Here's ours, which still is not used as a desk, although we're getting closer now that the construction tools aren't here as much. I never thought it should be desk height, but DH did and he won. We have the swiveling t.v. over it so if HE wanted to, he could look at it from chair I think. We still have to decide on an appropriate chair. Currently we have a wastebasket and dog bowls under it. Cute, yes? Items jump from that lower surface to the upper one constantly. I had hoped that it would be a barrier, but it's not. In my thinking, we might as well have had entire surface flat. Cork board between cabinet and desk is now used less decoratively. It's a working message center. That's where calendar hangs, thank-you notes and such are posted and oddball coupons get put. Although there's a "pencil drawer" we keep a pencil mug on the desk. Cabinet above desk is 16 inches deep--allows notebooks for financial statements, phone books, etc. Top shelf is unrelated storage of party gear. A permanently mounted power strip at front of bottom shelf of this cab allows DH to put chargers in here and let cord dangle down so that the device is seen and not forgotten once it is charged. He can turn off power to all chargers with one switch. Lobby is to left of desk. I'm trying to put "things going elsewhere" into the shelves in the closet in lobby instead of on desk--lib. books, stuff for Mom's sr. residence, things going to friends, etc. Otherwise, they accumulate on desk. But that's fine with me--better there than in the rest of the kitchen where they used to cluster, esp on top of refrig. because that was by front door. Because the peninsula is right there next to the desk, I would rather spread out on that to do any work with pencil and paper, but then, I'm a person who needs special glasses to focus on arm's length stuff, so I suppose that little desk just looks like too much work--easier to stand and write at peninsula with my multifocus lenses and squint. I clear pencils and paper and calendar and address book off the peninsula at least twice a day and plunk them back on HIS desk. Computer will never be used at desk, I'm sure. (It moves between peninsula and dining table all the time.) Telephone holder lives on desk, at least for now. I'm hoping to get it wired into a place on wall closer to dining room, but until then, it's here. This cordless phone is another thing that hides throughout the kitchen and has to be put away on desk when I spy it. One benefit of this space: For parties, we can clean off the desk and bulletin board, put up a sign or something decorative like this framed piece, then put beverages here. Keeps traffic out of kitchen. Remember--this is Formica, so it's not going to mind.

As a lover of weird little nooks like that, and for a modest budget, I'd suggest getting those shelves covered with as many old books as you can get--fill them in, with a minimum of other stuff. I'd paint the ceiling an interesting color, like a nice green, and use a solid-color Roman shade at the window to coordinate with the ceiling (the ceiling in white is just too much contrast with the paneling, and makes it look tired). A curtain is fine too, especially if you can make that yourself--get some terrific fabric. If you have a single fixture in the middle of the ceiling, try to buy another single fixture with multiple lights hanging out of it on cords--IKEA has had these in the past, and I bought one online (Amazon?) with 10 frosted bulbs hanging out of it on cords, which I've threaded around the twigs of a large branch so there is light throughout the room. You wouldn't need so many, and make sure it's dimmable. Then add an inexpensive adjustable up-light in the corner to bounce some light off of the wall and shelf underside (make sure to use warm bulbs everywhere). Your desk is fine for now, although I love the green suggestions! I think addressing the room envelope will really give you the most impact, though.

Yes, it needs stripping. It probably has polish on it, that was never cleaned off. Strip it, clean it well, and sand it well, and use a good sealing bonding primer, and you might want to paint it with cabinet paint, since it probably gets a lot of use. Make sure the paint is well cured (read the can for how long that will be) before using.

First get a proper closet organizer with some space for the stuff that would go in a dresser A to scale floor plan would be great done on graph paper showing the closet, the window and all measurements clearly marked Posted here in jpeg format in a comment DO NOT start anothe r post. Yoy need closet doors and it lookes like that coulld be a problem so maybe the best is a large free standing closet that fits that spac e. Is the daybed just always going to be a single bed or is it a trundle type for guests? I for sure would not have 2 dressers in the space so remove at least one and then a nice desk that sreves tour ourpose I assume you work from home . I rarely like multi purpose spaces and 3 purposes are IMO one too many. I will wait to see the floor plan but organized clothing storage is a must .