Help with 1bed, WFH apartment layout!
Imgur album of what I'm thinking, apartment-provided floor plans that aren't 100% accurate. Kitchen and bathroom dimensions are not accurate, I just put them there as a reference for walkways and such. The patio is on the north side of the living room and opens from the right side.
Okay! So since the last time I posted asking for advice about housing options (thank you all who read or contributed to it), a few factors have come up with the housemate option that made it a bit less appealing. Is it so unappealing that 1k extra in savings isn't worth it? Probably not... but I actually really liked this apartment unit even if it still lacks things like the in-unit laundry and have been approved for it.
I have to hire movers. There are two items that I physically cannot move on my own once they are plopped down by the movers: the Ikea Hemnes daybed (twin size bed that can expand to full size) and the larger standing desk with my gaming PC setup. I can probably shimmy the desk around if nothing is on it, but that daybed is... not moving. Because of this I'd really like to work on laying out my potential future apartment with those two items in mind.
Some personal preference notes:
- I would like the living room to feel at least a bit cozy even if I don't expect guests regularly at all. I will not be obtaining a couch/sofa because I'd need one that I can actually sit on, but that is pretty far out of my preferred budget at this time - like I'd rather get two Ikea Poangs instead of one cheap sofa that will hurt my back to sit on.
- Avoiding certain things within reason - no backs to windows while seated at a computer desk, prefer no back towards entryway. I realize my tentative layout plan absolutely has my back towards entryways but I'm struggling to find a layout that really ticks all boxes
- I can buy new furniture! Not immediately because I mentioned money being an anxiety-inducer of mine even if I'm doing comparatively well. But I'm not really sold on needing a big TV. If I want to watch a show while working on some arts and crafts, I do it on the iPad or 16in portable monitor.
I've considered:
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Two desks in living room, bedroom only for sleeping. I'm not against it, but with just a twin bed and maybe a bookshelf or two, I don't know what I'd even put in here... I've never had an entire bedroom dedicated to just sleeping, minus the several months prior to the breakup :')
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One desk in living room, another in bedroom. Probably gaming desk in the living room. I don't like my options for the bedroom because of the bathroom placement and closet doors along the west wall that make it difficult to place anything on that side. I don't enjoy the work desk having my back to the entrance, but those closet doors don't really allow me to put the desk anywhere that doesn't have my back to it in some way.
Any and all thoughts appreciated, whether it's on the two desks in living room vs. 1/1 split setup, or a layout of a specific room!
Can I ask why you don't want to unify your work and gaming desk into one? I understand the psychology behind having two separate workspaces if that's a need for you. But technologically it's possible to have both in one desk while remaining separate in the ways that matter. I'm happy to share how I do it if you're interested.
I'll take advice if you have it! In fact this was how I did it when my previous job first went full WFH in 2020. The problem I ran into was that I am absolutely one of those "not-disciplined-enough-for-WFH" folks... It was too easy for me to just be playing something casually on the side while "working" and I didn't look very deeply for solutions.
Make your gaming computer and your work computer exclusive. Set them up to share keyboard, mouse, and monitors, so you can only use one at a time. Then, tune the friction of switching so you're not tempted to do it in the middle of your work day.
(I have this setup; I can switch pretty much by putting one computer to sleep and waking the other one up, and that works for me, but you can easily make sure there's as much cord-swapping needed as you need.)
A KVM switch was something I looked into briefly but I got put off by shaky reviews for anything that doesn't break the bank (I say that like I don't have enough savings to buy these things outright - I do, I just would rather not :)). Physical cord swapping just to make it an ordeal to actually swap to gaming mode was advice I received recently but by this point I've had the separate work desk for around 3 years.
I will admit that having separate desks has not worked amazingly for me regardless of that being my original intent when getting a separate WFH desk. Too easy to physically walk to the personal desk when work is slow or I'm just procrastinating...
Get a USB switch, and manually switch your monitor between inputs. The extra friction is a feature!
I had completely forgotten that is an option...
Noted, thank you!
Just to add, this is exactly how I've been doing it for the last few years and it's worked well for me.
I have one big L-shaped sit-stand desk, and on it I have my work desktop, work laptop, and gaming desktop. The desktops and the laptop dock each have a cable to an input port on my monitor, and each has a cable to a 4-in/4-out USB switch. My keyboard and mouse are then hooked into that switch. And my main gaming/music headphones are attached to the monitor, so they switch with the monitor input.
