I am a bit odd with gaming in that I like to put my feet up and have my keyboard in my lap as I play. I had been using a desk with my chair turned sideways. Anyway I had a plumbing leak recently which damaged the old desk, and the insurance company paid for a replacement.
So now is the time to build my ideal lazy gamer cocoon.
Here is what I am thinking.
Start with 2 of these 2’x4’ desks, about 3’ part, with the long dimensions parallel. I put my chair between those.
I then put my footstool under the monitors. On the right side I lay down this 32" mouse pad, with my whole arm on it. I adjust chair height so that is comfortable.
I get one of these headset hooks to hang my headset when I am not using it there.
Anyway this would put the monitors square on to my feet, and keep those feet up high where I like them. What do you think of this rig? Or if you do something similar in another way, what do you do?
Dang… I love that idea and can totally picture it! I like to put my feet up too, tho I prefer to prop them under a desk, could never get the hang of typing on my lap lol. I can imagine your setup, tho, and it sounds super comfy!
Been looking at this a little more. I am moving more towards using just a shelf for the monitors. I have a little nook where a built in desk was, and I can just span that with a finished board and use some shelf brackets to support it. It is a lot of work adapting PC monitors for wall mounts, and I do not want to shell out for that. I also am considering a beer fridge as a footstool. IKEA has this nice cleanlines desk for $100 that I am thinking of. Would have a couple drawers. I am thinking if I set my wife’s desk up next to my left desk, that gives us that left desk to share .
I actually saved a lot of money at Ikea by getting my desk from the Used/Returns/whatever they call it section. It’s a secretary desk and the front part that folds down has a “blister” on it (a bump where the paint cracked) but since I almost always have the desk open it is not visible and not that noticeable even when closed. Good deal.
My architect daughter did this layout for us, complete with planned spaces for the dogs. We only have 2 dogs, but she thought of options. I did some basic measures. Eye height seated is 44", so mid point of monitor cluster should be at that height. Going to have the wife right next to me for a change, instead of the back of my head towards her. Room for my son is in the plan as well.
That is not a barrier! It is my left desk. I will have a left and right desk. She can spill onto it as well. I think she will stick a printer there.
I play keyboard in lap, feet up, with mousing arm resting on the right desk. New config should let me look straight at the monitors instead of turning head sideways.
Electrician was in last Fri, ran 2 circuits back tot he breaker box, one dedicated for the space heater, and another general purpose one. Instead of extension cords we will now have modern outlets. Sadly electrician found a drip in the plumbing, and the plumber came out again finding that another pipe was going and he had to replace all of that. General contractor comes next Fri.
Architecture is a long hard road. My daughter knew at 14 that is what she wanted to do. I could not talk her out of it. The field is glutted with way too many people ant he competition is fierce. She was going to do it. She asked for CAD design software for her 15th birthday. She went to Cal Poly which had something like 100+ students, and she graduated near top. Managed to get a decent job in SF, but still has to spend the next year or so getting licensed. Without the license you are an interior decorator.
Yeah, this section is called “off topic”, but I’ll get back on topic for a moment.
I’m with you! Feet up and cat stretched out on my legs, her tail sometimes on my keyboard. I remap games so that my left hand rests on G-K for movement, which gives my thumb better access to <space> and <cmd> keys, and without rocking the keyboard. I use an adjustable low end-table for the mouse, so my arm stays down at waist level, and my shoulders stay relaxed, and I have space for a drink.
Beware that sitting with your feet up (and rounding your back?) may be very bad for your back in the long run. An hour or so won’t hurt, but several hours at a time eventually put me in a world of hurt. Now I alternate sitting on a ball (cat really hates that, since I have almost no lap and I move too much, so she sleeps on top of my pc instead) or standing on a firm mat (maybe a treadmill someday). It’s more challenging to set up a desk environment that can accommodate multiple positions, but it’s worth the effort to avoid long-term back problems.
I got through 58 yrs with no back issues. Gaming gave me problems after just a few months. Varying my position regularly, along with ab and back exercises, have “cured” the back issues, but they’ll come back in just a couple of weeks if I go back to just the one position. YMMV.
@Snydelee So we were filling out my son’s common application and of course one of the potential majors he expressed interest in was architecture so WTF do I know?
One area my daughter said was growing was architects for virtual space. Kids who design buildings and things for virtual worlds were at one point in demand. Might be an interesting area.
