Article taken off essortment.com
Designing A Yoga Room
The practice of yoga is continuing to increase in popularity. While many people go to yoga studios to take courses or just for a serene and comfortable place to practice, other people prefer to do yoga at home. For yoga devotees, having a room in their home set up in an ideal way for their practice is just an extension of their commitment to yoga.
A space to practice yoga does not need to be expensively decorated. Neither does it need to be difficult to create. The most important thing in a yoga space is it needs to be pleasant; if it is not somewhere you want to spend time, it will not be conducive to practicing yoga.
The room you choose for your yoga room needs enough free floor space for you to stretch out on the floor lengthwise in any direction with a little extra space for motion. The ceiling should be high enough to allow you to stand on the tips of your toes with your arms stretched as high overhead as you can reach. A space that allows these motions should allow you to do any yoga positions. Of course, if you plan to have more than one person using the room at the same time, you should make sure all of the people can stretch out on the floor, arms fully extended, with at least a foot between you.
If you use a portable yoga mat, you can practice yoga over any flooring surface. However, if you want to go all out, consider flooring made just for yoga studios. Several manufacturers make durable and flexible matting that is designed for covering the floors of yoga studios. It accommodates the heat and humidity of the studio while offering some padding and slip resistance. It can be cut to fit any size or shape studio.
Make sure the lighting for your yoga studio is adjustable; lights on a dimmer often are preferable since you may want different light levels at different times. Use indirect lighting or ensure that none of the lights shine directly on the area where you will be practicing since bright lights or glare can be very distracting and unpleasant.
Build in some storage space for all of your yoga accessories. If you use blocks, a belt, portable mats or pillows, make sure there is a place to keep all of these items put away in between sessions. Clutter is not only unattractive; it is a distraction.
If you enjoy music while you practice yoga, make sure your room is equipped with a sound system and speakers. Ideally, use a system with a remote control so you can adjust volume or change tracks without leaving the mat. If you use videos to advance your yoga techniques, your space will need a TV that you can view from the mat and a DVD player or VCR.
Remember to add some attractive decorations to your yoga room. Whether you choose meaningful artwork to hang on the walls or decorate with candles, plants or flowers, a few ornamental objects can make your space more personal and more enjoyable in which to spend your time.
