Thanksgiving Hosting Furniture: 12 Ways to Seat and Serve a Crowd
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Hosting Thanksgiving comes down to three problems: seats, serving space and beds for out-of-town relatives. The turkey is the easy part.
Thanksgiving is Thursday, November 26. Furniture takes time to arrive, so figure out what's missing now, not the week before.
One number is worth remembering before you shop. Plan on about 24 inches of table edge per person. Everything below is built around that.
No budget for new furniture? Eight ways to fit more people
Most people searching for this aren't shopping. They have a table that's too small and a guest list that's too long. These fixes cost nothing, and they work with the furniture below too.
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Serve buffet style. Put the food on the kitchen counter, a sideboard or the island. The table then only holds plates and glasses.
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Swap chairs for a bench on one side. A bench seats more people than chairs in the same length.
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Choose a round when you can. A round pedestal table gives everyone legroom, since there are no legs in the corners.
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Turn the table on a diagonal if the room allows. Guests at the ends get more space and the walkway opens up.
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Join a second table. A folding or console table at the end, under a long tablecloth, reads as one table.
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Set up a kids' picnic. Pillows around a coffee table are a treat for children and free up seats.
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Check seat height. A seat around 18 inches high suits most people. Leave about 12 inches between the seat and the tabletop.
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Aim for about eight per table. Beyond that, conversation tends to split in two. Use a second table or a buffet-and-lounge setup instead.
If that isn't enough, the picks below fill the gaps.
Part 1: Seating everyone
1. A table that can grow
An extension leaf is the best fix for a house that hosts a crowd once a year. The Zenie dining table is cherry brown solid wood. It runs 77 inches closed and 95 inches with the leaf in. At 24 inches a head, the leaf adds roughly three-quarters of a seat to each long side. That's the difference between squeezing and not squeezing.
If your room is smaller, try the 5 piece dining set. It pairs a 42 inch round extendable table with four espresso chairs. For a tighter space, the Dio dining table has a 47 inch top on a cross pedestal base. That means no legs in the way of anyone's knees.
2. Chairs, with a little color
If you're adding chairs, this is a good moment to add some color too. The Salie dining chairs come as a set of two. They have curved backs, mustard yellow velvet and black legs. They look like fall without looking like a theme.
3. A bench for the overflow
A bench seats more people in less space than separate chairs. It also tucks under the table when dinner is over. The Flint dining bench is 70 inches in dark brown mahogany wood with turnbuckle details. For something shorter, the Orso side dining bench is 48 inches with a plank seat. The Koji bench is 42 inches with a padded gray fabric seat. If you're tight on space, a bench on the wall side of a round table is a good trick.
4. Stools at the island
Somebody always ends up eating at the kitchen counter, usually the kids and one uncle. The Ela counter stool has a 24 inch seat in mango wood and iron. The Vira stools come as a pair with a 30 inch seat and a footrest. Check whether your island is counter height or bar height before you pick, because the two don't swap.
Browse counter stools · Browse bar stools
Part 2: Serving and gathering
5. A sideboard for the buffet
Putting every dish on the dining table leaves no room for plates. A sideboard fixes that. It holds the serving dishes while people line up. The rest of the year, it stores the good dishes you rarely use. The Ross buffet console is 63 inches with door shelves and three drawers in walnut brown. The Nori sideboard is a slimmer 47 inches with three drawers in antique oak brown and black.
Keep wood sideboards away from heat vents and radiators. Long exposure can warp the finish.
6. Trays for carrying and staging
Trays save trips back and forth. The 18 and 20 inch round serving trays come as a pair with handles in galvanized gray iron. The Zia 3-tier tray is 30 inches tall in brown fir wood. It stacks desserts without using more counter space.
7. A bar cart that moves
Drinks tend to take over the kitchen. A cart on wheels moves them to the living room where people actually want to be. The serving bar cart is 32 inches wide in black metal with two shelves and bottle holders. The Vida cart is 38 inches wide with locking casters, so it stays put when someone leans on it.
8. A fire pit for after dinner
There's usually a point in the evening when the table clears and half the family goes outside. A fire pit gives them somewhere to go. This one is rated at 40,000 BTUs, round, in dark gray iron with cutout handles. Check your local rules on open flames before you buy.
Part 3: Welcoming overnight guests
9. A sleeper sofa
If you don't have a guest room, a sleeper sofa is the easiest answer. The Mea full size sleeper sofa comes with two throw pillows in plush mocha brown chenille. Measure the room with the bed pulled out, not just the sofa folded. Make sure someone can still reach the bathroom.
10. Extra seating for the living room
After dinner, everybody ends up in the living room. A loveseat or an extra chair makes the difference between a comfortable room and a crowded one. The Fery loveseat is 55 inches with a channel-stitched back in blush pink fabric. The Cathy accent chair has dark gray polyester upholstery and walnut brown arms.
11. Somewhere for coats
Twenty people means twenty coats. If they all land on a bed, somebody will lose a scarf. The Rena coat and hat rack stands 72 inches tall with eight wood stems. Rather keep the floor clear? The Dough set of two wall mounted racks has eight hooks in brown sheesham wood. The Orso hall tree adds a mirror and a storage bench.
12. Beds that are ready
Fresh bedding, a couple of pillows and a throw at the foot of the bed take five minutes. They're what guests actually remember.
A short checklist
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Count your guests and multiply by 24 inches. Compare that number to your table.
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Decide where the overflow sits: a bench, island stools or a second small table.
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Choose where the food goes while people serve themselves.
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Check where overnight guests will sleep and whether they can reach the bathroom.
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Order anything you need by
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How much table space does each guest need?
Plan for about 24 inches of table edge per person.
2. How do I fit more people at the Thanksgiving table?
Use a table with an extension leaf, then add a bench or counter stools for the overflow.
3. What furniture do I need for a Thanksgiving buffet?
A sideboard for the dishes, trays for carrying and a bar cart for drinks.
4. When should I order furniture for Thanksgiving?
Early enough to arrive before November 26.
5. What helps with overnight guests?
A sleeper sofa and fresh bedding cover most situations.
