Hey, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Here's How to Furnish Your D.C. Apartment

Yesterday, a frenzy erupted when Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez informed Twitter that she was embarking on her latest D.C. adventure—furnishing her apartment—and asked for input on which five pieces of furniture she should buy first. Recommendations for bookshelves, beds, and chairs came pouring in (her tweet currently has 16,000 comments), not to mention an incredible discourse on bath towels. Apartment life being one of Clever's main beats, we had to add our own two cents. To furnish her apartment efficiently but effectively, AOC will need pieces that reflect her style and her values. Think smart, practical, democratic designs that are built to last, but chic enough to project her progressive modernity. Here's where we suggest she begin:

1. A bed with secret storage

Whether they do it or not, everyone knows that getting enough sleep is one of the keys to health and productivity—two things AOC needs maximum amounts of if she's going to succeed in fighting the powers that be. And that means she'll need a good bed. We like the BRIMNES bed from IKEA because of its streamlined frame with storage underneath, ideal for small spaces.

2. A round dining table

Why round? A circular design takes up less space, which is crucial when you live in an apartment. (And it suits AOC's equality-based approach to politics: A round table means that everyone gets a say.) Specifically, we can picture her and her formidable colleagues gathered around DesignByThem's Confetti table, debating the finer points of the Green New Deal late into the night. Its playful base is made from 100 percent recycled plastic, after all.

3. Vintage dining chairs

Wait...those colleagues (and friends, and neighbors, and visiting family) will need someplace to sit. Vintage dining chairs are definitely the way to go. Not only is buying pre-owned furniture a good way to reduce the amount of new materials you consume, it can also be a great way to get sturdy, longer-lasting pieces at a lower price than at a chain retailer. We encourage Alexandria to explore her neighborhood thrift and antique shops, but if she's pressed for time, there are loads of online resources for vintage furniture, too.

4. A modular sofa

AOC is a little unconventional, so why shouldn't her living room layout be, too? Rather than buy a chair, she should invest in a modular sofa, like the Palo from Hem, that can easily go from L-shaped sectional to separate sofa and chair and back again. Alexandria will easily be able to move the mix-and-match pieces to accommodate anything from home-alone reading to election-night watch parties.

5. A go-anywhere reading lamp

It's safe to assume that Alexandria is a big reader, and to absorb all that info, she'll need a good reading light that can follow her throughout the apartment. The Sempé w153 ile Clamp Lamp attaches to pretty much any surface, horizontal or vertical, plus it uses an energy-efficient LED bulb and has a shade that tilts to target the light wherever she wants it.

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