Space Saving Bedroom Office: High &amp; Low

Brian's bedroom office is a streamlined, minimal setup that could easily fit into a living room or dining room nook in a small apartment. The pieces he's chosen have a simple style that can be recreated for very little money or a whole lot, depending on what you buy and where you buy it.

Folding Chair

Like most furniture, the price of a folding chair depends on where it's sold, the quality of the materials, and who designed it.

Design Within Reach: For a higher end folding chair, go for more high-quality materials. This $150 Lina Chair from DWR is made from a powder-coated steel frame with a padded leather seat and back.
Bed Bath & Beyond: You can find mid-range wooden folding chairs with padded seats at any major chain store. This $40 Walnut X-Back Folding Chair at Bed, Bath, & Beyond has a wood frame and faux leather seat.
IKEA: They're a good source for bare bones wooden folding chairs. This Bollo Folding Chair might not be as comfortable as padded seating, but it's fine for occasional use, and it costs just $20. It's made of solid acacia wood that can be used indoors or outside.

Desk Lamp

Lighting can have huge variations in pricing, due mostly to small design details like built-in dimmers, in-line cord control, and the quality of a lamp base or shade.

Lumens: Designed by Christophe Pillet for Italian company Tronconi, this Tripod Table Lamp is $600 at Lumens. It has a metal body with a fabric shade, and an in-line dimmer cord runs through one of the lamp legs
Design Public: Brian's lamp is the $90 Lights Up! Weegee Table Lamp, available online from San Francisco-based store Design Public. The base is brushed nickel, and you can choose from several different fabric shades in silk or linen.
LAMPS PLUS: This White Paper Lamp is a variation on the inexpensive Chinese lanterns you see everywhere. It's made from a basic metal base and paper shade, and it costs just $22.

High-Gloss White Desk

The high-gloss look can come from lacquer, a pricey and beautiful enamel finish that's usually laid over wood, or from more inexpensive materials like high-gloss paints or melamine foils.

1st Dibs: This is a vintage 1970s Milo Baughman Desk from Miami-based antique store Visiona. Priced at $2,400, it's made from a metal base and a top finished in white lacquer. Baughman's sleek and simple designs inspired many of the product lines you see today at places like Target and IKEA.
IKEA: Brian's desk is the $250 Besta Burs, a design that's inspired by earlier clean-lined mod styles from the 70s. The frame is made from powder-coated steel, while the top is particleboard covered in a melamine foil finish that gives the desk its lacquered look.
West Elm: If you're looking for something a little smaller, West Elm carries this Parsons Mini Desk, currently on sale for $199. It's chunkier than the first two desks, and it's made of painted wood with a single drawer.

Apple iMac

When you're shopping for a computer, prices are usually pretty standard across the board (depending on the model you're buying), but there are a few sites we keep bookmarked for decent deals on Apples.

Apple Store: A new iMac starts at $1,200 for a 21.5-inch screen. The wireless keyboard and mouse have a streamlined look, and there's no chunky computer column, which makes this a good choice for a small space.
MacMall.com: Online store MacMall offers coupon codes, rebates, and discounts as a selling point, and you can find new Macs for somewhat less than Apple Store prices. This new iMac starts at $1,145 (with a combined discount and mail-in rebate).
Apple Store: The refurbished section of Apple's online store is a good place to look for discounted floor models and returns that Apple refurbishes. Refurbished computers come with a 1-year warranty — this iMac is currently available for $999 (about $200 off full retail).