My Favorite 2021 Zen Room Ideas to Cultivate Calm

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Precursor

The mental health memo of the day is: if home is where the heart is, my home better be zenned out. And if you feel the same, here are some amazing zen room ideas to get the inspiration flowing!

Ever since I was a child, home was always my place of retreat.

Not because I had some incredible upbringing, but rather just because it was what I was most familiar with. As an anxious and introverted person, familiarity often acted as my saving grace. 

I can remember days of untamable anxiety and panic attacks during school which would lead me to go home early. There was no better euphoria than being on that bus home knowing I could soon curl up under my bed blanket and unplug.

Unfortunately, I was sharing a room well into my late teens. This meant I never had the chance to actually make an environment for myself that would help me feel as calm as possible.

Now that I do have that space for myself, I’ve taken a lot of steps to make it my own and bring into it as much comfort as possible.

So in this post, I’m going to be outlining all sorts of unique, beautiful, and calming things you can add to your room to zen it out and make it as cozy and calm as possible.

What rooms do these products apply to?

I know that in the world of interior design products are often divided by what room they belong to: kitchen, bedroom, office, bathroom, etc. However, the products that I’m going to be sharing with you can fit anywhere (in my opinion).

Whether you want to take these products into your work office, your bedroom, the living room, or anything in between, they will be effective.

It’s possible that some may fit one room a bit better than another, but that doesn’t mean it still won’t work in another space too (nothing wrong with having some soft blankets in the bathroom. I ain’t judging what you do in there.)

As for myself, since I still live with family, I keep these products in my room. Rest assured that once I get my own place, these items will be littered all over!

Why it’s important to create a zen space for yourself

You may be wondering what the big deal here is. Why does creating a zen room or calm environment matter so much?

Simply put, your environment can contribute to your mood and wellbeing (both negatively and positively).

Let’s say you had a stressful day at work and came home to a space that didn’t feel comfortable. Maybe the environment doesn’t look inviting, perhaps the air is stuffy, maybe your lights are too bright for your sore eyes, and the sounds of the TV too loud for your headache.

This will either exasperate your already negative mood or potentially put you in one if you weren’t already.

Alternatively, by creating an environment where we’re able to accommodate our strained physical or mental states and provide ourselves some TLC, we allow the potential to get out of negative moods and into good ones.

This way, we have a better fighting chance in surviving our anxiety-inducing worlds!

With that in mind, let’s look at our catalog of zen-enhancing products!

**This post contains affiliate links which means I get a very small commission from every sale made at no extra cost to you. However, this does not compromise my integrity and I genuinely only recommend things I believe in and/or use myself. All the money goes back into my blog and channel so if you do use the links, thank you for supporting me :)**

1. A Diffuser

Diffusers have been all the zen rage recently. For those unfamiliar with a diffuser, it’s a little machine in which you add water and essential oils which are then released into your room as mist.

It makes your room smell amazing, and for me, scents really make a difference to my mental state. I’m particularly sensitive to the point that if I’m in public and I smell something bad, I automatically feel anxious.

The reason for that (I think), is because when I smell something bad, I get nauseous. Nausea is not a nice or comforting feeling, but rather one that warns my body that there’s something wrong. Thus, I start getting anxious. 

I really don’t need that in my happy space y’all. This is why I was so excited to get a diffuser for my room and make it as inviting as possible.

So by keeping my room smelling good, inviting, and clean, I already feel calmer and more comfortable.

And for those who believe in more holistic approaches, certain essential oils are associated with energy or mood shifts, mental health benefits, as well as cleansing of the soul and space.

For example, if you want to relax, you can use something like lavender oil in your diffuser. If you want to energize yourself, you can use any citrus scent like lemon or bergamot. This can help you to precisely set the mood for your space.

I’m personally not incredibly versed in this department, so my knowledge is limited. But, I know there are many people out there that believe in and enjoy the benefits of essential oils. If you’re one of these individuals, a diffuser is right up your alley for adding more essential oils into your life.

What kind of diffuser you get may depend on a lot of things like the aesthetic of your room, how large the space is, and what kind of features you like. So I compiled a few different options depending on what you might need!

