How To Use Art & Décor To Create A Mindful Space
Meditation has become extremely popular & the number of people taking up this practice is growing.
Even the mainstream medical establishment is beginning to wake up to the positive effects that meditation has on our physical, emotional & spiritual well being.
There’s various styles or approaches to meditation as well as groups & classes that teach beginners right through to more advanced practitioners.
People take up a meditative practice for different reasons, but the wonderful thing about meditation is it can be done anywhere at any time such as waiting at the bus stop, in line at the shops & even whilst walking.
But I’ve found having a special room or space helps in creating a regular & consistent practice.
Not only does art help in creating & adorning the walls of a meditation room, artworks can be a focus for meditating on & even if you’re not an artist, creating art can produce a meditative state.
If you’re interested in creating art & exploring how this process can not only produce a flow state, but will also make you a better artist, you may find these articles helpful:
Decorating a space is a creative process & can be very rewarding, so let’s contemplate on some ideas, tips & inspiration for your meditation room.
Consider Your Décor First
If the space you’re using for your meditation practice hasn’t yet been decorated, or you’re going to redecorate, then the overall décor needs to be considered before choosing any artworks.
Creating The Right Colour Scheme
As Nikola Tesla said: “ If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency & vibration.”
Colour is simply light waves, or energy, that enters our eyes & the frequency of those waves is then interpreted by the brain into colour.
It is well known how different colours affect our mood & psychology, so you can see the importance of choosing the right colours for a meditation space.
For creating a relaxed & peaceful vibe, it’s best to use no more than 3 colours that aren’t too loud.
Subtle shades & hues work best & many interior designers use the 60/30/10 rule as the infographic below shows.
This is a perfect guide to follow for decorating a mindful & peaceful room.
The 60% primary colour would be the walls, floor coverings & main items of furniture.
The 30% or secondary colour consists of soft furnishings like curtains, smaller furniture pieces or even an accent wall.
An accent colour will be the 10% & are accessories such as cushions, lamps & artwork.
Not only the colours within the artwork, but this can also include the frame colour.
You don’t necessarily need to use 3 colours either.
To create a more minimalist colour palette, try using 2 colours, 3 different shades of a single colour, 2 shades of 1 colour & an accent colour or any other combination.
Choosing the right colours goes a long way to having a relaxed & calming space.
7 Colours That Will Invoke A Meditative State
1. Blue - to calm the mind, lower blood pressure, slow down heart rate & reduce anxiety, soft & neutral shades of blue are perfect for creating a soothing environment.
2. Green - because this colour represents nature, it creates a restful & harmonious feeling.
Beige & pale yellow greens have been shown to work best for helping us stay calm & feeling refreshed.
3. Pink - although considered a feminine colour, it does induce feelings of peace & tranquillity.
Of course you wouldn't use a shocking pink, subtlety is key.
In Feng Shui it’s a colour that’s considered to soothe energies & bring balance.
4. Violet - this colour signifies strength, peace & wisdom.
Similar to pink it also brings balance as well as offering inner tranquillity.
5. White - signifies clarity & freshness & is a good colour for reducing stress & helping to get your thoughts in order.
It’s also neutral & will work with any other colour or shade.
6. Grey - this may not be the 1st colour that comes to mind when creating a relaxed décor, as grey is often associated with formality, authority & can even be a tad depressing.
But light shades matched with pale blues & clean whites can bring a sense of relaxation & be very soothing.
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7. Yellow - very energetic & lively, yellow may be another colour you may not have thought would be a good choice for meditation.
But studies have shown people in a yellow room are more conscious & aware, which is perfect as it’s easy to drift off sometimes when in meditation.
Again, use subtle hues or use yellow as an accent colour.
To delve deeper into colour & how it affects our mood, here's a useful article:
Create Ambience Through Lighting
How we perceive colour is through the light that reflects off of objects & surfaces.
The quality & temperature of light directly affects how certain colours will be perceived.
