I'm ready to get to work. Can't wait to see your ideas, instructions, checklists of things to get, and my new "to do list" for instructions/placement of everything. Happy New Year, Happy New Apartment, and thank you for your help!

I've live in a studio and what I suggest is to build up, bring in tall shelving units,maybe a shoji screen to separate one part of the room, he could also add a small bean bag chair or two.

also--assuming money is tight: Facebook Marketplace and the Habitat for Humanity ReStore are amazing, where I am. Nice stuff, decent price.

If he doesn't rush it, he can end up with some nice stuff.

Here are some photos of a similar apartment he visited that was furnished. He thought the sofa was too big and it did not address how he would be living.

What furniture should he get? We think 4 pieces are needed:

Sofa to view TV, others to sit on

Table to eat, surface for possible projects/homework

Dresser that can fit in closet

Shelving/or?, something to for storage

Where to place furniture? Where put or mount a TV?

His apartment is empty except for the air mattress and a desk that is holding his computer and 2 monitors. It’s a great piece from CB2 he’s had for several years.
Having the blank slate is making finding the right pieces that will work together challenging! Where do we start?

I'm torn on whether he should have a sofa, or just two chairs. If some friend comes by to visit, they won't want to sit side-by-side; if a sweetheart comes over, they will.

I can't tell if there's room to have both a small sofa/loveseat (just big enough for 2) AND an armchair of some sort.

He'll want a small table with a drop-down surface so he can push it out of the way.

This one is very living-room looking, but since the drop leaf is in the back, it might be annoying to try to eat at it regularly. Well, we could sit at the end or in the front, and then pull it out if he ever needed anything bigger.
https://www.amazon.com/Winsome-Wood-Taylor-Drop-Table/dp/B01KJDPLPQ/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1547402209&sr=8-4&keywords=small+drop+down+leaf+table

This one would give him two chairs, and it's small (I would leave one leaf permanently down and shove it up against a wall)
https://www.amazon.com/3-piece-Dining-Drop-Beige-Natural/dp/B0064CT1WG/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1547402209&sr=8-13&keywords=small+drop+down+leaf+table

This is very pretty! And it would end up small, plus it looks like you could fold it out and back down each day without a lot of work.
https://www.amazon.com/Winsome-Wood-Harrington-Drop-Table/dp/B00OCCEC1K/ref=sr_1_19?ie=UTF8&qid=1547402209&sr=8-19&keywords=small+drop+down+leaf+table

This is similar, but more country, less refined.
https://www.amazon.com/Catskill-Craftsmen-Fold-Butcher-Block/dp/B002PY7PDE/ref=sr_1_19?ie=UTF8&qid=1547402265&sr=8-19&keywords=small+drop+down+leaf+table

Then there's the whole "just use a tray table" idea that my son uses when he eats in our living room. In the dollar stores near us, you can buy these inexpensive folding tray-table style tables. They aren't always a comfortable height--they can be too short--but they work well enough, and they fold up.

I agree, the sofa is too big. (plus it's very squashy, which makes it look even bigger. And I don't like sofas with low or no arms! I want to lean on them)

Here's a nice tailored loveseat. I like that the arms are tallish all the way forward (good for leaning on) and the back is tall and the seat is firm (which I think would be good when you're gaming)
https://www.wayfair.com/furniture/pdp/zipcode-design-ibiza-loveseat-zipc7700.html?piid=26236916

Another thing about small spaces--the more of the floor you can see, the bigger the room looks. So a loveseat and armchair with legs, instead of with fabric that goes all the way to the floor, will keep it from looking crowded.

here's an example of what I mean.

(also, this looks firm for sitting, good arms for leaning, interesting shape for decor value, and comes in some striking colors (though I would Scotchgard the heck out of it). It would create a nice focal point for the room)
https://www.wayfair.com/furniture/pdp/langley-street-rumsey-loveseat-lgly5235.html?piid=21376132

Wayfair has several similar sofas.

likewise, look into "small armchair" searches on similar websites.

Though you'll probably want two chairs that can work both for eating and doing projects, writing letters, etc., and also sitting around in.
Armchairs are often too short to work at a table, and dining chairs aren't that comfortable for lounging in.

At home, I like the armchair versions of our dining room chairs for this; the arms make them look more like a comfortable chair, and they don't look out of place in the living area.

So if you could find two dining armchairs, that might take care of the other seating. Those might not be hard to find used, and then recover, if money is tight.

Like this:
https://www.wayfair.com/furniture/pdp/benkel-seating-arm-chair-bnks1026.html

Though there are full upholstered ones that are firm and high enough to work as table seating but also look comfortable other ways.
This one has those bare wooden legs like that dresser, and it also comes in interesting upholstery colors. I might suggest one like this to be the "official" armchair, and a more dining-looking one, like the one above, to go with your table. (like that dark, refined table above)
https://www.wayfair.com/furniture/pdp/langley-street-frederick-upholstered-dining-chair-lgly2333.html

Lots of folding chairs are actually not high enough to be comfortable as dining chairs, especially not with a normal height dining table.