For small spaces:

For friends from the U.S, buy me here 🙂

For friends from Canada, buy me here 🙂

This diffuser incorporates:

• 100ml storage
• Auto-shutoff (for safety)
• 7 LED lights
• Whisper quiet technology

If you want a diffuser for a small space like a bedroom or bathroom, or you don’t like overpowering scents,  a tiny diffuser like this will work perfectly. The design is also BEAUTIFUL and had I not already had a diffuser for my room, I would have bought this one.

There may be a few reasons why you’d prefer a smaller diffuser.

One reason is that in a small room, you may not have space for a giant diffuser to hang out on your already packed desk, shelf, or table. So, opting for something tinier would be a smarter choice.

The second reason is that if you use a giant diffuser in a small room, the scent of essential oils will be incredibly overpowering. Since you need to add more water and oils to a larger diffuser, you naturally end up with a stronger smell.

I learned this the hard way. I tried using a bigger diffuser in my room once and I almost died from the fumes, hence why I opted for a smaller 300ml one instead (which can sometimes also be too much if I’m being honest). 

You might think “Okay, so why not turn it off when it becomes too much?”. Well, because then I would be getting up to turn the diffuser on and off a million times and I do not have that kind of time.

Another issue that comes up with getting too big of a diffuser is that if you do turn it off because it’s too strong, it’s likely you’ll forget about the water and oils that are in the diffuser until you want to use it again at a later time. The problem with the water and oils not being used right away is that if you leave them in there, they start to get murky and permanently stench up your diffuser. You don’t wanna do that, trust me (been there).

So, if you have a small space like me, I highly recommend opting for a smaller-sized diffuser!

For big spaces:

For friends from the U.S, buy me here 🙂

For friends from Canada, buy me here 🙂

This diffuser incorporates:

• 1000ml of storage
• Auto shut-off (for safety)
• 7 mood colors
• Quiet vaporization

Alternatively to our previous diffuser, this one will be a great fit for large spaces. Something like this will be ideal if you live in a bachelor’s and want the whole apartment to smell good, or in big areas like living rooms, or in hallways. 

The benefits of a larger diffuser are that you have more water and oil which means it can disperse further, and it’ll smell stronger which is great if you want a bigger space to have a pleasant scent. 

On top of that, you won’t need to refill the diffuser constantly throughout the day, making it very user-friendly and easy to permanently incorporate into your life.

As I’ve said, because I keep my diffuser in my room, a smaller one made more sense for me. However, if I was to move into a place of my own I would definitely switch over to a bigger diffuser like this to make sure my whole space smells great and inviting!

For tech lovers:

For friends from the U.S, buy me here 🙂

For friends from Canada, buy me here 🙂

This diffuser incorporates:

• 700 ml storage
• 7 mood lights
• Auto shut-off (for safety)
• Quiet
• Can be controlled through a free downloadable app

If you’re a person often on the go that can forget to turn things off, or maybe you like having your space already smelling amazing before you even get home, or perhaps this diffuser will be in your child’s room at night; then this is the diffuser for you.

You download an app that your diffuser syncs up to, allowing you to completely control it. You can adjust everything from the app, and even create a schedule for your diffuser to run to.

This makes using your diffuser so much easier and manageable, which means you’ll utilize it more and reap its benefits.

The storage space is also at a nice medium range (though slightly leaning towards the bigger end), which means if you have a decent-sized space that may not be huge, this is a great option for you. Also, even if it is too big, since you can schedule your diffuser’s running time you can make it so that it doesn’t run too often and overpower your room (like we discussed in the small space section).

There are also some color variations with this one which means you can find the perfect palette for your space!

2. Essential Oils

Alright, you got your diffuser, but now you need essential oils to put in it!

As I discussed in the diffuser section, scents can honestly be the make or break for how comfortable and inviting a space is (or isn’t for that matter). Also, for many people, essential oils are a holistic approach to health and wellbeing.

For me, if my room smells stuffy, off, or bad, my mood automatically drops and I feel uncomfortable in my own environment. To avoid this, I use essential oils in my diffuser to help make my space calming and warm.

What’s nice about essential oils is that they’re natural so to me they don’t feel as suffocating as some of the heavily fragranced air fresheners on the market. Oftentimes, I find those artificial air freshener smells really overwhelming and I end up choking the moment they get into my airway.

