Hi HU!

What a cool (but challenging) space! I'll admit I have a bias about office setups - I hate placing a desk to face a wall. So here's one non-wall possibility. I would look at having one long worktable. Place the short side almost butted up to the window. Leave about a meter between the table and the formerly wallpapered wall so at least one person can access that side. You can work on either side of the table and run any cords back toward the window wall. The table (or tables) could do double duty as work space and dining space. Use modular rolling file draws if you need paper storage. A printer could be along the window wall somewhere or at the window end of the table. Keep office supplies in a caddy or caddies in the center of the table that could be moved out of the way for other activities.

The couch would go along the non-wallpapered wall. If there's room, I would give it a little angle so it has a little breathing room and doesn't look like the whole space is rectilinear. To further that idea you might look at round ottomans that could be moved around as additional seating, footrests, and side tables (with a tray) instead of larger seating pieces.

The overall effect of that would be a bit of a modern/playful office space rather than a proper living area space. So it may not be what you're looking for at all. But hopefully that gives you some ideas to consider!

Doug Walker

Hi Doug,

Thank you for your help! That was exactly what we were looking for. I totally agree with avoiding tables facing walls, I really love watching the view outside instead of a blank wall. Plus I am an illustrator and I need light, if it’s natural even better.

We also gave up (and sold) our coffee table exactly because the space was so small it would be one more useless thing on the way. We thought about the ottomans but not a round one, but it makes more sense to break this squareness of the place, we will definitely take in consideration!

I even forgot to mention the problem of the too much “square looking” place but you already did. That’s definitely a big challenge since it’s so small, I see myself putting all the furniture around the walls and I end up having this horrible effect of a smaller square space (if it makes sense?). The couch is already on the wallpaper wall but I am considering moving it horizontally so it can face the window and I break this “everything against the wall” problem. Not sure yet if it will work... I will try!

Caroline.

Hello Caroline. What country are In? Just curious. Here are a couple of pictures with layout suggestions. Out of the box so to speak. :-} I was taught, if you can't go out go up. The boxes are shelves up the wall. There is a small dining table in white next to the kitchen counter with red stools that can fit under the table when not in use; and good for extra guest seating. Behind the couch are two small desks with low seating that can slide under the desks when not in use and again provides extra guest seating. Both the couch and desks face the window and provide a view out of the window. There is a small table that can be pulled into the room or used for a printer, etc. The object in the corner under the window is an ottoman that works as seating, each section of the four piece turns over and is a tray, under the top is of each square (four squares total) is space for storage. So you can pull it over in front of the couch and use it to rest you feet on or turn the trays over and use it as a dining surface. Just some thoughts, ideas and suggestions for a very tiny space. IKEA has many of the items pictured here. So does HOUZZ. Best wishes to you.

Marcie

Lovely window, nice space.

I would recommend looking at Ikea's catalog (it's online) and/or visiting their showrooms. Also explore Ikea "hacks". They have many creative ideas for small spaces. And especially creative ideas about what to do with desks, storage, etc.

My living/kitchen space is about the same size as yours, with 12'4"x9' for the living room.. It is new to me too. I found that the best way to handle a situation like that is to have furniture that's easy to move around. It can be re-worked in 5 seconds depending who I have coming over. Also much of my furniture can do double-duty for storage (e.g. cushions and throws), a side table with a tray top, and an ottoman that serves as a coffee table. I don't use a dining table (I eat on the sofa), but I do have a trolley that can be used for serving drinks or snacks to guests. If I had a dining table, I'd get chairs that can be used comfortably in the living room if I have several guests. If you're young, you can use pillows and poufs for sitting on the floor and store them under the sofa.

Don't forget plants and lamps.

I got everything from Ikea except for the sofa. I find their stuff light, well-made, and stylish. And fun.

Currently, my (2-seater) sofa is in the middle on an angle, by the way, so I can see out the window. I have 2 easy chairs, a side table that can be used as a coffee table and to store stuff, a trolley with a removeable tray that serves as an end table, and an ottoman with a shelf underneath. I have 1 floor lamp, a reading lamp, and a windowsill light plus 2 large plants. The rug is 6x6 (square shapes are hard to find). Like you, I have nice wood floors, so a big rug isn't necessary.

Hope that helps.

Wow guys thank you so much for all the help! I am amazed by so many cool ideas!

I don know how to reply each one of you so here it go:

- Marcie: I live in The Netherlands. Usually the city houses here are quite compact. My house is an exception for being even smaller because it’s located in a historical centenary building, they had to preserve it as it is. I really love your idea of changing the complete layout of the square space. Never thought about it! but will give it a try. The only problem with the couch facing the window is that we are planning on buying a beamer and therefore we need a blank wall to project It.

- Decoenthusiast: unfortunately we don’t that much bedroom space. We have half of the floor upstairs just enough for the bed and a closet, also the ceiling upstairs is very low so we can’t go crazy with shelves and stuff. We definitely do have bikes but here in the Netherlands they have a special storage in the building :)

- Tangerinedoor: yes I absolutely love Ikea if I need practical and modern solution. I also do love vintage, that’s why almost everything in my loft is bought second hand. I was thinking about what could I buy or make to be multiple functional as you said. It’s quite a challenge but with a lot of planning I can get there. I really wanted to find or make a narrow dinning table that I could use as a counter top since my kitchen sink top is so small I miss some extra space to work. But it’s quite hard to find these perfect made solutions, I feel like I have to make myself most of the things I want. About the couch, I have now a 3 seat Ikea couch positioned on the left side wall (where was the wallpaper) because I need the white wall in front of me to project the beamer (this is my ”tv”). I’ve read that to avoid echo it’s nice to have rugs in the house but like you said, my rustic wooden floor is so pretty I don’t want to hide it. Plus it’s one less thing to worry to clean or vacuum. I love plants and I already put them everywhere in the house 😃

Thank you again everyone for all the tips! I will return to show the results...

Caroline.

I was suggesting that the loft bedroom be changed to an office and you sleep on a Murphy bed on the main floor. Can you get those kind of hidden beds that fold out of site when the "closet" for them becomes a desk in the Netherlands?

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Oh yeah now I understood what you mean. I‘ve never seen it anywhere, perhaps Ikea? Not sure. It would be a cool idea if we had a window upstairs as well but unfortunately no. It a pretty dark place, but just perfect for sleeping. I rather have my office table close to the window so I can have light and also look around (I am some sort of a cat I think haha).