have always wondered why small space dwellers insist on so many tables/desks for different tasks. it eats up far too much valuable space.
my own solution is to either chop down or make a table that is about 24"-26" in height to use with living room furniture...it serves as a work space, dining table & coffee table.

the addition of casters make it even more functional.

I'm with you glasseye. I would just put in livingroom seating (a firm sofa like Klippan ? and a couple of chairs) with a wall mounted drop down table down the middle for meals or work. The corner desk might not take up much space but do you need it?

Here are some nice 'Murphy table' examples.
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/angela-and-tanias-beadle-boxhouse-tour-182296
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/good-questions-1502-100298

what if you got a dining table and chair set like this http://st.houzz.com/simgs/9841a05d0fac145c_4-0359/contemporary-dining-tables.jpg </a href> so it could be closer to the middle of your kitchen area and double as an island? Or push up against the wall and be out of the way.

http://st.houzz.com/simgs/9841a05d0fac145c_4-0359/contemporary-dining-tables.jpg

Put a small, not-too-deep couch facing the sink and cabinet wall. Put free-standing "Murphy bed-style" bookshelves with a pull-down desk/table (like the one shown in Munich Mom's second link) facing the refrigerator wall. The couch, with some thick seat cushions to bring it to dining height, then becomes banquette seating for one side of the table. Borrow a chair or two from the bedroom if you're serving a foursome. Stackable side tables to the right of the couch can be used as small coffee tables when the desk/dining table is closed up.

One last thing. Define the couch/table space with a great-looking area rug.

I'm in agreement on not needing a desk if you have the right table. Love the example Silverfire4200 provided if you can afford a new table & chairs (moving is expensive enough!) You could also float a couch and put the desk up to the back like a console table if you absolutely want to keep the desk. If you do this, I would suggest a stool or stools under the desk for seating:
http://www.houzz.com/photos/88402/Glamorous-Pacific-Heights-Apartment-contemporary-living-room-san-francisco

Could you treat your dining table as part of your living room arrangement? Perhaps as an accent table or something near your new couch, and place a couple of dining chairs strategically either at the table or in the room somewhere. I know it's a little large for that kind of setup, but you could style it so that it looks intentionally different, perhaps.

I particularly like the idea of having at least a couple of pieces roll, so you could rearrange for a dinner party or something.

I agree that a desk seems like it would crowd the space significantly, unless it served a dual purpose of some kind.

You might try something like starting with the sofa in the bottom right-hand corner and build around that.

This can totally be a great space!

My suggestion:
Swedish style kitchen bench against the wall just opposite of the door/steps to the hallway.
Kitchen table that can double as a workspace by the bench.
Supplement with two comfy chairs, preferably with armrests.
In the corner, next to the stairs, have a bigger comfy chair, or loveseat.
Under/by the window across from the sink, have a little coffee table/tv/etc.

When you have guests, you can easily go from dining at the table, to turning the comfy dining chairs around, and making a nice little space for watching a movie etc.

What about multipurpose dining/living chairs like these wingbacks or these armless club chairs?

I'd probably put the desk in the bedroom or closet, or I'd use one behind the sofa and float the sofa (maybe a daybed for overnight guests?) in the room.

You have a great space that will accommodate many functions. The stairs serve as a nice element to divide the space. Your round table will work well…but, we will get to that. Start with the entry. Measure six feet from the entry door and place a stand alone storage cabinet that is 70 inches tall, 3 feet wide, and 2 feet deep. The doors of the unit will face the entry and provide a place to hang coats, backpacks, purses, and shoes. You can purchase the inexpensive laminate versions at Home Depot or WalMart that you put together yourself. Then paper with a wall paper to add color. Directly backing the storage cabinet place a book shelf with the same dimensions – 70 inches tall, 3 feet wide, but only a foot deep. For stability you might need to attach these units to the wall at the top of the cabinets with an L brace. The combo storage cabinet and book shelf create a nook to place a 4 feet long love seat in the lower right hand corner of your diagram. The shelf is to the right of the couch when seated and may be enough of a side table. Or use a very short slim bench for a coffee table that can double as more seating. Place a 5 by 7 rug in front of the couch and leave the rest of the floor bare to create a sense of two different areas.

The kitchen takes up a lot of floor space. Place an island no larger than 18 inches by 3 feet on castors (or add the castors yourself) so it can roll against kitchen counters and out of the way if desired. The island is your daily eating area, get the type with two stools stored below the island counter. The island serves to distract the eye from the busy kitchen, make it white vs. more wood tone.

Now your round table. Multi task. Place it to the right of the stairs. Hang three folding chairs on the wall to the right of the stairs. This provides for entertaining guests without the extra chair legs taking up space by clearing off your desk and unhanging the chairs. In your daily life the round table is your desk. Buy a good office chair on castors so it can do double duty as a desk chair facing the table or swivel and face the couch when you have guests. Hope you have a view out that window!

