Can you help me find a unique foot rest for under my desk?

October 23, 2012 6:56 AM

Help me find something comfortable, functional and maybe fun or unique to rest my feet on under my desk.

My work station is set up in such a way that in order to be comfortable, my chair has to be raised high enough that my feet dangle an inch or two above the floor. There's no adjusting the desk or getting around it - it just is how it is. I find it fairly uncomfortable though, so I'm looking for something to prop my feet up on under my desk.

I've seen the ergonomic foot rest thingys, but they seem so... boring. I'm hoping to find something with a little more pizzazz. The best I can come up with is some type of floor pillow or poof maybe? Or perhaps there's something better out there I just haven't thought of?

Do you have any recommendations for an under-desk foot rest MeFites?

Desirables:
- approximately 6-inches or less in height (or my knees with hit the desk)
- soft or otherwise comfortable
- office appropriate (though we have a casual office)
- under $100
- cool / cute / beautiful / clever / geeky. I have space invader decals on my walls, so I'd like to find something equally fun or nice to look at. Chances are it will be visible to people who stop by my office.

posted by geeky to shopping (9 answers total)

Weeble Ergonomic Footrest?
posted by softlord at 8:02 AM on October 23, 2012

If you're okay with going super-cutesy, I recommend Squishables. As the name implies, they're very squishy, but should be good for a couple inches (but probably less than 6) when smooshed down.
posted by specialagentwebb at 8:03 AM on October 23, 2012

This is a little out there, but my favorite footrest so far has been a skateboard. It's low, surprisingly comfortable to rest my feet on, and fun to absent-mindedly mess with. Clever and geeky and useful after-hours if you get bored, and people were always trying to borrow it. If it's not soft enough just throw a pillow on it :)
posted by bender b rodriguez at 8:36 AM on October 23, 2012 [2 favorites]

You can pay almost any amount you want for this kind of thing but here's a simple carved Senufo stool that might do. There are a lot of African cultures that make small carved furniture items of a similar type. I use something like it for my feet at home.
posted by zadcat at 9:15 AM on October 23, 2012 [1 favorite]

Large stuffed animal, like a lion or tiger.
posted by CarolynG at 5:49 PM on October 23, 2012

Have you tried tennis balls? I keep a couple under the desk so I can slip off my shoes and work them around on the soles of my feet, especially when it should be nap time in the afternoon.
posted by halfbuckaroo at 6:49 PM on October 23, 2012

I just go for a hot-water bottle with the fleecy cover of your choice. Feels good 'n' squishy, and is easily adjustable to your height by increasing/decreasing the amount of water. And it can be filled with hot water in cold weather and even put in the freezer to cool off your feet in the summer.

Plus it's cheap....
posted by guy72277 at 12:15 AM on October 24, 2012

Thanks for the plethora of ideas, guys! I hadn't considered tennis balls, skateboards, or hot-water bottles (bonus for cold feet!). Also, I love baking and that giant stuffed cupcake is awfully tempting. Geniuses, all of you :)
posted by geeky at 6:21 AM on October 24, 2012

After much shopping & consideration, I ended up purchasing a Manduka yoga bolster to use as my footrest. It fit 90% of my criteria: soft, washable cover, under $100, about 6" in height, and it doesn't look out of place in my office. It's not as fun or exciting as I had hoped, but they do come in an array of colors. Most importantly, it has seriously improved my comfort level at work!
posted by geeky at 6:08 AM on November 29, 2012