FWIW, the USB switch that I use is this one. It's a little difficult to tell it's size from the pictures, but it ended up smaller than I expected - I'd say it's almost exactly the size of a pack of cards. I can't say anything about the remote since it just sits near the back of the desk and I just reach back to click the buttons to switch. I also haven't bothered with the power adapter that it comes with - the power over USB from each device has been plenty for running my mechanical keyboard and wired mouse.
(Like you, it's easy for me to get distracted having them together. But one thing that's really helped me resist the temptation to swap to gaming mode during the work day is that both machines are power-hungry enough is that with them both plugged into the same power strip, they'll trip my home's circuit breaker if I try to run them for anything intense at the same time.)
It's worked well. My only negative about this is that after a long day at work, it's often hard to find the motivation to stay at my desk for playtime too. My Steam Deck in the TV Dock has been getting more of a workout lately for this reason. (Though I did also try getting an extra-long HDMI cable since the TV and futon are in the same room as my desk.)
I have a Keychron K17 Pro (I think; it’s a 96% hot-swappable RGB, mechanical keyboard) that allows Bluetooth and USB-C. I have a Logitech M575 mouse that allows Bluetooth and 2.4 GHz. I have an LG ultra wide monitor that allows HDMI, DisplayPort, and USB-C.
My work laptop is Bluetooth connected to my keyboard and my mouse and connected to the monitor via HDMI. I have to toggle three physical switches to get all three of them over to the Mac.
My Mac is connected to the keyboard via USB-C, and the monitor via USB-C, and the mouse via 2.4 GHz. Again, I have to toggle three physical switches in order to switch over to the work PC.
My gaming rig has its own keyboard, its own mouse, and it’s using the DisplayPort of the monitor. I only have to flip one switch to get over to gaming, but I keep the gaming rig off due to its high energy prices. The gaming rig hardly ever turns on.
I find that I don’t have any temptation really to click over to the Mac unless I’m at my lunch break. The rest of the time I’m perfectly capable of dicking around and browsing on my phone. Although to be honest, I’m usually too busy for that as well.
Came here to suggest this. “KVM” (Keyboard/Video/Mouse) is probably the term you’re looking for if you’re not familiar with it. It’s a hardware switch, a little box you install between your PCs and your I/O devices. Could be useful for avoiding the “multitasking” temptation since you won’t be able to use the gaming PC without switching away from the work machine.
However! Possible caveats. I’m not up on the latest KVMs but I think they probably still expect wired inputs. If you have a Bluetooth mouse or keyboard, that complicates things. Also, AFAIK these things are not typically used for gaming setups. There’s a chance it will introduce input lag which, depending on how you game, could be an issue. Lastly, be advised that KVM switching is not instantaneous. It’s basically simulating unplugging the mouse and keyboard from one computer and plugging them into the other. It can take a few seconds, longer if the machine you’re switching to is asleep or powered down… probably just annoying enough that you won’t want to do frequently. And expect occasional glitches of the sort that might arise on any machine where peripherals are often added and removed.
New KVMs might have this stuff sorted out. Even if they don’t, they might still be worth looking into for your particular use case.
Edit: @Aran posted about KVMs specifically three minutes before I posted. Don’t mind me!!
After some quick googling I do see some potential issues arising with refresh rate where ultrawides typically aren't supported past 60hz? I think that's the only thing that would really bug me with the KVM option (though I suppose if I had a guarantee that a very expensive one in the $400-500 range worked I wouldn't mind that upfront cost)
One thing you could try is having your gaming + work setup in one desk but have the PC stream to your TV and play on the TV? I have been wanting to experiment with that myself since the games I play are fairly casual ones anyways but it could also work for you. If you have a smart TV and your games are on Steam, you could get the Steam Link app. You could then use the keyboard/mouse/controller connected to your PC while the video/audio is streamed to the TV.
Since you want a separate game by and working PC, maybe consider getting a TV and hooking up the gaming PC to it. That way there is a very strong seperation of concerns. You may also consider getting a lap desk if you go this route.
The dining area is really small, so instead of getting a big dining table, consider a folding table instead, so you can have it small when you’re by yourself and can expand it when you have company. I’m rather enamored with the IKEA Norden gateleg table, which has the bonus of storage drawers in the center you can use for utensils and dining accoutrements or hobby stuff.
Your bedroom is huge in comparison with your living room! I don’t even know what I would do with it.
+1 to keeping the gaming PC connected to your TV instead of having a separate desk for it. I think keeping your work setup out of the bedroom is the most important part to be quite honest. It's just another nice physical barrier between you and work. I used to have my WFH setup right next to my bed and while it was nice for being able to quickly hop out of bed and into meetings, it kinda weighed on me to have work always be within 5 feet of me lol.
The TV option unfortunately doesn't work terribly well for the games I play - single player experiences would be fine but I spend a lot of time on things that just make sense at a desk - mostly MMO raiding with comms and lots of second monitor diagrams.
Oh, that table is actually really cute! It makes me want to find space for it in the living room instead of the "dining area" to double as a crafting table... (I could do that in the dining area too, just thinking about the better vibes being closer to the window.)
If you need a second monitor for diagrams, can’t you use your iPad? IIRC there are apps that you can use that will let you use it as a second monitor. And there’s always Bluetooth for comms. But you know you more than I do, so feel free to toss the suggestion.
I actually eyed that table for much the same reason. It was supposed to be our board Game Center, but in reality our dining room table is a multi-level storage center. 😅
Okay so after discussing with the ex: if I wanted a placeholder TV I could take the one we have; it's not a smart TV and is very ancient but it was serviceable when I wanted to get out of the bedroom. I don't have the TV console though (maybe temporary use of the work desk for it? Though I'd need hired help to actually dispose of the desk if I don't get it done during the move).
That being said I would probably be more in favor of ditching the work desk and figuring out a solution for combining with with the gaming setup vs. ditching the gaming setup entirely
Congrats!!
For what it's worth, we don't have the remote for it and changing the volume is an actual ordeal (touch controls where it doesn't want to read single volume taps, so you end up needing to change volume in increments of 3 steps at a time or something...) and it really is ancient. Good enough for Switch games!
I think ultimately the best solution won't come to you until you're moved in, although I understand the difficulty moving the desk w/o movers. Because visiting an empty apartment, having the floor plan, etc. is very different from what it's like once you have your stuff in it. For example, I have a small-ish living room and my wife and I bought a huge sectional. On paper it would fit without any issue. In reality it took up half of the living room and made navigating it difficult at times. All that's to say that I like the 2 desk living room idea, but I suspect that's going to be very cramped.
I also think it's good to have your work and living areas separate when you're WFH, because that physical separation helps you relax and feel truly separated from work. My work area is a powered shed in my backyard, which I don't use during the winter because it would be pricey to heat it. So I'm working in my living room and spending my evenings in my living room. It's not great and I can't wait for warmer weather!
I guess I don't have a definitive answer for you, just some random thoughts!
edit - oh an idea on not being able to move the bed and desk. Could you maybe buy furniture coasters that the movers could place the bed and desk on? Then you could more easily slide things around until you find the right fit. Then if you're able, lift the furniture up just enough to pull the coasters out once it's placed.
Not sure how that would work with the bed - it's one of those heavy frames that sit flat on the floor and don't have convenient legs to place coasters on (also if I'm looking at the separate package weights of the bed from Ikea's website we're looking at at least 200 pounds... I'm 4'10" and 90 lbs). Could work for the desk, though I might just pay for lunch for some friends to help move it around!
I'm hoping that me spending the next month on measurements will help avoid this... I did the same (adding maybe 2 inches to everything for wiggle room) before I moved into my current apartment where I have the daybed and both desks in one bedroom.
I guess this would be one way of it feeling less cramped? Link Or option 2
Some quick thoughts.
There was some discussion of KVM above for combining two desks. I want to recommend what I use as I think it meets your requirements better. Newer Model monitors come with "KVM" setups built in. I have an LG 32GX870A-B as my primary monitor. Its expensive. I use the monitor as the power source and KVM for 3 different laptops and get perfect video, i/o and sound out of all three. All I do is swap which laptop is plugged into the USB-C cable. The most important part though for your needs is that I still have the powerful desktop sitting at the same desk with a Displayport hooked up directly to the monitor. When I want to use the big desktop (Only once a week or so) I swap the USB-C to the desktop to get keyboard mouse and audio. the LG is smart enough to see that the desktop can't pass video over the USB port though so it defaults to the full powered 240hz displayport plug instead. So with just moving one USB-C cable I can swap machines easily. This is really good for only having one desk but still not dealing with all the flaky nonsense of dedicated KVM switches. It also gives you work from home isolation without an easy way to play stuff when you should be working.
I want to encourage you to maintain a decent WFH and comfy space separation though. You might not have issues with it now but the world is an ever changing space. My bedrooms are always screen free and I try to keep more comfortable stuff on that side. A cheap used lounge chair in the corner would be nice. I would sit in there instead of in the living room when needing time away from screens. Then I would put the single double desk work unit in the living room. This would also give you better walls for people to look at if your ever force on camera in a meeting.
I would very much reuse that dining room space as a crafting area as stated in above posts. But I am into non traditional uses of space. Just because the diagram labels it as a bedroom does not mean you need to use it that way.
I might add more to this later but need to eat.
Unfortunately buying a whole new monitor is probably not in the cards for me! I'm definitely leaning on a USB hub or switch and manually swapping video input.
I hear you, and I definitely am leaning towards having all screens out of the bedroom even if I can't imagine what I'd have in there outside of the bed and a reading chair (and even then I'd probably prefer to read in the living room?). It's hard for me to definitively say how much the separation helped me previously because... well, lots of things in my life are making me unhappy currently, right? How big of a drop that my current lack of work/play/sleep separation is in the great bucket of unhappiness is hard to gauge.
I am rambling but yes, whether I consolidate the gaming and work setups or not, I'm thinking I'll find a way to keep them out of the bedroom!
Yeah I more recommended the crazy monitor as a possible future goal. Its just good to know that easy cable swap setups exist and will support your raiding needs with minimal work. For me that monitor cut down on cable clutter considerably (I really hate looking at computer cables) and I spend almost all my time on my laptops so using it as the USB-C power source is key.
Maybe try this thought process out. Think of the two rooms of your place as "Private" space (bedroom) and "Public" space (living room). When I was living in smaller spaces I always kept most of my extra storage in my bedroom because I could just close that door if anyone was coming over. Even now our bedroom is just storage and a bed. We make the storage look nice. We have a full bookshelf of the books we don't want on "public" display in the living room. We have two chairs and a extra uncomfortable couch in there that the cat uses. Mostly its where the furniture that's nice enough we don't want to scrap it, but does not have a current purpose sits. We are planning a full set of built in wall units to enhance that storage further.
Fight that great bucket of unhappiness by finding the small things that help even if only just a little. Keep up the good fight!
Just a couple of ideas, looking at your diagram:
What about moving your living room desk to the area where your dining table is now, and putting the dining table somewhere in the living room. Then you could slide your desk forward along that partition by the door and sit in the corner behind it exactly where the dining table is shown now. That will give you a nice wall to your back. And having the dining room table more toward the living room/entry way will let you easily watch TV while eating if you feel like it, or give you more room to expand seating and extensions around it if you have lots of guests over.)
It probably doesn't affect much other than unblocking the closet door if that's an issue, but what about rotating the bed 90 degrees while keeping it in the same corner, then putting the desk along the wall that's opposite the closet? (Oh, wait - I see now - that's kind of like your "alternative bedroom setup". I'd just been thinking the desk rotated from that so that it's flush in corner and parallel with the sinks on the other side of the divider.)
It's an option, though with that setup I'm gambling a bit on the potential expanded configuration of the daybed bumping into the desk. Actually there's probably just enough room since the expanded portion has an extra... 3 inches or so since it only would interfere with the desk's legs, not the desktop itself. I think I scrapped it purely for the "no back to the entryway" preference!
The living room desk in the "dining area" is an interesting thought, though I think I'd be annoyed by potential kitchen noises (we're just talking something like, having the stove vent running while I have something cooking).
If you have social media, you might be interested to see some of this guys work. It's pretty interesting to see some of his ideas about setting up small or unusual spaces. If you @ him on youtube or instagram, he might even give you advice.
https://youtube.com/@dearmodern
I adore Cliff and have been going through his stuff again while brainstorming ideas! It would be neat if I could get advice from him but I assume he gets bombarded with that stuff...
That you know it already makes my heart warm!
I would encourage you to ask. You're probably already aware that taking requests from ordinary people is part of his marketing strategy. It's always a no if you don't ask!