apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

why is this on the kids' site?

don't be afraid to move the desk. it just requires a few extra feet of cords. or is it built in?

right now, there is a lot of open space on the floor. have you considered moving the chairs over to where the side table is and making a seating area? not knowing what the storage box looks like, it could be used as a low coffee table in that space.

I would move the dresser from the one side and slide it under the window if possible, the the desk really cant be moved.

Hi, Alex, thanks for the floor plan!
The bed is crying out to be turned the other way on the left short wall. The Ikea Malm dresser you would have to move to do this can go on the left of the bed as a night table w/lamp on top. You can have a proper seating area with a nice comfy chair, even 2 if small scaled, at the top right by the window where those 2 (I assume) side chairs are now (Craigslist calls, you don't need side chairs in your bedroom), and your round side table goes by the comfy chair(s) for glass of chardonnay, lamp etc. Lovely reading/music spot. Like bigcityboy2, I would move the desk - if you swap it with the other Malm dresser it won't be in the way of your new reading area. And, sweetheart, lose the futon thingy! If there is some arcane and mysterious reason you just have to hang on to it (the mind boggles...), shove it under your bed. Your Ikea storage box and laundry hamper could be corralled into a tall storage piece like a cabinet (eg Ikea Pax narrow wardrobe) behind the door, which will tidy the space up and give you more storage. Ta Daah!
Happy furniture dragging, and send us pics of how it turns out!

this is just a first shot at a layout. It's hard to tell if the dresser would work arranged like this without know the real dimensions of the windows, how far down that wall they come, etc.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/35292112@N00/2843329845/

You seem to have a lot of random chairs in your room. I sorta ignored those in the floor plan an would suggest instead getting a nice arm chair or lounger/rocker.

This is what'd I'd do:

Move the bed to the south (lower) wall, across from the window, with the head against the wall and the rest sticking into the room, hotel style. It would be off-center toward the west (left) wall, with enough walking room to access both dressers, side-by-side along the short wall.

The dressers should be spaced apart and the laundry hamper set between. I'd put a mirror or shelving over the hamper to maximize storage or light there.

Your door is oddly spaced. If possible, I'd reposition it to swing out instead of in; if not possible, I'd use the space behind it for hanging coats, tomorrow's clothes, lay shoes, etc. Create your own little landing pad!

As to your wire issue, go wireless! A wireless router is NOT expensive. Linksys has a bunch that are really compact and awesome. That into account, I'd get a nice, long, skinny console table and put it along the wall where the A/C unit is. That's a long unit, so I'm guessing it's not a window unit, but perhaps a floor unit of some sort. It should be A-Okay to put a standard console over it. Since you seem to like the Malm series, I suggest the table that slides over the Malm bed for this purpose. Plus, it's on wheels, so you CAN use it over your bed or slide it around. Put your computer chair in front of the new long, ultra-sleek desk.

The two chairs that are remaining and the little side table absolutely BEG for a seating area. With your bed off-center on the long south wall, and your dressers on the west wall, your desk now on the north wall, you have the entire east wall open to your doing, with a neat little inlet. Chairs should always talk to each other, so come up with a seating arrangement that allows for your folding foam futon on one side toward the NE corner (maybe angled), the side table in the center like a tea table, and the two chairs opposite of the futon across the table, and angled in so that people can speak to one another without craning their necks.

A couple of area rugs will help break up the "spaces" - one for under your computer chair, one for the space between your bed and the dressers, and one for under your new seating arrangement. Even a cute little welcome mat will give the feeling of home in front of the door (if your door drags close to the floor, get a skinny one!).

If you want colors, your room is very chunky - either go very light and girlie, or use your chunky furniture to show off your three favorite colors. With so many windows, make sure your small space allows that light in with some light, sheer curtains! If you're interested in going further with more ideas and pictures, let me know: dee(dot)scott(at)gmail(dot)com. :)

where did you get that white secretary desk? I love it!

What you have accomplished so far, is not bad.

Not knowing what scale you have uploaded (1/4 inch or otherwise), as a designer, I would need to understand proportions. Your chairs look as big as your round side table. I can't imagine that is the case.

Don't let that AC unit or your windows deter you from moving or adding additional seating space! Depending on the dimensions of the windows, you might be able to add an air sleeper sofa there.

That window can, and maybe should be, be your focal point. The round side table needs company. I'm not really sure what purpose it serves in this layout.

Is everything proportional here? If not, I would be happy to show you how to lay this room out to maximize your best possible sleeping and seating arrangements. We can do it online at 1/4 inch scale. You just have to do some measuring for me and let me know where the pressurized walls are exactly located. You can contact me here if you are interested in my complimentary online space planning advice. http://www.simplicitysofas.com/Contact_Us.php

It's what we do! Hope to hear from you.

Hey Alexis,

I totally agree with everydaydiva and would swing the bed around and shove it into the corner (if it fits). I would put the two malm dressers on the wall next to the head of the bed, opposite the windows. Take the futon and put it next to the desk. You can put the round side table on the other side of the desk by the window and even use it for a printer stand. Leave one chair there and put the other one on the other side of the AC unit, at the end of the bed maybe even a little caddy corner if it doesn't quite fit. As for the storage box, depending on what its made of, its dimensions, & how much you use it really depends on where you might want to move it. A few suggestions would be under the bed, on the top of your secretary desk, or just plain leave it where you have it now. I would love to see the end result. Good luck!

P.S. Rosie that secretary desk sells at Ikea. Its called Cyril computer cabinet. :o)

Alexis here :)
Thanks everyone for all the great comments!

I should have mentioned that

1) the malm units are 4-drawer dressers therefore too high to go next to the AC unit under the window. They will block my window.

2) The image is somewhat drawn to scale. If they look like they will fit in the picture, they will fit in real life. The spaces between all furnitures seem pretty accurate too. the chairs and the side tables are roughly the same size.. its a really small night/side table thats all :)

3) the computer/desk situation is kind of complicated. I have my internet/tv cables along that wall. My monitor (have a desktop) is also my tv so even if I go wireless I need to have the tv wire moved, which will be a pain in the ass because my roommate uses the same cable (RCN guy drilled a hole into wall and connected the cable wires into my roommate's room!). and the cable was installed before my pressurized wall was installed so god knows how they are going to take the cable out without moving the wall.

Rosie> the desk is from ikea btw.

Kouklah> The setup you just mentioned with bed in the corner and malm dressed along the southern wall was my previous setup. But the room just seemed too long so I ended up changing it.

bfootnovellista> I like your idea. The malm (red) dressing table is too small for my AC unit and I think the bigger occasional table might do the trick. I will have to get exact measurements, but I think they should fit. What to do with my huge desktop / monitor is the problem though :(

I will definitely take all the suggestions into consideration and do some furniture moving. Thanks again everyone!

Use the room planner at mydeco {dot} com to enter in your actual demensions and play around with the layout there. It is truly an invaluable tool.