Essential oils can also be overpowering (as discussed in the diffuser section), however, the great thing is that you get to control how much oil you put into the diffuser which means if you don’t like super strong scents, all you have to do is put a small number of drops in the water and you can rest assured that it will not be overwhelming. For me, I only use a few small drops so that my room doesn’t start smelling too strong because I start sneezing if I’m exposed to heavy scents.

Also, if you get a set of oils (like the one listed below) you have the freedom to change up the scent of your room as much as you want instead of being stuck with a plug-in air freshener for a few weeks. 

This can be especially important if you enjoy using scents as a way to set a mood for your environment. For example, using calming lavender at night and bright essential oils like lemon in the morning or day.

This ability to freestyle your scents as well as try new ones is one of the reasons I love essential oil sets like the one below:

For friends from the U.S, buy me here 🙂

For friends from Canada, buy me here 🙂

Product profile:

• 20 essential oils (HUGE variety to choose from)
• Pure 10ml bottles
• Essential oil guide (super helpful if you’re just starting out)
• Beautifully packaged in a safe-guard box

What I love about this product is that you get SO. MUCH. CHOICE. 20 bottles are the most I have ever seen in one box when it comes to essential oils.

Not only that, but you get a huge variety of scents from citrusy, earthy, floral, sweet, fresh. The possibilities for combos are endless! Also, if you’re new to essential oils, this allows you to try and play with all sorts of different aromas! It also means that this will last you FOREVER (unless you dump a bottle every time you fill your diffuser).

Personally, my favorites featured in this set are rose, lavender, jasmine, orange, and eucalyptus (not all together though).

3. Salt Lamp

While research is still ongoing and limited, there is some indication that salt lamps can help clear the air in your room, help you sleep better, and boost your mood by getting rid of negative ions in the air.

However, even if salt lamps don’t actually follow through with these claims, they’re still a great piece to add to create a peaceful room. Ever wonder why spas, massage rooms, and even therapist offices are often dimly lit? It’s because these types of light settings help us to relax and feel more at ease. Salt lamps can help create this atmosphere due to their dimness. 

I got my first salt lamp as a Secret Santa gift and I was so excited because I was aware of their supposed benefits, but also because I adore dim lighting. Every night, the only lights I had on were my salt lamp, fairy lights, and candles. It was definitely a zen paradise for me.

And while I was not expecting a lot, I surprisingly did notice a change in the air quality of my room. I also definitely felt more relaxed in my dimly lit environment than with just my light on. So just for that, I think it’s worth it. Plus, it’s super pretty to look at when it’s lit!

For friends from the U.S, buy me here 🙂

For friends from Canada, buy me here 🙂

Product Profile:

• 100% mined and hand-carved
• Comes with a switch that allows you to adjust the brightness of the lamp (something I don’t see often with salt lamps)
• Comes with 2 extra bulbs. You can also buy their bulbs separately if you’ve used up these 2 extras which means you won’t need to keep buying lamps over and over when bulbs die

If you’re looking for a great salt lamp that has everything you could want, I’m not sure what more you would need than this one! The bonus lights and ability to adjust the lighting really make this a stellar salt lamp in my humblest of opinions (and as someone that did not have a lamp with these features before).

4. White Noise Machine

I know that many people associate white noise machines with babies, but if that’s the case then I guess I’m an infant because I personally use white noise machines to sleep and find them incredibly useful in creating a relaxing environment.

As a light sleeper in a very loud house, not having some type of white noise going will result in me waking up every 5 minutes. Not only that but having a consistent, relaxing sound playing helps to lull me to sleep. Told you, I’m a baby.

But if you don’t want it for sleep that’s fine too!

You can use a white noise machine when you’re meditating, studying, doing yoga, or partaking in any kind of activity where you may not want music playing or have complete silence.

I personally really like rain, waves, and forest noises when I’m meditating, doing yoga, and completing work. It gives me enough sound that it drowns out distractions but isn’t distracting in itself the way listening to actual music is. I also enjoy having cricket noises at night with my dim lighting to help ease me into sleep and then using bird noises in the morning to wake me up.

As you can see, I’m a big white noise machine fan.

It’s also important to utilize all your senses to help create a calming environment. For example, we discussed the diffuser with essential oils to create a pleasant smell in your room, the salt lamp to make a dim and relaxing ambiance, and now we can use a white noise machine to listen to calming sounds.

The white noise machine I use is below, but it isn’t available in the U.S so I found one that is as similar as possible to mine for my U.S friends!

