Table Apron Sizing

[JohnM Martin]

I'm considering building a smallish kitchen/dining table (3ft x 3ft top) to give as a gift for this coming Christmas. At this stage, I'm looking at size/dimensions and I'm just curious how you all make a decision for things like table apron width? Given a table height of 30", how does one go about calculating the width of the apron aside from the obvious limitation that it allows enough "leg room"? Are there any places you all would turn to for guidelines, best practices for ratios for aesthetic concerns? Thanks!

[David Eisenhauer]

In my experience, the "leg" or "lap" room disappears quickly when calculating table apron width. I suggest that you mock up something to the height of your 30" tabletop, minus the thickness of the tabletop, and see what is left over to the top of your thighs. It is easy to design the aprons such that they do work, but in reality are not all that comfortable. Years ago, when I first started trying to design furniture (pre Internet days), I would arm myself with a tape measure and head to a furniture store or two to do some discrete measuring on tables that I admired. Right now, I am sitting at a table with a height of 30-1/4", a 1" table top thickness and a 3-1/4" apron that yields approximately a 3-5/8" gap between the bottom of the apron and the top of my legs and it is comfortable. In the past, I liked the look of a 4" apron, so ended up raising the table height a little to compensate.