After my wife’s stroke eight years ago, we both needed to find new ways to stay active and manage stress. Her physical therapist recommended gentle yoga, and I started doing it with her for support. What began as rehabilitation exercises has become a daily practice for both of us, and along the way, I’ve learned quite a bit about creating spaces that actually help rather than hinder your ability to find some peace.
We started practicing in our living room, just rolling out mats in front of the TV and following along with DVDs. But something about that setup never felt right. The room was too dark, too cluttered with thirty-eight years of accumulated stuff, and frankly, too associated with watching the news and worrying about things we couldn’t control.
I’d been reading about biophilic design – how connecting with nature indoors can improve health and wellbeing – and it occurred to me that our yoga practice might benefit from the same principles I’d been applying to other parts of the house. If natural light and plants were helping my wife’s mood in the kitchen, maybe they could help our yoga practice too.
**Starting with the Basics: Light and Flooring**
The first thing I tackled was lighting. Our living room had one small window and relied mostly on overhead fluorescent fixtures left over from the 1980s. I’d already learned from other projects that natural light makes a huge difference in how a space feels, so I enlarged that window and added a skylight. The permit process was a pain, and the work was more complicated than I’d expected, but the difference was immediate.
For flooring, I’d been reading that bamboo and cork are popular choices for yoga spaces because they’re softer than hardwood but more stable than carpet. We had that old peachy-beige carpeting throughout most of the house, which was showing its age and harboring dust that aggravated my wife’s allergies. I replaced the carpet in our designated yoga corner with cork flooring – easier on arthritic joints than bamboo, and it has natural antimicrobial properties.
The cork was more expensive than I’d hoped, but we only needed to cover about 100 square feet. I installed it myself, which saved on labor costs. The sound dampening was an unexpected bonus – our movements don’t echo like they would on hardwood, and it’s warmer underfoot during Michigan winters.
**Adding Plants: Trial and Error**
My wife had always been the plant person in our family, but her mobility issues made it harder for her to tend traditional gardens. I thought bringing plants indoors for our yoga space might give her something to care for while also improving the air quality.
I started with what I’d read were good air-purifying plants: snake plants, peace lilies, spider plants. Put them in large pots around the perimeter of our practice area. The snake plants have been foolproof – they tolerate our sometimes inconsistent watering and don’t seem bothered by the variable light as we move through seasons.
The peace lilies were trickier. They’re supposed to be great air purifiers, but we learned the hard way that my wife is allergic to their pollen. Had to move those to other parts of the house. The spider plants have been wonderful – easy to propagate, tolerant of mistakes, and my wife enjoys the little offshoots that she can pot up and give to friends.
One modification I made was creating a living wall using a simple trellis system and hanging planters. Not nearly as fancy as what you see in magazines, but it works. I used lightweight planters and made sure everything was securely mounted – the last thing we need is something falling during a yoga session. The visual effect is nice, and having plants at different heights makes the space feel more natural.
**Managing Sound and Scent**
Our house faces a fairly busy street, and traffic noise was a constant distraction during morning practice. I couldn’t do much about the external noise, but I could add pleasant sounds to mask it. I built a small indoor fountain using a ceramic pot, a small pump, and some river rocks. Nothing fancy, but the gentle water sound helps cover traffic noise and gives us something peaceful to focus on.
I also hung some bamboo wind chimes near the window where they catch breezes from the ventilation system. The soft, irregular tones are soothing without being distracting. My wife particularly likes them – says they remind her of wind through trees.
For scent, we’ve kept things simple. I planted lavender in pots that we can move outside during summer and bring in during winter. The natural fragrance is subtle and calming. I tried essential oil diffusers, but found the scents too concentrated and artificial-feeling. The live lavender gives just a hint of fragrance without being overwhelming.
**Seasonal Adjustments**
One thing I’ve learned over several years of maintaining this space is that it needs to change with the seasons, just like everything else in nature. During Michigan winters, the space can feel dark and closed-in despite the improved lighting. I add more warm-toned lights and sometimes bring in branches from our yard – nothing elaborate, just a few twigs in a tall vase to remind us that spring will return.
In summer, I open the windows early in the morning for fresh air and natural sounds. The light quality is completely different, brighter and more energizing. We adjust our practice accordingly – more vigorous flows in the bright summer mornings, gentler restorative poses during the dim winter afternoons.
**Practical Modifications for Aging Bodies**
What most design articles don’t address is how to make a yoga space work for bodies that have limitations. I’ve made several modifications that might be helpful for other older practitioners.
I installed grab bars disguised as decorative elements along one wall – my wife uses them for balance during standing poses, and I’ve found them helpful too as my own balance isn’t what it used to be. I made sure they’re properly anchored and load-tested them myself.
Our props storage is at wheelchair height and within easy reach. I built simple cubbies for blocks, straps, and bolsters so my wife doesn’t have to bend or stretch to reach anything. Everything has its place and is clearly organized.
I also added several options for seated practice. A sturdy chair, a meditation cushion, and foam blocks of various heights give us flexibility to modify poses as needed. Some days my wife practices entirely from her wheelchair, and the space accommodates that without feeling awkward or institutional.
**What Actually Makes a Difference**
After several years of tweaking and adjusting our practice space, I can say definitively that some changes made a bigger impact than others. The natural light has been huge – both for the quality of our practice and for our overall mood. The plants genuinely seem to improve air quality, and caring for them gives my wife a sense of purpose and connection to growing things.
The sound masking from the fountain and wind chimes has been more helpful than I expected. Not because the sounds are particularly special, but because they give our minds something peaceful to focus on when concentration wavers.
The biggest surprise has been how much the flexibility to modify the space matters. Being able to move plants closer or farther away, adjust lighting, change the arrangement of props – these small adaptations help the space serve our changing needs rather than making us adapt to a fixed environment.
**Budget-Friendly Approaches**
Most of what I’ve described was done on a retiree’s budget, using my own labor wherever possible. The window expansion and skylight required professionals, but everything else I handled myself. Many of the plants came from divisions of existing plants or as gifts from other gardeners.
The fountain cost less than fifty dollars to build. The cork flooring was the biggest expense, but we only covered a small area. The grab bars and storage solutions I built from lumber and hardware store brackets.
What I’ve learned is that you don’t need expensive equipment or professional design services to create a space that genuinely supports your wellbeing. What matters is understanding your own needs and limitations, then making thoughtful modifications that address them.
Our yoga corner isn’t going to appear in any design magazines, but it serves us well. It’s helped both my wife and me maintain a daily practice that improves our flexibility, balance, and peace of mind. At our age, that’s worth more than any design award.
Robert is a retired engineer in Michigan who’s spent the past few years adapting his longtime home for accessibility and wellbeing. He writes about practical, DIY ways to make homes more comfortable and life-affirming as we age — from raised-bed gardens to better natural light.