If you’re from Canada, you can get me here! If you’re from the U.S, check out the product below me 🙂

Product Profile:

• 30 different sounds (9 fans, 9 white noise, 12 nature)
• Can be connected with a USB to be charged or, I personally leave it plugged in so it never runs out of battery
• Has a small night light on the side
• The nature sounds are knobs that you can move up and down AND combine with other sounds (you can turn the rain noise knob up 50%, combine it with the thundering noise at 100%, and the wind noise at 40% to create a thunderstom- for example)
• You can set it to run for a timed-amount or let it play until you stop it
• Easy volume knob you can turn up or down

If you’re from the U.S, you can buy me here. If you’re from Canada, check out the product above me 🙂

Product Profile:

• 24 different sounds (5 white noise, 5 fans, 5 nature sounds, 5 unique sounds)
• The different categories of sounds are divided at the top of the machine with buttons you can press
• Can be charged via USB
• Has timed running sessions but also non-stop playing
• Can be connected to headphones

5. Singing bowl

Okay, I can get how this may not be a thing for everyone BUT hear me out.

Speculated to have originated in China and later used for Buddhist practices, these bowls when struck produce a beautiful, shrill sound that you can bend with a wooden striker.

Their benefits can include reduced anxiety, chakra balancing, emotional clarity, and even improved blood pressure.t.

Not only that, but it’s fun to learn how to play the bowl properly and progressively improve!

You can add it to your yoga, meditation, or mindfulness routine, or even just use it whenever you need to de-stress and clear your mind.

Whenever I’m feeling a lot of brain fog, I really enjoy listening to the sound of singing bowls. I’m not too sure what it is about them, but they help me to feel more clear-headed after I’ve heard their sound for a while. Maybe it’s their shrill sound that wakes me up or the vibrations they give off but either way, I love listening to them whenever I need to regain focus!

Also, can we just appreciate that they’re absolutely stunning?! Personally, whenever I see objects that resemble a ceremony or ritual, my mind automatically goes into zen mode. Just me? Maybe.

For friends from the U.S, buy me here 🙂

For friends from Canada, buy me here 🙂

Product Profile:

• Authentic and hand-hammered
• Hand inspected and tested
• Compact and travel-friendly
• Comes with all necessary accessories (pillow and striker)

This beautiful and ethically sourced singing bowl is an amazing collection to add to your soon-to-be zenned-out room!

6. Crystals

Crystals are beautiful additions to any room and have been said to have various benefits depending on the type of crystal. “Crystal healing” is a holistic approach to healing that is used by many around the world.

While research is lacking and contradictory, many vow that crystals have helped them tremendously and positively impact their wellbeing.

Because different crystals are said to have different benefits, you may need to do some research about what it is you need help with so that you can choose the appropriate crystal(s) for you. 

But, as a general introduction to crystals, the ones below will suffice.

For friends from the U.S, buy me here 🙂

For friends from Canada, buy me here 🙂

Product Profile:

• Made of raw materials
• Contains 4 common crystals
• Travel friendly
• Includes a bonus gift from the seller!

The crystals including in this product are:

• Purple Amethyst (used for security, peace, and soothing)
• Pink Rose Quartz (brings the energy of love, tranquility, and harmony)
• Clear Quartz (for purifying negative energy)
• Black Obsidian (a protective stone that cleanses negative energy)

If you were thinking of trying out crystals but didn’t know where to start, this set is a great option for you as it gives you the option to explore 4 different crystals.

8. Plants (Fake or Real)

I don’t think there’s much to say about plants because I think loving them is a universal phenomenon. If you don’t, I’m a bit concerned about your well-being.

But even if you don’t love them, nature has so many positive benefits on our mental health, that it would be in your best interest to bring the outside inside.

If you want real plants, then I recommend checking out florists around you and seeing what they have. Please do some research on what kind of plants will be good for you and your lifestyle (or ask the florist). Some will be easier to take care of than others!

I personally have Jade and Bamboo in my room and while the Jade seems to be slowly dying, the bamboo has lasted for a long time with minimal damage so I’d recommend trying Bamboo if you want a plant that won’t die in your arms (a pain I’ve experienced too much 🙁 ).

Ideally, real plants are better because they help to clean out your air and get rid of toxins from your home.

