I think you will be fine since it opens up on one side to your kitchen.
My dining space is part of an L-shaped living/dining room. I was able to expand the table to seat twelve. Yes, the end seat were a bit cramped, but certainly doable.

If it is 12 feet wide, I'd say no worries, but if it is only nine feet wide, then it could be crowded if people want to hang out and relax after the meal-if they push the chairs back much, there won't be a lot of space to get around the pushed-back chairs. A very narrow table could help solve that, though. I have been searching for a 30" wide antique harvest table for years for just that reason (saw one once, but didn't buy it then-stupid me).

Ditto what cyn said.

Mine is 11' 5" wide and I wouldn't go smaller. I have an octagonal table and it allows a comfortable space to walk behind the chairs.

Here is a photo of my 11.5 wide by 10.5 long dining room. We have just enough room. The table is 42 wide, and is flanked on either side by a small marble top table and a somewhat narrow buffet. I didn't have the leaf inserted when the photo was taken. So if you'll use the room regularly, you might want it wider, unless you don't have anything on the wall beside it, since yours opens up on one side. Mine does not open up except on the width to the living room, from where the photo was taken. Hope this helps someone, as I'm seeing this was posted a while back.

This post was edited by southernstitcher on Thu, Jul 25, 13 at 20:07

My diningroom is 10 ft. wide with cabinets built into recesses on one side beyond that. The rectangular dining table is 38" wide. We don't have difficulty walking around the table with everyone seated but am unclear if 6" less on each side would be tight. I would tape off a diningroom that size, put your table in the middle and see how things feel to you.

You could consider a banquet-type seat on a wall side which would leave you much more room.
Diane

Funny, I recently posted on a DRM like Ilovecookie's on another forum. 9' wide, very long, first home purchased by a kid specifically for this room that could seat his large extended family. Their family style was a table groaning with serving dishes full of food, so the tables (end to end and draped) had to be at least 42", likely 48" wide (it's been a couple decades).

It was too narrow to "walk around." The table was pushed more toward one wall so that old and large folk could walk up to chairs on the other side. On the "inside" wall everyone got in by sliding along the chairs. When someone needed to get out, everyone in the way slid out. A set of nice windows on the small far end, but that's all.

It may sound undesirable, but it worked so well that I was genuinely impressed and actually measured the room to note what could be done for the future. We're not family and didn't have to go, but were always glad to be invited there.

Ours is about 9x9 open to the kitchen, we've had 4 people in there.

Problem can be sorted out by deploying small chairs for children if place permits..........

One of the biggest mistakes in new homes is a dining area that is too small. A dining area that will be realistically comfortable would be no less than 11, preferably twelve. It's no fun squeezing behind someone. Ours is 11 and I consider adequate, would much prefer 12 or 13.

Eclecticcottage: I love your small country dining room. Very cozy and warm looking.

Anicee

Nice dining room but it does not look small to me ... I think that the ideal size for dining. But I also depends on the family member that how many family members are in family. I think your are 4 as there are only 4 chairs :-)

Anicee- I've been gone a lot, this last year...did you sell your house and buy a new one? Sorry, but I can't remember. I know you wanted to and had a really nice one picked out, at one time :)