Moving into a new flat is exciting, and it usually comes with a long shopping list. Before you start on cushions, lamps and rugs, there are three pieces that deserve your attention first: the sofa, the dining table and the bed. They are the largest items you will buy, they decide how every room is laid out, and in a Hong Kong apartment they are the ones most likely to go wrong if they are chosen in a hurry.
After more than 20 years of furnishing Hong Kong homes, we see the same pattern again and again. When the big three are planned together, around real measurements, everything else falls into place. When they are bought one at a time from different showrooms, people end up with a sofa that blocks the balcony door, a dining table that leaves no room to pull out a chair, and a bed with nowhere to store the suitcases.
Quick answer: Measure every room, your lift and your doorways before you shop. Choose the sofa, dining table and bed together so sizes, materials and colours work as a set. Leave around 75 to 90cm for walkways, 80 to 90cm behind dining chairs and 60cm beside the bed. Order at least 6 weeks before you move in, and consider a storage bed in place of extra cabinets.
Why the Sofa, Dining Table and Bed Come First
In most Hong Kong apartments the living and dining areas share one open space, and the bedroom has room for little more than the bed and a wardrobe. That means these three pieces take up most of the usable floor area. Once they are in place, the position of the TV, the rug, the lighting and even where you hang art all follow from them.
They are also the pieces you will live with longest. A side table can be swapped next year. A sofa, a dining table and a bed should last a decade or more, so it pays to get the size, comfort and materials right the first time.
Step One: Measure Before You Shop
Floor plans from the developer or agent are a useful start, but they are not enough on their own. Walk through the flat with a tape measure and note:
- Room dimensions, wall to wall, including any bay windows, beams and columns
- Door and window positions, including the balcony door and how far each door swings
- Air conditioning units, sockets and switches, so the sofa and bed do not cover them
- Lift interior size, lift door width and the doorway into the flat, which decide whether a large piece can get in at all
Many building management offices keep the lift dimensions on file, so ask them first. Take photos of each room from the doorway as well. They help a furniture maker see things a plan does not show. Our guide to furniture delivery and lift access in Hong Kong covers what to check in more detail.
The Sofa: Plan the Living Room Around It
The sofa is usually the first thing you see when you walk in, and the piece most often bought too big. Showrooms are large and bright, so a sofa that looks modest there can swallow a Hong Kong living room.
Getting the size right
Aim to keep about 75 to 90cm of clear walkway around the sofa, and around 40 to 45cm between the sofa and the coffee table so you can reach a drink without stretching. Mark the footprint on the floor with masking tape before you commit. It is the quickest way to see whether the room still feels open.
Straight, L shape or modular?
An L shape sofa makes the most of a corner and seats more people in less floor space than a sofa plus armchairs. A straight sofa suits narrow rooms and open plan layouts where the back of the sofa divides the living and dining zones. Modular designs are the safest choice if you are likely to move again, because the sections can be rearranged for the next home, and they arrive in smaller pieces that fit through tight lifts.
Fabric for Hong Kong's climate
Humidity matters. Performance fabrics resist stains and dry quickly, leather is easy to wipe clean but needs conditioning, and velvet and bouclé look beautiful but need more care. Our sofa fabric guide compares them side by side, and the sofa size guide walks through measuring in detail. When you are ready, see how we build custom sofas in Hong Kong or browse our sofas and sectionals.
The Dining Table: Size It for How You Actually Eat
The dining table is where Hong Kong homes do a bit of everything: family meals, homework, laptop work and the occasional dinner party. It needs to fit the space without making it hard to move around.
Seating and clearance
Allow about 60cm of table edge per person, and 80 to 90cm between the table edge and the nearest wall or furniture so chairs can be pulled out comfortably. As a rough guide:
- A 90 to 100cm round table seats 4 in a compact space
- A 120cm round table seats 4 to 5 and suits most Hong Kong dining areas
- A 160 to 180cm rectangle seats 6
- A 200 to 240cm rectangle seats 8 to 10
Round or rectangular?
Round tables have no corners to bump into, fit more people at a squeeze, and suit family style meals, especially with a lazy Susan. Rectangular tables sit neatly against a wall or window and work better in long, narrow dining areas. If you entertain occasionally, an extendable table can stay small day to day and grow when guests arrive.
Choosing the top
Marble has unique veining but needs sealing and care around wine and citrus. Sintered stone looks similar and stands up to heat, scratches and stains, which makes it the easiest to live with. Solid wood and veneer bring warmth and pair well with upholstered chairs. Our sintered stone vs marble guide and dining table buying guide go deeper. Explore custom dining tables or our dining table collection, and match them with dining chairs.