They also act as beautiful decorations, or, as friends to some weird people (I am those weird people. I name my plants. Please leave me alone).

But if you don’t have a green thumb like me, (I killed off all my friends), you can opt for fake plants instead!

While you may not get the fun of having a living plant and its benefits for air circulation, you still get a visualization of nature inside your home.

I am personally a big lover of vines (the plant, not the app. Although the app was great too) so I decided to buy the fake strands of vine below! I hung half on my shelves and the other half around the frame of my bed. Not to toot my own horn but the look is iconic.

For friends from the U.S, buy me here 🙂

For friends from Canada, buy me here 🙂

Product Profile:

• 12 strands of fake ivy (enough to cover a lot of area)
• Their color is deep and realistic (something I didn’t find with a lot of other options for fake ivy)
• Super light and malleable (very easy to work with)
• Once they have been aired out, they no longer smell like plastic

These ivy strands are probably one of my favorite things that I have added to my room, and as a person that loves the outdoors, it makes my space so much more calming to have some green. They could definitely do the same for you, especially if you kill every plant you touch (no judgment, I’m the same).

9. Fairy lights

Like I already mentioned, I love dimly lit rooms. My sister calls me a vampire because my room is always so dark. But I can’t help it!

Having super bright lights often gives me a headache, and makes me feel like I need to be on high alert for something. Alternatively, a dim ambiance makes me feel safe, calm, and relaxed.

And this isn’t just me. Feeling awake due to bright lights and relaxed in dim ones is supported by science. Bright lights tell our body it’s time to wake up and be productive humans whereas dim lights tell our body it’s time to rest!

So if you want to create a calming, zen environment, you should opt for a darker ambiance rather than a super bright one.

To help me achieve my dimly lit aesthetic (and hopefully you too), I have fairy lights littered on my wall. Right now, mine are hanging above my mirror with some Polaroid pictures and I always turn them on at night to get my mind to ease into bedtime.

I love fairy lights so much because they make anything 100x prettier and are still practical in the sense that they give off a good amount of light but are not so bright that they wake me up.

Below are fairy lights that you can put wherever you’d like in your room. I’ve included almost identical fairy lights, one for folks from the U.S and one for folks from Canada, so please click the appropriate one for you!

If you’re from the U.S, buy me here 🙂

If you’re from Canada, buy me here 🙂

Product Profile (Both options are almost identical)

• 33 feet with 100 LEDs
• USB charged (no batteries which are wasteful and expensive)
• Include a remote that allows you to turn lights on and off as well as adjust the brightness
• Warm white color
• 8 unique lighting modes

Both of these fairy lights will be amazing options if you’re interested in adding some dim lighting to your room and really making it cozy and calm!

10. Throw Blankets

This list would be incomplete if I didn’t mention throw blankets for creating a calming, cozy environment.

Throw blankets have so many uses and all of them are cozy and healing. From wrapping up in a super soft blanket burrito on the couch or bed to watch bad television after a stressful day, to wrapping a crying friend or child into, to using as a pillow for a nap, to having the dog curl into, the possibilities are simply endless. I even like to use my throw blanket when I’m doing restorative yoga or meditation and get a bit chilly. 

Throw blankets are basically a motherly hug in the form of a material object. But on top of that, they can also be beautiful staple pieces in your room.

So the real question here is why would anyone NOT want a throw blanket to make their space warmer (literally and metaphorically)?

Obviously everyone is going to have their own unique tastes, styles, and preferences for material, but I thought that the blanket below would fit almost all aesthetics, and it’s incredibly soft, luxurious, and warm! It’s not just a pretty face!

For friends from the U.S, buy me here 🙂

For friends from Canada, buy me here 🙂

Product Profile:

• Faux fur on both sides of the blanket
• Machine washable, dryer safe
• Thick, long, and durable
• Lifetime replacement policy (amazing if you end having issues with the product)

I hope you enjoy your cozy wrap-ups in this beautiful throw blanket (or any other you pick)!

In Summary

If you’re having a hard time de-stressing and settling down when you get home, then consider redecorating your space to promote the max amount of comfort.

I hope this article has helped inspire some ideas in you to create the perfect zen space. If not, then I hope you at least enjoyed seeing the weird things I have in my room!

If you have any other recommendations for things you have in your room that help makes it more zen, let us know in the comments below!

All my love,

T