Pooja Room Interior 101

Pooja room is one of the most important aspects of any Indian household. While renting or buying a new space, a pooja room’s placement and existence are of great value. However, we may have several unanswered queries in our minds related to pooja rooms such as what a pooja room should exactly look like? What are the key things that we can customise in our pooja room, etc.? So here is a quick guide with everything that you need to know about pooja rooms to help you build an ideal one in your space.

What is the Pooja Room? 

The pooja room, also known as the prayer room is a sacred space in most Indian homes. It is a customised space dedicated to conducting spiritual activities in daily prayers, poojas, etc. to worship God. Several new-age constructions have started assigning a specific room to conduct spiritual activities as part of their layout. These rooms are called either pooja ghar or pooja room. Besides offering daily prayers, pooja rooms are also used for daily meditation practices due to space’s sacredness.

Trending Pooja Room Designs

The key to choosing the best pooja room design is finding a design that goes well with the home decor. Another important factor to keep in mind is to opt for a design that offers a tranquil, comfortable feel. The kind of design one can pick for their home depends on the location of your pooja room. 

One of the aspects on which a pooja room design would depend is its location. Below are some of the aspects to look at:

Pooja Room that Fits into a Tiny Space

 Corners, too, can be designed well. A stone-finish laminate would go well in a tiny space. It would blend beautifully if opted for in neutral colours such as white, peach, cream, grey, etc. 

Pooja Room in the Kitchen Space 

It is ideal to have a separate room or corner for conducting poojas; however, space can be dedicated to the kitchen if it is not available. If the pooja unit is being kept in the kitchen, pooja room Vastu recommends to keep it to the left or right side of the stove. Keeping it above the hob or the sink needs to be strictly avoided.  

Pooja Room in the Bedroom

In case of unavailability of space, a pooja unit can be a part of a bedroom, but it needs to be given a background which offers positive sacred vibes. It is ideal to go for soothing colours that blend well with the home décor such as yellow, orange, green, and blue. While sleeping in the bedroom, it needs to be ensured that the feet do not face the pooja unit. Pooja room Vastu recommends pooja room to be in the north-east or east directions.

It is essential to avoid keeping the pooja unit under the staircase or around the washroom. 

Based on the space available for conducting your prayers, below are the two designs that you can opt for:

• Small unit pooja room designs: Whether there is a room or a corner devoted for prayers, small units will go well either way. These are the ones that occupy the least space and are easy to maintain. In case of an apartment, it would be ideal to go for compact designs to fit well in the devoted small space.
• Wall-mounted units: It would be ideal to get it mounted on a wall in the living room or your bedroom if it is challenging to find a corner for prayers. This will help you save a lot of floor space and also fulfil the purpose. 

Ergonomics of Pooja Room

 Thinking of the right place for the placement of prayer unit or planning to devote a room for the same, it is important to keep in mind several other factors such as:

1. To ensure that the prayer room or unit is accessible and convenient for everyone involved in the rituals. 

2. It is ideal not to create a mess in and around the prayer room with unwanted furniture or items not related to the purpose. 

3. In the case of a dedicated room, it is important to ensure enough seating arrangements to accommodate the family and people involved. 

4. Have dedicated drawers to accommodate diyas, cotton, ghee, agarbatti, and several other items that may be required through the rituals. 

5. It is essential to light diyas on the south-east side of the pooja room as this direction attracts peace and happiness, giving the place a sacred feel.

6. It is ideal to have the pooja unit or idols in the direction of the devotees. According to the pooja room Vastu, the devotees must face east or west while praying. 

7. Pooja room Vastu also recommends prayer units to be installed in the home’s northeast or east sides.

Pooja Room Layout/Floor Plans 

Making a prayer room at home would largely depend on the purpose for which it is being built. Also, the site dedicated to the room will decide a lot of other purposes. If the purpose is to have the entire family worship together, then you may need to dedicate a room for the same. However, if only one or two people worship at a time, then a small space can do good. 

The kind of space available plays an equally important role. For example, if you have a bungalow, dedicating a floor to conduct the rituals can be possible. However, in the case of small spaces like a one-room kitchen or a one-bedroom space, you may want to look at having your pooja unit in one of the corners of the house. If you have a house with a dedicated study room or a gym, the same can be converted to a pooja room.

Pooja Room Interior 

More space, the better the options to get creative in your decoration. While opting for pooja room decor, it is important to ensure that the room’s sacredness is maintained. Making too jazzy of blingy will take away the feeling. However, you can go with some subtle backdrops to the pooja unit wall. A wall-sized background can add to the beauty and enhance the décor. There are wall backgrounds available in different sizes and combinations. You need to keep in mind the one that goes well with your home décor and the size of the space available. 

