A combination desk-step stool furniture piece may provide a portable and/or easy-to-use tool to help children reach elevated objects and have a desk and chair to foster their creative minds or however else they see fit to use it. The piece may include a support frame having a plurality of legs that define a footprint and an upper step and at least one intermediate step. One or more of the steps may lie substantially within the footprint. The upper step and/or the intermediate step may be textured to provide traction to facilitate use of the furniture piece as a step stool. The piece also may include a removable table top that may be attached to the upper step. The frame also may include a storage compartment for stowing the tabletop when the furniture is not being used as a desk. Other embodiments and features also are described.