Make Room for Prayer: How to Create a Prayer Space
In the video clip at the top of this blog, you can hear my husband, Craig and I talking about the prayer room we created while building our Faith Hunt Story home. We got the idea to make one while watching the inspiring movie “War Room”*.
Our upstairs mechanical room was originally slated to be unfinished space. When we decided to make it a dedicated prayer room, we set our focus on design ideas that would create an inviting room for prayer while still allowing the space function as we needed it to function --housing HVAC equipment and ductwork.
Whether you’re building a home that you’d like to design a dedicated prayer room in, or are interested in repurposing a space where you currently live into a prayer zone, this blog is for you. Info is provided in 3 segments:
1) How we did it.
2) How you can do it.
3) How having a dedicated prayer space will elevate your prayer life.
Part 1 – HOW WE DID IT.
Step 1: Setting the Atmosphere.
Our goal was to convert our upstairs mechanical room into a space that would feel sacred, peaceful and “safe” for prayer and communion sharing. Being in the midst of building our home was an advantage because we already had subs doing masonry work in other areas of the house, so we decided to add some real stone and mortar treatment to the back wall of the room for an “old world” feel. We had already incorporated two old stain glass windows into the design of our home, and one of them is in this room. What better focal point to surround with stone? We also built little alcoves into the stone wall to hold candles.
Step 2: Making the mechanicals disappear.
Adding two closets at the entryway of the room accomplished three purposes. One, to hide the HVAC equipment. Two, to create another closet space for storage while giving design symmetry. Three, the exterior of the closets were a great placer to add white shiplap and candlestick sconces.
Stone wall + candle alcoves + stain glass window at one end of the room.
White shiplap + candle sconces at the other end of the room.
Next design element to tackle: Ductwork coming out of the floor on one wall.
Step 3: Hiding the ductwork.
On one side of the room, there were 3 large air ducts protruding out of the floor. Craig built a long custom bench to cover them which is also functional for seating. Looking at it now, you would never know those ugly giant ductwork pipes are hidden under that bench. That’s part of the fun of design!
Step 4: Creating a zone for written prayers.
I knew that I wanted this special room to be a place where our family and others could not only come to pray, but also to leave written prayers for others to pray over. From a local store called Philanthrophy , we got the idea to add strips of rustic wood with old nails on the wall, from which many written prayer cards now hang. Each one is anointed with a special oil and prayed over on many occasions.
Step 5: Collecting furniture and Accessories.
We’ve been having fun gathering just the right pieces. Being the picker people that Craig and I are, we chose to add some old vintage furnishings and accessories that have a story behind them. An old Jerusalem map hangs on one wall above a chippy white church pew bench. Two altar chairs from an old church adorn the corners, and a 1600’s found confessional tucks neatly into the stained-glass window corner.
When people walk into this room, it’s not unusual to hear an audible gasp, followed by a comment such as, “Wow, I just want to sit here in this room and never leave.” That’s what creating an atmosphere can do to a space!
Part 2 – HOW YOU CAN DO IT.
Convert a closet.
If you have a closet that can be cleared out, this is the most natural option to create a prayer zone in. Even though it’s only a closet, don’t skip the part about setting the atmosphere inside of it. (See “Set the atmosphere” below for ideas).
Create a zone.
If you don’t have a closet to spare, ask the Lord to help you look around your home with new eyes. You may not have the luxury of “building in” a dedicated room, but He will help you think outside the box and give you ideas. Here are a few ideas to consider:
Is there a corner or alcove under a stairwell that could become your prayer zone? Ideally, it should be an area that is not high traffic so you can have some privacy while praying.
Consider where you might put a tri-fold screen room divider (available on Amazon or at any home improvement store) as a place to start for partitioning off a corner or alcove space.
Even the top of a stairwell, or a wall at the end of a hallway, could be a dedicated place to for writing Scripture and prayers on a hanging roll of butcher paper.
Set the atmosphere.
While we decided on an old world feel with our stone wall and vintage decor, yours may be a totally different vibe. You could paint a wall or alcove with your favorite color, or add magnetic chalkboard contact paper.
Want to go a little more elaborate? Add a shiplap accent wall with boards painted white (my favorite shade is Alabaster); then add twine strings with clothes pins for hanging prayer cards.
Let yourself dream as you envision how you want your prayer space to feel and look. Check out my Pinterest Board titled Make Room for Prayer for photo examples and more ideas.
Decorate and Accessorize.
This is the fun part! Whether you’re drawn to classic, modern, vintage, shabby chic or a cozy country feel, create a space that you and others will be drawn to spend time in. Add a rug, comfy throw pillows and bean bag chairs if that is your style. Minimal lighting is ideal (use small lamps, battery-operated candles, string lights).
Accessories and Supplies for your Prayer Room:
*Bibles*Hymn books*Cd player or Bluetooth speaker (for playing instrumental hymns)*Soft lighting - enough to see and write (small lamps, battery operated candles, string lights)*Prayer Request box with blank index cards, paper and pens. You can also have a designated prayer wall for hanging or tacking prayers like we’ve done for our prayer room.*Designated prayer cards and books with starter prayers for reading aloud (see my Pinterest board for some of my favorites)*Tracts or booklets with the message of salvation*cushions for sitting on floor and for kneeling.*Boxes of Kleenex. Prayer time can be very emotional!
Part 3 – HOW HAVING A PRAYER ZONE WILL ELEVATE YOUR PRAYER LIFE.
If you take the time to go to the gym or a workout class on a regular basis, you’re going to feel the health benefits of putting yourself in that dedicated space for committed times. It’s more than just doing some stretches in your bedroom or taking an occasional walk outside – it takes you to another level of health.
In a similar way, putting yourself in a dedicated prayer space with committed, regular time for prayer will take you to another level of spiritual experience. Listening to worship music, praying through the Bible, spending time praying for others on prayer cards, and seeking the Lord’s guidance for your needs and whatever struggles you may be going through are just some of the ways using your prayer space will change your life.
When you make room for prayer in your life, your prayer time will have room to grow and deepen. I have found that the more time I spend in our prayer room, the more my prayer life and spiritual walk are elevated to new heights!
reSOURCEs:
For décor ideas, books and supplies, see my personally created “Make Room for Prayer” Pinterest Board.
One of my favorite searchable prayer sites: Prayers.org
*The movie that inspired us to create a prayer room: War Room