Creating An Emotional Escape Room Is Easy With These Shopping Recs

By  Charlotte Beach
pile of waffle throw blankets in various colors West Elm

Life got you feelin' some type of way? You're not alone. Maybe it's that we're going on year three of a global pandemic, or those end-of-January doldrums, or simply the existential truth that being a human is hard. No matter the reason, many of us are seeking out spaces of solitude within our homes.

Welcome to the concept of emotional escape rooms, introduced to us by data from Pinterest's trending searches. It's becoming an increasingly common trend for people to designate areas in their living quarters for relaxation and decompression. These rooms, corners, and nooks can range in function — from spaces for zoning out to some tunes, to full-on home massage parlors — but each ultimately serves as a physical respite from the chaos of life.

To help jumpstart your own Escape Room deign, we've curated three hypothetical versions with product recommendations for each. Of course, an emotional escape room is inherently personal and unique to each person, but we're hopeful that these ideas will serve as inspiration.

Library Nook

Cozy up under a blanket and lose yourself in a book!

1. Opalhouse Lory Pouf, Neutral, $65

beige and white texture poufTarget

2. Create and Barrel x Leanne Ford Dolly Natural Wide Bookcase, $499

A small wooden shelving unitCrate and Barrel

3. Dusen Dusen Flower Pillow, $74

A white pillow with a black ripply design on itDusen Dusen

4. 2Modern Plant Pedestal Set, $60

A 2-tier plant pedestal with a plant on each tier2Modern

5. Burke Decor Muted Woven Throw Blanket, $120

A blueBurke Decor

6. MoMa Design Store Dual-Tone Side Table, $195

A small side table with white top and orange baseMoMa Design Store

Music Zone

Tune everything out and crank up the volume on your favorite album.

1. The House of Marley Get Together Duo Bluetooth Speakers, $149.99

2 speakers with wooden facesThe House of Marley

2. Audio Advice U-Turn Audio Orbit Plus Turntable, Black, from $399

A black record playerAudio Advice

3. CB2 Peekaboo Acrylic Rolling Two Shelf, $349

A small clear shelving unit on wheelsCB2

4. Lumi Wood Vinyl Record Ledge/Holder, from $16.90

A record perched on a wooden ledge attached to a wallLumiWood/Etsy

5. Beni Rugs Boxes Area Rug, from $414

A cream colored rug with an orange and red concentric rectangle designBeni Rugs

6. Urban Outfitters Cooper Lounge Chair, $279

A blue lounge chairUrban Outfitters

Meditation Area

Put your mind at ease and take some deep breaths.

1. Opalhouse designed with Jungalow Oversized Solid Velvet Square Floor Pillow with Tassels, $30

blue floor pillow with tasselsTarget

2. Concrete Cat Wavy Hold Incense Burner, Concrete Cat, $80

A blue incense burnerConcrete Cat

3. Gantri Cantilever Table Light, $98

A glowing orb table lampGantri

4. West Elm Cotton Waffle Throw, $60

pile of waffle throw blankets in various colorsWest Elm

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