Will the stools at the island be used at the same time as the seats at the dining table?

You might be able to go with 54" - I would use stools that fit under the overhang of the island (or at least do not stick out much when pushed in at the island). Also, if you use a bench at the dining table, that would save some space. The big question really is how often will the seating at the island and dining table be used at the same time.

If you post a scaled drawing of your space (using graph paper or ruler - 1/4" = 1') + include dimensions for all walls/windows/doors/doorways/etc. - people will be able to help you with your layout. Many times it's easier for someone who doesn't live at the home to come up with the best layout for the space.

For comfortable placement, I've seen 72" from countertop edge to dining table edge.

When the person is seated at the dining table and a person is seated at the island Back to Back... a minimum of 24" to walk between... if that helps any.

You may never have peeps seated at both at the same time, but visually it doesn't appear cluttered.

Ideally at least 60" but we all have had clients where that just doesn't work. I think you would be fine at 54 " . I would suggest testing it out. Use some folding tables and set charis up. Grab a few friends and have them sit down. This way you can visualize what is happening. Most people sit close to a tbale and may be about 20" - 24" from the edge of the bale to the back of the chair. So you can pull the cahirs out but no one can pass through the space if there is a fanny in every seat. For that, make sure there are alternate routes for your guests to move through the house. On a day to day basis, you would be fine unless you have a large household. Do not get large chairs or stools and no flared legs ( tripping hazzard.

Good luck!

They would only be used at the same time for larger dinner parties, when we need seating for more than 10 people. Then it would be kids at the stools. Yes, I plan to get stools that are backless as I like having them fully tucked under.

Maybe I’ll go with 57” which would allow the busy walkway on the other side to be 48”.

Sorry, previous one didn’t show the island and I don’t know how to edit!

Hmmm - I think I would forgo the straight run to the door outside and add inches to the space between the island and the table. Let that be the main walk through. That's what my customer did with something similar

They keep the table about 10 - 12" off the wall and have 61- 63" between the table and island. For them, it works great - they pull the table out when they have lots of people over.

So they are only dealing with basically 75" of space to split between walkways - you have 105". I think you will be just fine.

Thanks Debbi. I didn’t provide enough context, bottom left is entry to dining room/kitchen, so that needs to be the path of travel

The comfort seating choice for adults will always be to use a chair at the dining table so your feet rest on the floor. Not a factor for young kids. Is it possible to open the wall for a wider entrance into the dining/kitchen? Getting it open enough would let the center rear path to the door feel OK.

No, it cannot be widened on the right as the living room/family room is on the other side. Is it not wide enough at 48" to walk along the wall on the left? Thanks everyone for their help so far!

When anyone is sitting on that side of the table so they can talk to a person in the kitchen the crowding will be in affect. Can you set up a test layout to see how it works?

Hmmm, sorry I don’t understand that concern.

Someone casually seated on the far side of the dining table will have the chair back some away from the table edge more so than when eating. Like lounging more. Which will take up more space. Maybe the living/family room might be OK open more. Do you have a floorplan that includes that space? I've done full size mockups in a basement or garage space with cardboard boxes. It has always helped for critical measurements.

Oh gotcha, thanks for explaining. The wall on the us a bedroom, so it won’t be moving.

Fwiw in our house folks generally exit to our patio from the kitchen (they’re grabbing their drink, food etc) - they very rarely make a straight exit from our family room - do the entrances/exits really have to line up? small houses are all about compromise

If you only have 5' between the two, then why do you "need" seating at the island to begin with? The people are right there, withing easy talking distance.

Give up any overhang and seating at the island, and just use your table for social gatherings.

From what I can find online, it is recommended to have 44” between the wall and a seat for people to walk behind comfortably- we’d have 48”. 60”/5 feet is recommended between island and table. I’m just looking to reduce that 3” as both seats will seldom be in use at the same time.

Immediately beside the deck door are stairs to our lower level with the kids’ bedrooms and laundry…so I think a circuitous route of travel would be more annoying.

Yes, it’s all about trade offs in our smaller home…just tough to know which ones will be more bothersome!

Thanks everyone.

We definitely don’t “need” the counter seating, but the kids and guests do use it currently. And our dining table is only 50” behind the island.

Personally I feel like you are way over thinking this. Do you have an island now? a tbale there now? What is it all measuring? Are you keeping the table you have? Generally the only issues with walking around come when everybody has a butt in the seats. And when that is happeneing, no one is going from the other room , through the kitchen to outside.

Yes, I am guilty of overthinking this - thank you for calling me out! Spacing mistakes were made in a previous renovation, so now I'm obsessing over every inch. 48" and 57" will work ...much more room than we currently have.