This is why in photography sunrise & sunset is referred to as “The Golden Hour”, it’s when landscapes take on a beautiful warm tone.
Having appropriate lighting is important for a meditation space to bring relaxation & calmness .. it’s difficult to feel peaceful under a bare 100 watt globe!
Warm colours aren’t going to look as cosy under bright lighting conditions, & even brighter shades will appear calmer under warmer & more subdued illumination.
Lighting can also affect how small or large a room will appear.
To state the obvious, too little lighting will make colours appear darker & the space may seem smaller.
This may be what you need for a more voluminous space, but if you only have a small area available for meditation, adjusting the lighting can help prevent feeling closed in.
Being able to control light levels may be something to consider.
You may meditate during the day as well as in the evening, so blinds or curtains will help to reduce light levels.
Dimmer switches are a fabulous idea too, not only for overhead lighting but lamps also.
Lamps are much better for creating ambience than overhead lighting, but if your space doesn’t have a power outlet this may not be an option.
So choose the softest & warmest light globes you can & a nice light shade goes a long way in toning it all down too.
Rock & salt lamps are great too, but it wouldn’t be a meditation space without candles.
These can simply be burned as they come, but there’s some wonderful candle & tealight holders available.
Choosing The Right Furniture
It’s wonderful to feel cosy, but not cluttered.
Most advice for creating a meditation space is to keep it as sparse as possible.
But if you’re comfortable in your space, whatever works for you is fine.
But meditation room’s don’t need to be filled with much furniture anyway.
Some people prefer sitting in a chair, others meditate on cushions & those hardcore meditators sit crossed legged on the floor.
A small table is good for placing candles or any deities or photographs on & perhaps a lamp or two.
But it doesn’t need to look like it’s just a functional space.
Again, whatever works for you. After all, that’s what meditation is about, going within & finding the answers that lie there.
Adding Greenery To Your Meditation Space
Some potted plants instantly lift & bring a wonderful energy to any room.
By bringing a touch of nature indoors you create a beautiful, calming & relaxed space.
Plants also help to clean & oxygenate the air, important for those breath work meditations.
We talked about keeping the space uncluttered, but how many plants is too many?
I’m not sure to be honest, if you have enough light coming into the room you could create your own oasis of green.
Especially if you live in an apartment & don’t have access to a garden, it will seem like you’re meditating in the heart of nature & will help you connect to Mother Earth.
The Sound Of Silence
If a tree falls in the forest & nobody is there to hear it, does it make a sound?
Not sure, as long as I’m not standing under it!
Some people prefer silence when meditating, I personally like using solfeggio frequencies.
Guided meditations can be really helpful too as can music, so some sort of sound system is needed.
It doesn’t need to be a top of the range latest whizz bang technology though, I use my phone & headphones most of the time.
If you live in a busy household or a noisy neighbourhood, noise cancellation headphones can be a worthwhile investment.
To take it a step further, if you’re converting a shed or other outbuilding into a meditation studio & you have the budget, then proper soundproofing materials can be used.
Choosing Art For Your Meditation Space
Using furniture, accessories & the mixing & matching of colours correctly will produce a lovely serene environment.
But as with any room’s décor, it can follow a certain style or theme.
Introducing the right type of art into a space will help solidify & tie a theme or décor style together.
Because your meditation area may be sparsely furnished, the art chosen will create a bigger impact, even if it’s only a small statue or carving.
What Types Of Artwork Are Good For A Meditation Room?
When we think of meditation style wall art, paintings & prints of Buddha, lotus leaves & such come to mind.
This Zen style of art can be a wonderful choice, but other wall art is also available that can create the desired effect you're looking for.
I snapped this shot at one of the many beaches in Australia's south-west. You can purchase this image on a number of print mediums here.
Landscapes are a great choice for visually bringing a touch of nature into the room, plus studies have shown the positive effects of nature photographs & paintings.
