IMO the space is a DR and why a nook when you have the DR right there sometimes it is just better to say no and stick to your guns . Husbands are often really poor designers .You will be lucky to have a 6 seater table and buffet in tht space . Remember a DR needs 3' all around the table for seating and you will need a 60" table min for 6 and at least 3' wide so that is 10' x 9' so you might be able to put a shallow buffet on the wall where you show one now. Sorry hubby no space for a nook sit at the counter for breakfast like many people do. This is a small house try to keep things simple .

Thanks a ton. :) I am inclined towards just a side table (no hutch) and dining table for 6 and no nook.

Would a 4 seater table and a nook with sidebar make it crowded too? (I am not for it, but trying to give a fair chance to his ideas; lol)

That isn't even a particularly big dining room for a table, chairs and sideboard and beyond that there is almost no actual wall space in the dining room. Stick with your instincts and stay with the table and chairs only.

thanks @Patricia Colwell Consulting and @palimpsest

We bumped out our window for my buffet/sideboard. Fits perfectly so window height is buffet height.

My dining room is same size as yours except for the bump out and it works fine with a table for six. Don’t know where you would put another table though even if you scaled down to a small dining table. It just wouldn’t look good.

we opened up the office space for pantry and a small prayer space at the end. :)

How about a small table and chairs in the family room? would that accomplish what your husband wants?

I found it helpful to do a mock up when my husband and I wanted different arrangements. If you have access to the actual room, use masking tape to layout his ideas in the space. Don’t forget the chairs- either use masking tape to represent them or take some folding chairs or a couple of your chairs with you. I used empty boxes to mock up a breakfast bar and used an actual stool to explain why I preferred one design over another. He had his heart set on sitting at the island, but the mock up showed that our views out the windows would be blocked and the best view in the kitchen would be behind us. The minute he sat at the mock up, he could see the right decision. For your new house, if he is still not convinced it will be too crowded, wait until you move to buy your furniture. Some of us are very visual, so he might find this useful.

Could the right wall of Dining be bumped out to be in line with office entry wall? This may allow for longer island for seating with possibly a drop down table at the end? Otherwise, IMO no nook goes in the dining room just isn't right in my traditional mind. Of course if you were having a big crowd you may occasionaly put a card table there for people overflow. What I will say is if island will serve as nook space, even if only seating for two, get nice comfortable seating stools with back support since these will likely be used more often than dining room so you "want" to spend time in that space.