The Bed: Make It Work as Storage Too
In a Hong Kong bedroom the bed is often the only large piece of furniture that fits, so it should earn its space twice over.
Queen or king?
A queen bed takes a 150 x 200cm mattress and a king takes 180 x 200cm. Try to leave at least 60cm of walkway on the sides you use, and enough room for wardrobe doors to open fully. If a king only fits by squeezing the walkway, a queen with a generous headboard will usually feel more comfortable.
Why a storage bed is worth it
A hydraulic lift storage bed turns the whole space under your mattress into storage. The base lifts on gas struts, opens with one hand and stays up while you reach inside. It is the natural home for suitcases, spare bedding, winter clothes and the bulky things that never fit anywhere else. In many flats it replaces the need for an extra cabinet altogether. Unlike drawers, a lift up base needs no clear floor space beside the bed, which suits rooms where the bed sits close to a wall.
Headboard and finish
Upholstered headboards in fabric or leather make the bed more comfortable for reading and soften a small room. A lower headboard can sit neatly beneath a window. Read our bed frame buying guide for more on sizes and materials, see our custom beds and storage beds, or browse the beds collection.
Plan the Three Together
The biggest advantage of choosing the sofa, dining table and bed at the same time is that they can be designed as a set. In an open plan flat the sofa and dining table are seen together, so their wood tones, metal finishes and fabric colours should relate to each other. Pick one main wood or stone tone and one or two fabric colours, then repeat them across the rooms. The home will feel calm and considered rather than assembled piece by piece.
Planning together also makes delivery simpler. One delivery, one booking with building management and one day of disruption, instead of three.
When to Order
Made to order furniture takes time, so work backwards from your move in date.
- 8 to 10 weeks before moving: measure the flat and the lift, gather reference photos and send them to your furniture maker
- 6 to 8 weeks before: confirm sizes, materials and colours, and approve the quote so production can start
- 2 weeks before: book the delivery date with your building management office, including lift booking and any protection they require
- Move in week: delivery and assembly, ideally after any renovation dust has been cleaned
Most of our pieces are ready in about 6 weeks. Coordinating the delivery time with building management is the one step only you can do, so it is worth arranging early. Our online furniture buying checklist is a handy companion for this stage.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
| Mistake | What to do instead |
|---|---|
| Buying the sofa in a showroom by eye | Tape the footprint on your floor first and check walkways |
| Forgetting the lift and doorway | Measure the lift interior, lift door and flat door before ordering |
| A dining table with no room for chairs | Leave 80 to 90cm behind each chair |
| A bed with no storage in a small flat | Choose a hydraulic lift storage base |
| Choosing each piece separately | Plan the sofa, table and bed together with one palette |
| Ordering a week before moving in | Order 6 to 8 weeks ahead for made to order pieces |
How We Help You Plan the Big Three
Send us your floor plan or room measurements, a few photos of the space and any styles you like. We will suggest sizes and configurations for your sofa, dining table and bed that work together, recommend fabrics and finishes that suit the way you live, and put everything into one quote for you to review. Every piece is made to your measurements, so nothing is forced to fit.
It is the same process we have followed for more than 20 years with homeowners and interior designers across Hong Kong. Find out more about our custom furniture service.
Frequently Asked Questions
What furniture should I buy first for a new flat in Hong Kong?
Start with the sofa, the dining table and the bed. They take up most of the floor space and decide the layout of each room, so smaller pieces like side tables, rugs and lighting are easier to choose once they are in place.
How far in advance should I order furniture before moving in?
For made to order furniture, order 6 to 8 weeks before your move in date. Most DSL pieces are ready in about 6 weeks, and you will also need time to book the delivery with your building management office.
What size sofa fits a typical Hong Kong living room?
It depends on the room, but many Hong Kong living rooms suit a sofa of around 180 to 220cm, or a compact L shape. Keep 75 to 90cm of walkway around it and mark the footprint with tape before you decide.
Is a storage bed worth it in a small Hong Kong apartment?
Yes, for most homes. A hydraulic lift storage bed gives you the full area under the mattress for suitcases, bedding and seasonal clothes, and it needs no extra floor space to open, unlike drawers.
Can DSL Furniture plan the sofa, dining table and bed together?
Yes. Send us your floor plan or room measurements and a few photos, and we will recommend sizes, configurations and finishes for all three pieces so they work as a set, with one quote and one delivery.
Moving soon? Send us your floor plan or WhatsApp us on +852 6879 7233, and we will help you plan your sofa, dining table and bed together.