Creating my personal prayer room / meditation space was one of my proudest accomplishments in our home. I learned many tips and techniques along the way and feel my home wouldn’t be a balanced one without it!
Keep reading to find out how you too can create your perfect prayer / meditation space!
The spaces in our homes are specifically dedicated for a specific purpose such as our everyday tasks; kitchens for eating, living room for relaxing, study room for work etc.
If prayer or meditation is part of your daily routine (or it was part of your resolutions) then having a designated space for this habit should definitely be created in your home. In this post, I will share my tips on how you can easily create a prayer / meditation space in your home.
It doesn’t have to be an entire room; it could even be a tiny nook in your bedroom or basement. As long as it is personal, cultivates peace and invites you to the space, that is all that matters.
How I Created my Prayer / Meditation Space
We bought our home with the intention to have a Prayer Room and fell in love with our place immediately due to our large corridor area, which is at the center of the house, making it the perfect position for our Prayer / Salah Room.
We put a lot of love and care into the design and creation of our prayer / meditation space, specifically choosing the right colors and accents to make it our ideal little haven. Whoever visits our home and stays for prayers, they are always impressed by our open-concept prayer room and usually spend quite some time there.
For us, it was important that the prayer room is at the core of the house, the heart of the home.
As it is a space we frequently use (we have 5 daily prayers after all) we wanted it in sight and not hidden away so that we are drawn to it, as if a call to ‘hayya ‘alas-Salaah.’
How I Created my Prayer / Meditation Space
The space is not very bright (as it is the upstairs corridor area) though daylight filters in from the windows in the surrounding bedrooms. As we wanted it quite dark, we accentuated this further through a black accent wall and furnishing, such as the light fixture, bookshelf, accessories and wall art.
It took forever to find the perfect carpet as we were particular about certain colors and patterns. So when I came across this collection on Amazon(they have the prettiest Persian and Oriental style designs), I was immediately in love.
As we sit there for long periods of time, especially during certain times in the year like the Holy Month of Ramadhan, I added some simple grey cushions along the wall for comfort.
How I Created my Prayer / Meditation Space
For me, plants and greenery are the epitome of Zen and meditation. Unfortunately, as the area is quite dark, all the plants are artificial but they still manage to bring life to the space.
It is part of Islamic etiquette that a person should wear clean clothes and smell good during prayer. After all, it is your one to one time with the creator. Therefore, it is important that the place of prayer should have a fresh and pleasant aroma. Certain scents can calm the mind, remove stress and help you to focus. I find the quickest way to fragrance the space is by using these plug-in scented oil refills. My all-time favorite is bukhoor/oud which are basically wood chips soaked in fragrant oils that are burned to release a strong, musky fragrance.
One of the most important aspects of a prayer room or meditation space is that it is always minimal, neat and tidy. A messy space is definitely not inviting as clutter can easily distract one from concentration.
To keep the space perfectly organized, this Ikea bookshelf has been a life-saver. It stores my Qur’an, Islamic books, extra prayer mats and beads. It also displays some artwork, frames and memorabilia which are of great importance to me.
So here is my Easy Guide on Creating the Perfect Prayer / Meditation Space:
1. Space
Identify a quiet space in your home. It can be brightly lit or dark, whichever you prefer, as long as you find it tranquil and comforting.
2. Colors
Select a color scheme that is soothing to the eyes, such as neutral shades or pastels. We preferred a darker color palette as it helps concentration in prayer and the lamps make it look warm and inviting.
3. Comfort
Add soft furnishings such as a deep piled carpet and cushions so that you are comfortable sitting there for long periods of time and don’t want to leave.
4. Lighting
Add lamps or soft lighting so that you are able to focus and connect. Harsh, overhead lighting can make the space overpowering and unwelcoming.
5. Greenery
Not only do plants purify the air, they remind us of God’s beauty and immaculate creation. Having some plants around is helpful for visualization and meditation.
6. Fragrance
Perfume/ ‘Attar is kind of a staple for most Muslims and every culture has their own ways. Don’t you just love the smell when you step into a mosque? The prayer room should always smell beautiful as it is the place you speak to God. Frequently fragrance your space through either oud/bukhoor, incense sticks or a diffuser with essential oils, for a more fresher and earthy scent.
7. Personalize
Make sure the space is clean and decluttered as a disorganized space is not inviting. Having a storage area, or in my case a shelving unit, is helpful as you can store all your Islamic books, prayer mats, prayer beads and can also display beautiful artwork, crystals and items that mean a lot to you and this space.
Get started in creating your personal space with my top recommendations
Oud Bakhoor Sample Set
Cute Bookshelf
Round Straw Cushion
Why Have a Prayer / Meditation Space?
We create beautiful mosques all around the world, where we feel so connected to God when we pray. I am sure every single one of us has a memory of sitting in a stunning mosque somewhere; so lost in solitude, immersed in prayer and connecting with the Almighty. It is possible to also create the same ambiance in our homes too.
O you who have believed, seek help through patience and prayer. Indeed, Allah is with the patient.
Quran – 2:153
We too can create a prayer or meditation space in our homes to be the calm refuge amongst the chaos in our life.
So as you can see, it is pretty simple but it can have a GREAT impact in your life.
This post contains affiliate links and any sales made through such links will reward me a small commission for the upkeep of the blog – at no extra cost for you!
If you already have a prayer or meditation space, what did you include in it? I would love to hear about your experiences in the comments below!
UPDATE: It seems many readers were inspired by this post and shared their own beautiful prayer spaces on Instagram!
Check them out by heading over to our Instagram page for some inspiration in our ‘Prayer Space’ stories. We would LOVE to see yours!