Below are some Quick Tips for your Pooja Room Décor

• Colour combinations: It is crucial to use vibrant colours but not colours that would hurt your eyes and take away your focus. It is best to go with light colours such as white, light yellow, light pink, cream etc. You can mix it along with a bit of pastel to give it an open, airy look and feel.
• Entrance options: The pooja room décor at the entrance need not look like your bedroom entrance and must go well with the home decor. Ensure that it has a different door for one to quickly gauge that it is a pooja room. Some related carvings can be put on the door, or the room can have a transparent door. Another option to be considered would be to get something written on the door to make it look different. 
• External decoration:  Decorating the few steps outside of the pooja room can be welcoming. You can get creative with the best rangoli designs, stickers, drawings, or put beautiful fresh flower torans on the door.
• Seating arrangements: The seating arrangement is one of the most important bits that need focus. Seating arrangements can be made on the floor with nice cosy carpets and colourful cushions of different sizes. The option of having some chairs or wooden stools around for elderly devotees can also be considered. 
•  Brightness: A pooja room needs to be well lit. Different kinds of lights can be added to keep the space vibrant. Different kinds of décor lights can be used, or chandeliers can be installed with another overhead lighting. The room can be decorated with beautiful string lights as well. Brass lamps can be placed on either side of the pooja unit.
•  Magical Fragrance and Freshness: You can create freshness with flowers and plants: Fresh flowers and natural green plants are the best items to keep in a pooja room as they add to the auspiciousness of the space. However, if you are keeping a natural plant, make sure that it gets enough sunlight.

Pooja Room Theme

The Pooja room is looked up to as the Hope and Peace of your house. This is one of the places where you can stay rest assured of feeling the eternal bliss. The theme of your pooja room design can be completely based on your preference. 

Traditional Pooja Room Design

The traditional pooja room design on the lines of patterns that we usually find at temples. Another option would be to opt for modern designs that usually work most for small apartments with less space for pooja rooms. They can opt for compact, small, stylish, modern room designs.

There were times when traditional households had the luxury of ample space dedicated to every individual purpose of day to day living. If there is enough space available, then opting for a miniature of the temple should be considered.

 Modern Pooja Room Design

In the modern style, a themed well-designed wall with backlit stone can be considered. The light-coloured panelling will make it supremely beautiful and value to your pooja room.

DIY Pooja Room Theme

It would be ideal for you to go for a theme based on your preference instead of opting for a routine pattern. A combination of both the modern and the traditional themes can be looked at. A DIY theme will give you the liberty to explore and get creative with your ideas. Overgoing with the usual wooden units, units made from marble, granite, or metal can be looked at.

Prayer Room Christian

The idea of having a prayer room at home also differs from the requirements of the religion followed. Prayer rooms in Christian households are usually prefered in their drawing-room space, but again, it would differ from household to household. In many Christian homes in India, cladding stones or cladding tiles are used as a backdrop for Jesus Christ’s statue or image. 

Pooja Room Color Combinations

The prayer room needs to be painted in vibrant colours and neutral tones to create a more peaceful atmosphere. The colours you pick should enhance its serenity and create a calm environment. Some basic colours that you consider are:

1. Yellow:  Yellow is considered a sacred colour due to its spiritual significance. It adds to the meditative tone in the pooja room, making it peaceful.

2. Orange: A muted orange tone signifies energy and is considered as sacred as yellow. The lighter shades of orange give a very airy and fresh feel. 

3. White: White stands for peace and purity and adds to its functionality of creating a spiritual space.

Below are some quick tips to keep in mind while choosing the right colours for your pooja room: 

• While white gives you grace, it would be ideal to use easy-to-clean materials as it may require more care and cleanliness than others. It would be ideal to opt for materials such as marble, laminate, or glossy paints. 

• Opting for different kinds of the same colours would look elegant and prevent the room from looking stark, e.g., shades of yellow, beige, etc.

• An all Brown colour themes with tints of gold would be a good option if you want a unique pooja space. 

• Dual-tone colours are another option to consider. A bright red bordering can be looked at and filled with a nice light green colour. The dual tones work well when you alter them according to the colours of other rooms.

Pooja Room Furniture

The furniture in the pooja room is of utmost importance. While one needs some basic furniture, it would be ideal for keeping the room clutter-free. The basic furniture would be good enough to accommodate accessories or items that are actually required during the pooja. According to vaastu, a temple made of wood is auspicious and brings good luck. Apart from wood, marbles are also used in creating the prayer room.

Wooden furniture goes well with all types of interiors. However, proper care and maintenance need to be ensured. With wooden furniture around you will need to be more cautious when lighting diyas in the room. If wooden units are not found, then old wooden furniture can be refurbished, or second-hand stores that offer wooden furniture at an affordable cost can be looked at. 