The bedroom dimensions are tight for a double bed and still allow you to walk to the bathroom. Two options -1) a murphy bed in upper right of diagram that folds up by day so you can actually walk to bathroom or 2) clean up floor really good, buy a new clean rug and place mattress alone on floor rug so you can step over the corner of mattress to get to bath. Or place a twin trundle bed in upper right corner of diagram. The space behind the swing of closet door is big enough for a tall dresser maximizing storage. A second lower dresser can be placed to right of bedroom door.

If you want to disguise the refrigerator, put a low light vine type plant on top and let it hang down by stairs.

Have you thought of making the bedroom more of the living/bedroom combo instead of a kitchen/living combo?

Unless you have a desktop computer, having a dedicated desk in such a small apartment is not the best use of space.

I am speaking from experience- I live in a approx 300 sq foot sudio!

I have the luxury of having a well defined kitchen/dining area separate from my living/sleeping area. My kitchen table / craft space / desk has two drop leaves and a shelf close to the floor, which is where I keep my wireless scanner/printer. Frequently I use my laptop in bed on a breakfast tray.

And in regards to all the "murphy bed" comments- I have a full size bed (and its not crammed into a corner) AND a small sofa, and plenty of room to move around. Please remember to put your OWN comfort above that of your STUFF.

Or... just to throw another option out there. Those ceilings are just soooo high, I can't resist. Take a peek at loft bed #9 ... over the kitchen. Or look at the front cover loft of the Small Cool Spaces book. With a loft you could have kitchen / dining and a separate living/office. Lovely space -- congrats!

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/lofty-aspirations-fifteen-lovable-loft-beds-169866

Put a petite secretary desk next to the stairs, it will provide visual height, storage, and can be closed to hide a messy desk when necessary.

http://gallery.apartmenttherapy.com/photo/lisa-zador-ht/item/236193

In the bottom corner you can put a flat screen tv on a 3 drawer malm dresser, or 4 cube expedit (again more storage) purchase a petite sized sofa to face it with a small bench as a coffee table. Next find 2 side chairs to complete the seating area, place them with their backs to the closed secretary desk. One of these can be turned and used as a desk chair when needed.

http://classifieds.apartmenttherapy.com/posts/32119-pair-of-exceptional-danish-modern-rosewood-chairs?rf=549

Behind the sofa find a gate leg table that is slightly shorter than your couch, that will be a sofa table/landing strip as you come in the door, or can be opened up with the 2 side chairs and bench/coffee table used as seating.

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/roundup-dropleaf-tables-114079

Good luck, what a cute space!

I have a tiny basement studio and one of the best purchases I ever made was a computer armoire. It has space for computer, printer, files and stationary and tons of supplies and doodads but best of all it looks good when closed up and takes up the same amount of floor space as a plain old desk (42" W, 20" D, 62" H) I also set storage baskets on top. There are 2 sections that pull out for lots of surface to arrange papers and if I pull out the file drawer I can set stuff on top of that too. You can put it beside the door in the bedroom, looks like just another piece of furniture when closed up so you aren't intimidated by "work" in your sleeping area. Other than that, the space next to the stairs looks like a natural for a round table. The best thing you can do is carefully consider how you like to live in a room and make it work for that. Ignore what "should" be or whatever trends are being pushed. If it makes your life better and your routines easier that's what counts.

She might have a desktop computer or do a ton of work from home, making a desk necessary...

I suggest the couch on the bottom wall opposite the computer by. The stairs. That way if your screen is big enough it can become a tv of sore. Then float the dining table in the kitchen.

I agree with others that you're trying to do too many things in this space. Personally I want to sit up at a table when I have guests, be it to eat or just to have coffee and chat, whereas I tend to slob out on the sofa when I'm alone or just with family, so I would just make it a nice dining room, and not try to stuff a lounge in there as well. (I would put the TV in the bedroom for cozy time). Not trying to have a soft seating area in the main room would free up space for a shelf type laptop desk, to the right of the doorway - which could function as a sideboard / bar for a party, and would have some daylight as a workspace, and you coudl get a larger but narrow dining room table to fill up the main space. Finally for me there is no book space - so that would be the long windowless wall - giving you subjects to hand for table conversation!

Ever thought of a banquet that's across from your door to the outside? You get the outdoor/indoor living sort of thing going on, the space to have room to walk around, and it's easy. You can get a bench and put that against the wall (plenty of sellers on etsy.com make this sort of thing) then get a round or rectangle table (whatever you prefer), two or three chairs on the other side of the table and you're done. Sort of like this:
http://houseandhome.com/sites/houseandhome.com/files/images/2-SP-March9-kitchenbooth.jpg

We have a similarly small living/dining space and we've tried many things, ultimately getting rid of all unnecessary furniture (small cabinet, bookshelves, coffee table etc), keeping our 42" round table close to the kitchen area (dining/prep/desk/project space) with four fairly comfortable (upholstered seat) dining chairs that can be flipped around to face the couch on the opposite wall when we have company. We also have a side table and a fairly comfy arm chair in the space. Our table has a leaf and we have two folding chairs that we use for dinner for six. After a lot of trial and error it's pretty functional.

If you really need a desk, why not put it in the bedroom? It looks like there's enough space by the door, and it would open up the living room/kitchen a lot more.

