How to build a zen room for under $50

You do not need a renovation or a yoga studio to make a corner of your home feel calm. A shelf, a few small things and ten quiet minutes is plenty. Here is a starter setup you can pick up in one trip to Penny Profit for under $50.

Start with the burner

A backflow incense burner is the centrepiece. The scented haze flows down the burner like a little waterfall, which is the whole appeal. We have four styles at $14.99 each: a meditating figure on a yin yang, harmony stones, a skull tree and a dragon egg. Look at them on the Zen Decor page and pick the one that suits you.

Add the scent

Boxes of incense start at $2.79. For a first room, sandalwood, lavender or jasmine are gentle choices. Heavier scents like musk and patchouli fill a space quickly, so go easy at first. Buy two different boxes so you can learn what you like.

Put a few stones on the shelf

Tumbled stones from the crystals shelf cost between 99 cents and $9.99, and they look good in a small dish. Black obsidian, red jasper, green aventurine and hematite are all in stock. We sell them as decoration and as something nice to hold, nothing more.

Keep it simple

Clear one shelf or one corner. Put the burner in the middle, the stones beside it and the incense within reach. That is the whole room. Add a candle or a plant later if you want.

The budget

One burner at $14.99, two boxes of incense at about $6, and a handful of stones at about $10 comes to roughly $30 before tax, which leaves room for a bigger piece later like the marble mortar and pestle at $34.99.

Order online for free pickup or Medicine Hat delivery, or walk in at 480 3rd St SE, Monday to Saturday, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM.