PROBLEM: An 11' x 13' spare room with one window.
SOLUTION: If you're...
STUDIOUS: This straightforward arrangement accommodates visitors and intellectual pursuits in equal measure (and, when the thinking gets tough, mid-afternoon catnaps). Floor-to-ceiling bookcases house a vast collection and eliminate clutter; these, combined with a desk, a library chair and a small side table, create a generous study area. For the overnight guest, an antique daybed and a chest topped with lamps and a flat-screen TV are comfortable without being too bedroom-y. Next to the bed, an end table doubles as a nightstand, with a pharmacy lamp for bedtime reading.
All illustrations by Matt Caserta