Minimalist photography & art will also lend itself very well for creating a visually uncluttered & calming space.
Even abstract art will be effective, especially in a sparsely decorated space, as it can be a fabulous way to introduce a splash of colour without overwhelming the entire room.
Black & white photography can be a very effective way to decorate your walls, especially for modern, minimalist as well as industrial décor.
I don't feel it would give the right vibe in certain meditation spaces, but this will depend on the colour scheme.
Black & white images in a dominantly white room, although a great look, is somewhat cold & uninviting for a space to meditate.
But if your room has a good amount of colour, monochrome images may help tone it down.
8 Meditation Room Themes To Inspire You!
1. Temple - this is a good theme to bring a feeling of reverence to your space.
Like a temple, you can have an altar, but it doesn’t need to be grand in size.
You can introduce an ornate piece of furniture on which you can place a statue of the Buddha or a photograph for example.
For the walls, panels are available in elaborate designs, although in a smaller space these may be overwhelming.
But there’s a great range of metal wall art & sculptures to suit smaller areas.
2. Asian Inspired - This is a relatively easy theme to achieve with wall art as there’s a plethora of Asian inspired prints & wall hangings to choose from.
Whether it’s Chinese, Thai, Indian or Japanese, you’ll have no trouble finding carvings & other ornate pieces.
Asian style furniture is also relatively easy to find these days too. Why not have a bonsai tree too!
3. Minimalist - this would have to be the simplest look to achieve.
Once you’ve got your colour palette sorted, it’s just a case of introducing elements that serve a purpose such as a chair, cushion, small table & maybe a lamp.
There’s a great array of minimalist artworks to choose from too.
Abstract prints work well as do those canvas prints with quotes & mantras.
4. Modern - similar to minimalism, but more elements can be introduced.
Furniture with clean lines & smooth clean surfaces is what creates a modern feel.
Textures are kept to a minimum when using soft furnishings such as curtains, cushions & rugs.
Acrylic & metal prints are ideal for modern décor as they not only provide stunning image quality, they don’t require framing which gives them that modern appeal.
5. Nature - if you really want tranquillity, then surround yourself in nature.
Obviously plants are a must & the more the better.
But there’s amazing wall murals available of forests, woodlands & other natural scenes that can create the illusion of a wall opening up into the outdoors.
Another trick you can use in smaller spaces is to have floor to ceiling mirrors & place potted plants in front.
This also tricks the eye into believing the room continues on further.
How about introducing a small water feature too?
Very calming & trickling water is a fabulous sound to meditate too.
6. Seaside - Being by the ocean is very grounding, but this is a theme where you don’t want to go overboard (excuse the unintended pun!) or it can start to look kitsch.
Pale blues & greens are perfect coastal colours & there’s a huge amount of beach inspired art & landscape images on the market to hang on the walls.
You can also play ocean sounds or whale songs whilst meditating too.
7. Hippy/Bohemian - another style that needs restraint in a meditation space., but it’s a wonderful way to bring out that inner flower child.
Printed fabrics, beads & crocheted wall hangings are all great ways to bring in the hippy vibe.
There’s lots of psychedelic artwork available too as well as paintings that glow under black lights.
A bohemian rug paired with a light shade may be enough to create the boho look without going over the top.
8. Cosy - If you don’t want any particular style, but want a warm & welcoming space, using more rustic styles of wall art alongside textures & warm colours will make for a cosy environment.
Chunky wood picture frames look fabulous against walls painted with earthy colours.
With a natural fibre floor rug & a lovely floor lamp to create a pool of light, you’ll want to meditate for hours!
5 Ideas For When You Don’t Have A Meditation Room
If you share a house, live in a smaller apartment or are living life on the road, having a dedicated meditation room may not be an option.
Even if you’re renting or living in an RV, it’s still possible to create a sacred space for the inner journey.
1. Balcony
Balconies can be a wonderful environment for meditation, especially if you’re fortunate enough to have a decent view.