In a space that small, I vote no coffee table. I vote for skinny end tables (maybe little bookcases that can snug up against the side of the couch), and one of those tables that slides over the sofa, if he needs to have a pizza box.
https://www.wayfair.com/furniture/pdp/mercury-row-philippos-end-table-mcrr1764.html



No, scratch that--how is he going to live? He's going to sit on the sofa with a pizza box in front of him, and he'd going to want to set his soda down so he doesnt' have to twist around to reach for it, so maybe he does need a coffee table.

I think it would be OK for him to wait and decide on incidental tables, etc., once he sees how he's actually living in the space.

And maybe those people are right with their floor lamp instead of a table lamp.

anyway, those are all my thoughts and suggestions! Thanks for the opportunity to romp through Wayfair with a goal in mind!

Thank you for sharing your thoughts talley_sue_nyc! That is a clever idea for creating kitchen counter space!

What do you think about a futon?

How do we arrange the necessary furniture in this 10'6" x 13'6" room?

*sofa/futon

*table

*storage

*computer desk

We really need ideas and direction how to lay it all out, so we can see how it will work before we get the needed pieces.

graph paper cut-outs are your friend.
I used to keep a envelope with a piece of graph paper that had my room drawn on it, and then little graph-paper pieces for each piece of furniture. If I wanted to add a new one, I could figure out a size.

And if that's making it hard to visualize the distances, maybe get some newspapers and tape them into big rectangles the same dimensions as whatever furniture you're currently thinking of, and then place them on the floor and see how much space is left.

Does he have a double sink? That's what your drawing looks like. What a waste of space! He should find a cutting board big enough to cover one side.

I think your basic layout is going to be pretty much like that other person's.

You just will have some different dimensions and maybe different pieces.


Oh--the bedroom.
What size bed does he want? I see that's a full-size bed on the drawing. Those are nice to sleep in solo or with company (a friend visiting from out of town, since the loveseat would be too short).

I might suggest looking into a captain's bed (though one side probably won't be usable) to provide drawer storage.

And of course a twin bed provides more room (he could get an ottoman bed if he thought he'd have a friend, or his visiting mom, sleeping over:
https://www.castroconvertibles.com/

These guys used to make sofas, and I have one---they are VERY comfortable. No bar to mess you up, etc.

the other thing that would be nice is a convertible table--one that raises up to dining-table height. But most of the ones I see are really bulky.

here's a coffee table that converts to a dining table that isn't too bulky, or too expensive!
https://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Dining-Tables/2021/subcat.html?featuredproduct=12068541&featuredoption=19332480&cid=213613&fp=F&track=cseshopzilla&utm_source=shopzilla&utm_medium=cse&utm_campaign=213613&countrycode=US&gclid=CjwKCAiA4OvhBRAjEiwAU2FoJdDbvQ80cQ-dpbRDWJkKKuprMcIguVx96__W1KCfMeuHhndXbomsOxoCimsQAvD_BwE

these guys make a bunch, but I bet they're expensive.
https://resourcefurniture.com/product-category/transforming-tables-transforming-furniture/

this would be fun, but I bet it's $$$
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2s77wCncFSE

He can build in storage w/ a lift-top coffee table, if he ends up going that route.
This is nice, because unlike a trunk, you can tuck your toes underneath, plus you can see the floor.
https://www.wayfair.com/furniture/hd0/wangaratta-coffee-table-l441-k~lttn4614.html?refid=GX318665043580-LTTN4614_25626914&device=c&ptid=456484638927&network=g&targetid=aud-354999624471pla-456484638927&channel=GooglePLA&ireid=58362557&PiID%5B0%5D=25626914&gclid=CjwKCAiA4OvhBRAjEiwAU2FoJeQeGse9PJsI2C4kC1XwidgmChomYGEzoodSYhG5DK4LkkTnPkdKQBoCm3kQAvD_BwE

But you could simply add legs to any sort of wooden box or trunk.

This is the kind of "coffee table that lifts into a dining table" that I was thinking of, but as you can see, it's very large. I don't know if they make them half size or anything.
https://www.wayfair.com/furniture/pdp/mix-kayla-lift-top-coffee-table-mtrx1098.html

This one's kind of small, though.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Mainstays-Lift-Top-Coffee-Table-Multiple-Colors/25151160?u1=99102X1554552X56007327c8999af074c69b8284a4532b&oid=599512.1&wmlspartner=TnL5HPStwNw&sourceid=40977772051810644196&affillinktype=10&veh=aff

re: a futon

I think they can be iffy in terms of quality, or design.
I've run into ones that aren't comfortable as a sofa (too low; too deep of a seat; something), and ones that are too hard for sleeping on.

However, my dad has one that opens to a double bed, and it's actually OK for sleeping, and it's OK for sitting.
So I would say don't get one unless you're going to be able to look around and find one that's well designed and comfortable, and spring for it. I know my mom looked long and hard for this one.

It has drawers underneath, which is nice for storing the pillows, etc., when it's in bed form (which nowadays is never; we just leave it made up anymore, bcs the socializing is done in the living room, and the futon is in the den).

But if he expects to have people sleep over, a futon is useful.