I welcome your input on this. The everyday dining table will be part of a great room however there is a drywalled post in the middle of the open area that supports a bearing wall. The dining table and chairs will go between the kitchen island and the post; this space is 7 feet 8 inches and I understand a little space should also be alowed to walk between the island and the dining area. So what table width would you recommend?

Ideally I would like to be able to seat up to 8 people a few times a year so a leaf with tables is probably ideal. The length of the table is not an issue as there is enough space.