Most balconies are sheltered from the weather, but if not, shade sails or a large umbrella will keep you protected from the elements.
An outdoor heater will be necessary in the cooler months too.
Outdoor rugs & furniture are easily obtained & for more privacy, foldable screens are ideal.
Acrylic & metal prints as well as other garden art, are made to last in outdoor environments, so you’re still able to create the feel or vibe you’d like.
2. Garden
What better way to connect to nature than if you’re blessed with a decent garden space.
Maybe you share a house, so securing your own part of the garden will be your sanctuary.
A garden space can be more exposed than a balcony, so a decent size umbrella or even portable gazebo may be a solution.
Again, screens can be used & for the winter months you may be able to create a fire pit or use a brazier .. sounds nice actually!
3. Porch or Verandah
Depending where you are in the world, it’s either a porch, verandah or patio!
But it shares similarities to a balcony in that it’s an undercover area.
Screens can be used to create privacy as well as a more secluded feel.
You’ll need some sort of heat in the winter, but this can be a patio heater or other portable gas heater.
4. Nooks & Crannies
If all the above options aren’t available, then dedicating a corner of a room can be enough to give a sense of purpose to the space.
If all you do is place a cushion, a pot plant & hang a picture, it creates a space with intention.
That awkward space under the stairs can be utilised too as well as larger walk in wardrobes.
5. Vans, Caravans & RVs
I’m often on road trips in my 4WD campervan looking for photographic opportunities, I love it!
But I must admit, the meditation practice can slide a tad.
But even if you live in a van or motorhome, it’s still possible to carry a small artwork, deity or any other ornament that provides inspiration.
These can be items that you take out for meditation & pack away when finished.
This act in itself provides a ritual & can be a daily practice.
Better yet, if you’re on the road, simply sit in nature or find an amazing lookout.
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Using Art As Meditation
We often think of art as something to adorn our walls & some artwork can have sentimental meaning too.
It certainly plays a huge part in home décor & adding personality to a space.
But an artwork can also be used as a meditative tool, either as an object to focus on that stills our minds, or the creation of art becomes a meditation in itself.
Meditation doesn’t need to be with closed eyes, there’s walking meditations as well as focusing on a candle flame, flower or picture that all help to settle the old monkey mind.
Many practitioners of meditation will use an image of their guru or other enlightened master to focus their mind.
Anything can be used, as long as it works for you, whatever helps you get in the zone.
You don’t need to be an artist either to gain the benefits of focusing your intention on a creative pursuit.
There’s been a lot of research done in this field & being absorbed in creating brings you into the present moment, the now.
The logical & analytical mind is subdued allowing the right brain hemisphere, where our imagination dwells, to be activated.
Because we’re out of the head space, intuition is also strengthened.
Being Mindful When Buying Art
Most wall art stores & art shops will stock prints & wall hangings to suit your meditation space.
A quick search online will bring a huge amount of choice when it comes to meditation specific artworks & décor.
Meditation can mean different things to different people, but ultimately it’s about connection.
Connection with a higher consciousness, with yourself & with the world at large.
So supporting local and independent artists is a great way to feel connected to the art piece that you’re using for your meditation practice, as well as having a better understanding of who created the art.
Local doesn't necessarily mean just in your area.
You can purchase original art from local artists from anywhere in the world if they have a website or online store (such as myself for instance .. apologies for a shameless plug!)
Instagram and social media are also good avenues for finding creatives.
Like most art, if you like it and it speaks to you, then you should get it!
Final Thoughts
Meditation has been proven to have so many health benefits on many levels.
It’s said you can meditate anywhere, even in a busy marketplace.
But personally, I find it more beneficial when I’m in a private & comfortable space.
Creating a nice meditation area can be really rewarding & art is an important aspect in that process.
I really hope you found value in this article & it has helped you in your meditation journey.
Please feel free to share .. remember, sharing is caring .. namaste.