Turning your garage into a personal yoga studio

An increasing number of homeowners are converting their garages into work spaces, art spaces and yoga studios.

It’s cheaper than renting an appropriate space elsewhere, and easier for you to get to when you’re racing the clock. As well as that, it can be a space you don’t have to share with others if you don’t want, so you can spend more time working on your downward dog than you would clearing away toys and clothes.

With a little effort, you can create the ideal atmosphere of peace and serenity, and forget the troubles of daily life all in your own garage.

Colours

The design and décor of any room, whether it’s a playroom, bed room or yoga studio, should reflect the spirit of what you want to happen in that space. Since the goal of yoga is to relax and promote clarity of thought, you should avoid bold, energetic colours. Save the electric blue and neon greens for the rave room, a yoga studio needs muted, relaxed colours.

Soft hues, earthy tones or natural shades like wheat or sand will promote soothing thoughts and keep your mind clear. According to Carol Bridges, a feng shui master, based in Nashville, Indiana: "My ideal would be to make the space glow as if from within… Just as one would like to glow with spiritual light from within as a yoga student."

Bold, energetic colours are best suited to more intense work‑outs like spinning or weight‑lifting, but colours that are too mute will also have a negative impact on your sessions. Shop around and don’t be afraid to experiment.

Decorations

Every room needs decorations, even a yoga studio. Depending on personal preference and how much space you have, you may consider installing a flat screen tv to give you something to focus on, either playing relevant yogic instructional videos or episodes of your favourite show. Failing that, you can certainly install a music and speaker system to break up the silence.

It’s also recommended that you install some mirrors so that you can check that you’re doing each pose correctly. Unfortunately, mirrors have a tendency to reflect light and dazzle you, so make sure you’ve got a good garage door to keep the sun from blinding you. You probably might also want to keep your private yogic practice just that, private, so a good door will help with that too.

Still dealing with light and illumination, installing non-fluorescent lights with a dimmer are perfect for shifting the mood of the room as you move through your session.

Keep your entryway attractive and uncluttered. Pictures depicting yoga postures or your inspirations could be useful to give you something to focus on during a session and to help program the correct poses or reminders of your achievements or what you hope to accomplish.

Finally, add a water element if possible. The sound creates a soothing environment, promoting peace of mind before, during and after your session.

Time management

After converting your garage into a yoga studio, it can be difficult for many people, especially mothers of young children, to find the time to actually use the studio. The last thing you want to do is plonk the little ones in front of a screen and rot their brains while you are working on yourself, so you need to come with a time management strategy to give yourself fifteen to thirty minutes a day to go through your yogic practices without denying your children the time and attention they need.

Racheal Cook of theyogipreneur.com offers her own schedule: "my twins have a morning routine they can do on their own. I make breakfast for them, they can eat, pick out their clothes, and get dressed on their own. I put baby in his little bouncy activity center and do a 15‑20 minute morning practice… and am right there if they need me."

By taking your own needs and the needs of your family into account, and honestly working within them, you can find the time you need. It may not be easy to start, but once you and yours get into their groove, everything will work out fine.

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