But I agree with the other posters. If you don't need a desk, definitely do away with it. It sounds like your table might be a bit large for the space at 39"- I would limit the size to around a 30" table instead. I know it doesn't sound like a big difference, but it really does change things. I would put the table right next to the stairs.

I'm not sure if the round table is going to make you happy in that space. You could possibly put it in the corner next to the stairs, but from my experience, a properly sized rectangular table is preferable because it doesn't result in "dead space" in corners.

I would suggest a small table in the kitchen to use as dining for 4 or 6 as well as island/prep space. I got an amazing one made of all wood from Ikea several years ago, but I don't know if they still make it. It's sort of like this:

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/80089003/

If you set up the table like an island, you can fit backless stools underneath when not in use, and you can use it as a prep surface because it looks like you have very little counter space.

Small sofa can go flush with the stairs entry from the bedroom, facing away from the kitchen. If you want a TV, you can mount a flat screen on the wall opposite the kitchen or put it on a very slim TV cabinet, like this:

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/90176839/

The couch might be too close for the TV, I'm not sure. But this way, you can still put a very small rectangular table in the corner next to the stairs for a workstation while minimizing the impact on living space. A couple of nice armless dining chairs can be stored in a corner and pulled out for extra seating for company. A second couch/loveseat or traditional living room armchairs might be too bulky in your space.

I also think that wherever possible, high bookshelves can be a great use of space if you have high ceilings. You can get them to go super-tall, with the proper bracing, and they can be used to store almost everything in baskets or containers.

I agree that a small counter-height island would be great here. Extra prep space and it can also serve as a your dining table.

If you decide to keep your round table, I would float it in/near the middle of your "kitchen" space.

You didn't ask but I think the hard part is where to put the tv. If you're not a tv person, wow and then its no problem. My take is that the bedroom is the best place for your tv.

I would do a small scale sofa or loveseat on the shorter of the 2 living space walls, with 2 smallish chairs across from it.

Buy a couch that is high enough off the ground to put a row or nice baskets underneath it. The couch will likely be your all-purpose furniture piece so a lot storage within reach will really help the couch be mulit-purpose. You'll be able to put up the items for one task before moving to the next; shoes, gloves, scarves when you get home, desk supplies, phone chargers, junk-drawer type items, and even a basket or two as a filing system. You can purchase photo boxes (for 4"x6") photo prints that come with dividers. These make great mini filling cabinets. They also come in cute colors or are easy to paint. The space under the couch is rarely utilized, but in a small home it's a must. Just make sure you choose furniture which will allow you to make beautiful AND functional storage.
One more hint: Find a vintage octagon end table (or a table with similar storage). These tables are a treasure in a small house. They have a great shape and don't waste any space because they sit right on the ground. You'll be able to fit lots inside the table. If you use it as a more long term storage solution, like folded out-of-season clothes, you'll be able to squeeze it in a corner between your couch and a chair and just move your furniture out every so often to get inside.
Like this table....I just found this link on the web. It's not my website, but I do have two of this style table and would't trade them for the world.
http://www.thesecondrvivl.com/2012/01/vintage-1960s-octagon-marble-grey-and.html

I was thinking about this room last night as I fell asleep and had another idea. (I know...I know...)

How about floating your small couch/love seat in the middle of the room facing away from the kitchen. Then a rectangular table behind the couch. This table would be a bit larger than a console table. You could do chairs or even stools that slide underneath.

And your TV can go on the wall across from the couch, with a couple of small chairs facing it for convo area.

And now that I look it looks like Mary above already had this genius idea. Good one, Mar.

I would make the wall next to the bedroom a focal point for the seating area. How about a covered console table with shelving and art work above ? Take advantage of those tall ceilings. Plus, use a pretty window treatment on the window to take advantage of height. I would put an upholstered couch across from the console / focal point.
I agree that you need a little landing space when you come in - even if it is just hooks on the wall and a basket on the floor.

I think you need an island or a work table in the kitchen. Because if you don't, there is a lot of valuable space in that "L" of the kitchen that is going to go to waste. It doesn't work so well to just toss a bistro table and chairs in the middle of that, something that resembles an island - square or rectangular, with a work top and with seating not all around but only on the side(s) that face out of the kitchen space - will be better. You could use that as additional counter space as well as a desk (provided you're using a tablet or laptop), then that would free up the entire rest of the space for a living area.

I was going to chime in that you didn't need a desk, but I really like the secretary or computer armoire idea. And I am not so sure why the desk needs to be in the living room - could it go in the bedroom? If you do use a laptop, that gives you two rooms you can work in. We have a small cafe table in our kitchen/living area that we procured from El Craigslist, and a nice Parsons desk from West Elm in the bedroom. It's kind of crammed in there, but it faces a window and it's great to have that workspace there.

instead of desk, consider sturdy fold-down, but not as part of one big piece. hunt for 1960-70s, stackable modular units w/flex use: desk, bookshelves, closed storage, files, drawers. could stack tall & thin or long & low, reconfigure in next space. use table, parked mid-kitchen, for bigger projects (invest in wireless & condensed tech), w/ small-scale chairs. scale matters. double-duty matters. many good ideas above, also some in current exhibit on small space living at museum of city of new york.