Because the apartment was too small for a dedicated dining area and home office space, we custom-designed a long, acrylic console to flank the back of the couch, where tenants can enjoy meals and work on their laptops. A patchwork cowhide rug warms the space, and separates the living and dining areas. Clients chose to keep all the walls in this space a flat white color in case they needed to make quick touchups down the road.