The "dining" table at the bottom is a library table... in front of a book shelf. How innovative!

similar to the post, i watched the most riveting PBS documentary last night...
about an artist who ultimately takes thrift store paintings & transforms them.

http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/beauty-is-embarrassing/

hmmm, love the desk layering, like the rest but are they innovative?

I always purchase furniture when I fall in love with the piece, without thinking of where exactly in the house it will fit. So I'm constantly trying new arrangements to see what will work. Love the ideas above - will keep them in mind for next time I buy something on a whim!

I'm thinking that it's neither. That table looks very much like it was a wire spool in a former life...

Ditto on the wire spool. The old desk, saw horses, lucite top; trying too hard, looks too cluttered, needs a cure.

I like it a lot! It's very practical - use what you have or discover, within whatever space is available. Each example provides substantially more surface space and/or storage than the traditional furniture that 'belongs' in these locations.

I've been doing things like this for years thinking I was just "making do"...thanks for helping me be chic!

I love this idea. Using furniture in unexpected places or using atypical items as furniture makes a room look a lot more interesting. And if you move a lot, you have to do this out of necessity anyway.

I love the desk next to the bed! My husband and I considered doing that with his desk in our apartment, but luckily we ended up with a bit more space in the living room than we thought we'd have!

Agreed! And I thought the desk layering looked cramped.

where are those chrome sawhorse trestle legs from with the desk in the first picture???

Oh man the first photo is so cluttered looking! Not the good way to display anything.

this appeals to me. it is cluttered, but then it speaks to the small spaces of an apartment.

Anyone recognize the painting in the first photo? It's gorgeous.

Yes - someone please source those chrome trestle legs!

This is a great way to use a sentimental piece of furniture that is not computer friendly. There is great space for a laptop, printer, etc. I did something similar with an oak student desk and a piece of melamine years ago - not nearly as cool as the glass/lucite option! Cluttered is in the eyes of the beholder - it looks neat and clean to me and way better than my desk.

I don't get it. What is unexpected..I do like the glass table over the desk, but would remove the old desk and paint it or something, and put it somewhere else.

Let me know if you rememberr the name of that PBS program. Now about these options I like them all. I just wish someone would post things for a typical renovated NYCity apartment. Typical means living room and dinning all in one. And bedroom only has one wall that does not have a window or closet.

Smart desk/bedside table combo but the layered desk thing looks like a hoarder. Too cramped. Blah.

About a week ago, I took apart an old futon frame to use the back as the platform for one of our girls' twin size bed. About an hour later, I took the bookcase headboard from our king size frame, and turned it into a low shelving unit/room divider for the same daughter. Both projects were great & well received by both daughters (the older one had been begging us to make the younger organize her side of the room). Giving up our headboard has offered us more space in our room, and the results are good.

I've been using an older, standing shelving unit (built for family room/living room use) in my kitchen, to house cookbooks, small appliances, and pantry items, for several years, and for about the same time, we've been using a rolling mini-bar with drop-leaves for atv stand, and lots of other things like this.

Often, the hubby will raise a brow, while I'm in the process of repurposing like this, but once its done, he pretty much always likes it. The old depression era motto 'use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without' comes to mind. :)