I use the basement family room. The dog is afraid to come down here, because an aluminum softball bat was leaning against the wall and happened to fall on the cement floor just as he was passing by. I’m sorry he’s such a chicken, but I’m glad he doesn’t come down and get on the mat and lick my face while I’m practicing. The floor is polished stained cement, very smooth. I don’t need a mat for standing poses. Actually, I don’t need one upstairs either, because the floor is bamboo. For some reason my feet slip on tile but not on wood or concrete. The whole room is very bright and sunny, and because it’s at ground level looking out onto a field and woods I get to see a certain amount of wildlife in the early mornings (coyotes, skunks, deer, turkeys, marmots, owls, harriers so far).
We built this house three years ago, and so I was able to make a little yoga wall for myself. I got the idea from the one at the BKS Iyengar Yoga Center of Lawrence, which came from plans done by the BKS Iyengar Yoga Centers of San Diego. Mine is made for only one person, but I kinda wish I’d made it bigger. We used birch plywood and it’s a smooth clean surface, great for various ways of sliding around on it.
I had originally planned more space than I actually have, but somehow our treadmill and ancient giant weight machine wound up in my area. I have enough floor room, but not enough open wall space except in the hallway, where it’s dark and I often seem to end up with my head in the bathroom.
I can’t kick up into handstand (yet), but I can climb up into it. Under the stairs in the family room there’s a big empty space just the right width.
I have places to store my props so that they’re easy to get out and put away. I used to be lazy about using them – too much trouble – but at the YCL classes we do it so often that I changed my habits.
I love this spot. In our old house, I had a space that was OK, but it was in the pathway to my husband’s office. It’s distracting to have someone step over you when you’re in Savasana.
Practice Notes 
I don’t know how I missed the last four posts, but just read them all and loved them all. I’m glad you have some bread and butter poses to fall back on (so to speak).
I did have a thought right after my Friday yoga class, and instead of calling you right then decided to put it in a comment. Here it is: Last year you told me about Judith Lasater’s doing restorative poses for a year after someone close to her died. Such a great idea…and what I found myself wondering is: did you do a year of restorative poses yourself? And if not, even though it’s now been more than a year, might a restorative pose practice (especially given your foot, etc., and attendant frustrations) be a good thing still to cultivate? Perhaps not to the extent of doing only restorative poses, but RPs seem not a bad default practice to have. Just a thought. I’m so happy that you’re doing yoga and writing about it in any form!