How to Plan a Dining Area in an Open-Concept HDB Layout

Making Smarter Choices for Your Space

Space in Singapore homes is tight, so every piece of furniture you bring in needs to earn its keep. This guide looks at the most common Singapore floor plan, where the dining area shares the same open space as the living room. We've helped thousands of Singapore households plan this exact layout, and these are the lessons that actually make a difference.

Getting the Dimensions Right

When the dining area shares space with the living room, as it does in most Singapore homes, measuring properly before you shop matters more than usual. Give each person at least 60cm along the table edge, and leave 80 to 100cm between the table edge and the nearest wall or furniture so chairs can be pulled out and pushed in without a squeeze.

In a standard 4-room BTO, a table that seats 4 to 6 tends to work best. If your dining area runs narrow, look for a pedestal-base table: it lets you tuck chairs in fully in a way a four-leg design usually can't.

Choosing the Right Table Shape

• Rectangular: the most versatile shape, sits flush against a wall, and fits the most people. Works well in the narrow dining spaces common in HDB flats.
• Round: softens the room with no sharp corners. A good fit for square dining spaces and homes with young children.
• Oval: a generous surface with softer lines than a rectangle. Suits medium-sized rooms.
• Extendable: opens up for CNY, Hari Raya, and Deepavali gatherings, then folds back down for everyday use.

At Nova Furnishing, our dining collections cover all four shapes, built so the table and chairs match each other in both style and proportion.

Pairing Chairs With Your Table

Chair height and table height need to work together. Standard table height sits at 73-76cm, and seat height should fall between 43-48cm. Get this pairing right and meals stay comfortable even when they run long.

In a tight space, armless chairs tuck under the table more completely than ones with arms. If you host often, keep a few stackable or foldable chairs on hand for extra guests. At Nova Furnishing, our dining chairs are built to match our tables, both in comfort and in look.

Find the Right Fit at Nova Furnishing

Furnishing your first BTO or upgrading a home you've lived in for years calls for the same thing: furniture that changes how it feels to live there every day.

At Nova Furnishing, we pair solid craftsmanship with honest pricing, because we want Singapore families to end up with homes they actually love. Drop by our showroom or reach out to our team. We're always happy to help.