Saturday 22 August 2015

Humilis

Everything in my room is low down, because I have a sort of floor life – I sit on the floor and I sleep on the floor. So tall furniture, and pictures or shelves set high on the wall feel remote and lonely, and rather intimidating.

Because of my odd vascular/collagen set-up, I find sitting on chairs terribly uncomfortable. It takes my body several days to recover if I have prolonged stint at it – for example, travelling on the train (seated, upright) to a meeting or conference where I am seated, upright, then the same travelling back home. If I can put my feet up I’m okay; and sitting in an armchair big enough to curl my legs up under me is fine – the same set-up means my body is very easily folded up.

So, my Badger made me a brilliant floor-desk, out of old gravel-boards (for fences) and scraps of wood. It is the perfect height for me to work at.



Now the Badger, by contrast, finds curling up and folding up almost impossible, likewise sitting on the floor (though he’s fine sleeping on the floor).

Handily, the floor desk also works perfectly well as a seat. The Badger’s reading nook is in the room above me, and his study-bedroom next to that, up in his garret.

So when he comes charging down this little staircase . . .




. . . because he wants to have a chat about something, the floor desk can magically transform into a seat for him to sit on. Neat, eh?



And at night it makes an excellent bedside table.




13 comments:

rebecca said...

A little low to the ground for me since hip and knee replacement - but perfect for you (and the Badger), I see. I DO admire its versatility and usefulness, and even if it wouldn't "work" for me I'd like to be LIKE it myself - low, versatile and useful...

Heidi said...

Although we sleep on a mattress on the floor, sitting on the floor does not come naturally to me at all, but I'm transitioning into it for health reasons (bothersome pelvic floor). Are you familiar with Katy Bowman? She's a great advocate of living (relatively) furniture free.

Pen Wilcock said...

Hi Rebecca - yes, it would not be bionic-hip/knee-friendly!

Heidi - I haven't heard of Katy Bowman at all! Off to google her name …

xxx

Jen darkpurplemoon said...

Thank you thank you thank you for the Katy bowman mention. I think Sh could become my new body hero!

Pen, where do your legs go,when at that desk? Under them?

Pen Wilcock said...

:0)

Sometimes I have the desk alongside me with my legs curled up, sometimes I put it over my legs as a lap-desk. xx

Rapunzel said...

I like it that you can change positions with your desk, unlike a conventional desk and chair set up. Better for the circulation. My desk is a little antique sewing table. I imagine I "ruined" its value the day I sawed 18" of the legs off, but I use it constantly now. When it was chair height it sat unloved in a closet for decades. Low sitting suits me, and suits my old blind doggie who can find me better when I'm down at his level.

Pen Wilcock said...

I would love to have a dining table with short legs, all the seats around it being relics of my little stool/desk - which is just over 9 inches high. Children and grown-ups lake would be able to sit at the table easily, and it would be comfortable for me to sit and eat, too. We do have a kitchen table, but it's normal height, so every time I sit there I need to keep crossing and re-crowing my legs and attempting to find objects to put my feet on.

I remember your sewing table from pictures on your blog. :0) xx

MaryR said...

Gosh, I can't believe how like you I am in this aspect, Pen! I too curl up at most times of the day, as sitting upright with my legs hanging makes my ankles swell in less time than it takes to tell. I use my laptop with my feet up on the bed at all times - floor's a bit hard!! - and I read or watch TV curled up. Even the poor cat has to wait till my legs are up before she can nap on my knee! I do admire your arrangements for your own laptop use.

Pen Wilcock said...

Yes - I get the ankle-swelling thing too. xx

Rapunzel said...

As I have been taking loads of stuff to the house in town this week I keep eyeing the dining table. It would not be hard to shorten it to floor level I tell myself. There wont' be anyone living with me who can't sit on the floor. I wonder where I left that hacksaw.....

Pen Wilcock said...

Hooray! Hacksaw!! xx

BLD in MT said...

I love a multipurpose object like that. :)

Pen Wilcock said...

Me too.

:0)

xx