramic top.

Where the 20cm goes

A place setting wants somewhere near 60cm of table edge, and 70cm feels generous. Divide the long side by the number of chairs on it and the difference between the two sizes stops being abstract:

That is the whole story. Six people fit on either table, but on the 160cm they are at 53cm apiece, which is close enough that shoulders touch; on the 180cm they get the full 60cm. If six is a regular event, take the 180cm. If four is normal and six is occasional, the 160cm gives you back 20cm of room, and the 90cm depth means you can put somebody at each end on either size.

The floor each size needs

Allow about 75cm out from each edge for a chair in use, and roughly 100cm where somebody has to pass behind a seated guest.

• 160cm, chairs on the long sides: about 160 x 240cm of clear floor.
• 180cm, chairs on the long sides: about 180 x 240cm.
• Either size, chairs all round with walkways: 360 to 380cm by about 290cm.

Mark it out with tape. It is a better test than any drawing, and it takes less effort than sending a table back.

The gold frame, and what the listing does not say

The listing describes a gold frame with a strong, angular base, and a ceramic top it says resists scratches and stains. What it does not state is the metal underneath, whether the gold is a plated or a coated finish, how warm or brassy the tone is, or the thickness of the top. Metallic finishes photograph in a particular light and read differently in a north-facing room, so ask for photographs of the actual piece and, if you can, see it in the store. The leg positions are not stated either, which matters if you intend to put a bench on one side.

A gold frame also makes the rest of the room a decision. It sits most easily with chairs in a matching metal or in a plain fabric that does not compete, and a single metal through the room usually looks better than two.

What to compare it with

The BK-Jessica Dining Table (1.8m) is the same frame in black, at the 1.8m length only, and is the straight comparison if you are undecided on the metal. For a different gold design at the same length, the G-Mayfair Gold Dining Table (1.8m) uses four sculptural legs instead of an angular frame. And if you want a smaller starting point, the GS-Lucy Dining Table (1.5/1.8m) begins at 150cm. Everything else is in dining tables.

Ordering

Choose the length on how often six people actually sit down, check the floor against the figures above, and ask to see the finish before you commit. Delivery is free within 50 miles of our Glasgow store and £50 beyond. Both sizes are on the G-Jessica Dining Table (1.6/1.8m) page.