The 100 cm Tulip table is the size many people choose when a 90 cm table feels a little tight but a 120 cm one would crowd the room. Ten extra centimetres may not sound like much, yet on a round table they change how comfortable each place setting is and how you use the top. In this guide we look at how many people it seats, how much space you need around it, which tops are available at tavoli.design and when the extendable version makes sense.
How many people fit at a 100 cm Tulip table?
According to our size chart, a 100 cm round Tulip table seats 4 people comfortably, and 4 is also the recommended maximum. Compared with the 90 cm size, which offers 2-3 comfortable places and 4 at most, four settings are no longer a squeeze: plates, glasses and cutlery all have room and nobody bumps elbows.
Day to day, the 100 cm table is ideal for two, with plenty of surface for meals, a laptop or the weekend papers. When friends come over, you can lay it for four without compromise. That is why we see it as the most comfortable compromise for people who entertain often but have a compact dining room or kitchen.
What about the centre of the top?
On a round table the places point towards the centre. Below 120 cm the surface is almost entirely taken up by the settings: on a 100 cm table laid for four there is room for a jug, a bottle or a small centrepiece, but not for serving dishes. If you like to put the food in the middle, consider a larger diameter or serve from a sideboard nearby.
How much room do you need?
Allow at least 80-90 cm of clear space around the table to pull out a chair and stand up; if people also need to walk behind the chairs, 100-110 cm is better. A quick rule is to add about 180 cm to the diameter: a 100 cm Tulip table sits well in an area of roughly 280 x 280 cm.
This is where the Tulip design has a real advantage: the single pedestal base keeps the whole edge free. There are no legs at the corners to knock into, chairs can be pulled up from any side, and the table can sit against a bench or in a breakfast nook without losing a seat.
Marble or laminate: the tops available in Ø100 cm
At tavoli.design the 100 cm diameter comes in every finish of the round collection:
- Carrara marble, white with soft grey veining;
- Arabescato and Arabescato Vagli, with darker, bolder veining;
- Calacatta Oro, a bright white background crossed by golden veins;
- Marquinia, black;
- Emperador Dark, dark brown;
- Verde Alpi;
- laminate, which reproduces the look of natural stone.
Marble is a natural stone, polished by hand: every top has its own veining, and on a compact 100 cm diameter you take in the whole pattern of the stone at a glance. Laminate is the practical choice: minimal upkeep and good resistance to scratches and stains, ideal in a kitchen or with small children. For a concrete example, start with the 100 cm round Tulip table in Carrara marble, also available in laminate. In both cases the tulip base is hand-painted.
The 100 cm extendable Tulip table
100 cm is also where the extendable range begins: the round extendable Tulip table starts at Ø100 cm and opens to 145 x 100 cm. It suits anyone who wants a compact table every day but occasionally needs an extra seat. Bear in mind that the extendable version is only available with a laminate top, not in marble.
100 cm or another size?
The 100 cm table is the right choice if there are two of you every day, you often have two guests and you have around 280 x 280 cm to play with. If space is tighter, or the table is mainly for breakfast, the 90 cm Tulip table takes up less room. If you are often four or five at the table, step up to 107 or 120 cm. To compare every diameter from 90 to 160 cm, see the full chart in our guide on choosing the size of a round Tulip table.
In short
A 100 cm Tulip table seats 4 people comfortably, is ideal for two in everyday use and needs a space of about 280 x 280 cm. It comes in Carrara marble, Arabescato, Arabescato Vagli, Calacatta Oro, Marquinia, Emperador Dark, Verde Alpi and laminate; if you need more seats, the Ø100 cm extendable table is available in laminate only. You will find every model in our round Tulip tables category.