Marble furniture can be alternately opted for, especially if there is a  big space available for the pooja room. The maintenance of marble furniture may be more expensive; however, it matches well with all kinds of décor and flooring. A pooja room will look rich and elegant with marble furniture. 

Pooja Units Designs

The pooja unit design needs to very well go with the décor of the room. Below are some of the options that you could consider keeping in mind your interiors:

Small glass Pooja unit: A glass panel can turn an unused corner into a beautiful pooja room, creating a perfect balance of traditional and modern designs.

Carved Wooden Pooja Unit: Carved wooden units are a reminder of the rich Indian heritage. You can complement it with some beautiful metal lamps and bells to enhance its heritage value.

Plywood Pooja Units Designs: Plywood will let you replicate the wooden look in a pocket-friendly manner. This simple design will fit nicely into small niche spaces adding value to your décor. 

Pooja Room Flooring

If there is a specific room dedicated for poojas, then opting for comforting rugs can be considered for seating. However, the maintenance of the same could get taxing with time.  Alternately look at flooring to be seated on the floor. Various factors need to be kept in mind, such as the flooring material, colour, and pattern. Here are some of the materials that can be considered:

Marble: The white marble for the pooja room’s flooring offers a different kind of elegance and peace-giving it a classic look. However, one drawback of using marble is that the floor tends to get very cold in winters. Proper sealing needs to be ensured so that it becomes stain resistant. 

Granite: Colourful Granite is another option that is comparatively more stain-resistant than marble. The only major drawback of granite is that it gets very slippery if any liquid is spilt over it. 

Cement Tiles: Cement tiles are one of the most traditionally incorporated patterns. Coloured cement tiles can be used to create a flooring pattern that resembles a rangoli giving it a festive look. 

Wooden Tiles: Engineered Wooden floors infuse warmth and are apt for seating across all seasons. This could be one of the most stylish options for you. 

Pooja Room Lights

Lighting makes the pooja room gloriously divine. To maintain the purity aspect of any pooja room, it is mandatory to keep it lit always. Below are some of the options you could consider:

• Tiny spotlights: This mostly works if your pooja unit is in a corner. Dim spotlights will create warmth and give it a glow.

• Electric Lighting: Electric diyas are a blessing. You could pick them in different shapes and colours and create a forever festive look and feel. If you are looking at a brighter version, you could probably add LED lighting to it.

• Natural Lighting: What better than sunlight lightening your beautiful spiritual space. You could keep the windows open during the day and let space soak in all the fresh air and sunlight. For the evenings you can go with your favourite kind of lighting. 

Pooja Room False ceiling

The false ceiling décor is often ignored; however, it is one of the most important aspects of any décor. The false ceiling décor of pooja rooms are even more important as it adds great value and can leave a lasting impression. 

The pooja room ceiling transforms the room with different variations in textures and designs, also impacting the home decor at large. Below are some of the key false ceiling options that you could consider:

Backlit Panel 

This simple yet distinguishing panel design can leave anyone in splits. It’s a perfect design and is complete in itself. It can be in one colour, or you can have it in a combination of colours according to your choice.  

Jaali Designs 

Jaali designs are one of the most basic ones. A lot of variety can be found in this design, and it offers ample options to customise unique designs. With the right kind of lighting, it will add elegance to your pooja room.

Symbolic Ceiling Design 

Symbols are one of the best ways of expression. This design can represent symbols of your deity and beliefs. It is indeed one of the purest ways of expression and grace, adding value to your pooja room decor and overall home decor.

Pooja Room Vastu

Vastu plays a crucial role in the success of any placements and directions. Below are some key vastu tips for your pooja room:

• The location of the pooja room should ideally be in the Northeast direction followed by East and North.

• The idol should be placed away from the wall to ensure continuous airflow.

• Portraits of the dead and paintings depicting violence should be avoided from being put in the pooja room.

• Pooja room storage should face south-east to ensure that it doesn’t obstruct sunlight.

• Most of the pooja rooms should be painted in light colours to avoid unnecessary distraction. 

Pooja Room Maintenance 

Below are some quick home remedies to help you keep your pooja room clean and maintain it well:

• The cleanliness of pooja utensils is of utmost importance. Pooja utensils being of copper, you can clean them every week with a mixture of salt and vinegar. 

• In the case of silver utensils, you can simply clean them with your toothpaste to get back the shine.

• Most idols are made of brass and can be cleared by rubbing it with fresh lemon.

• Marble floors can be cleaned with baking powder to remove stains.

• The Tiles can be left sparkling with a mix of white vinegar and warm water.

• The wooden pooja doors can be cleaned with a ball of cotton dipped in a mixture of olive oil.