If you’re living in an apartment like I am, you understand the struggle of maximizing your space as much as physically possible. Since I don’t have a separate room to use as an office area for my schoolwork and blogging, my boyfriend and I were forced to get creative. This secretary desk set up was the perfect solution for the problem. It is made of a gorgeous burled walnut that picks up both the dark and light wood tones throughout our living area. The writing ledge comes down just a couple feet from the front of the piece, which makes it much smaller than any traditional desk. While we’re not using it, we can close and lock it up to hide our laptops and all of our various paperwork. It also has three drawers under the desk area that are perfect for office supplies and files – and believe me, extra storage is always a luxury in my book. A set up like this would work in any apartment or house that’s lacking space for an office or work area. Our secretary, office chair, and task lamp all fit with plenty of room between our dining table and couch. If that’s not maximizing space, I don’t know what is.

While our desk is antique, shop below for accent pieces: