Find items with clean lines and natural colors. Paint rooms in white or other crisp natural shades. Choose furniture is in earth tones such as cream, brown, and tan. Avoid busy patterns and bright, contrasting colors in your decor.

Choose a purpose for every room. In a Zen temple, every room is dedicated to one purpose. The same is true in your home. Even if you have a shared-use space, such as an e-in kitchen, use furniture arrangements or movable screens to divide the space into individual areas.

Avoid clutter. Clutter encourages chaos, which is not very Zen at all. Ensure there is a space for everything you need and get rid of the things you do not need or enjoy. Clutter is not calming, and Zen design must foster calm.

Choose natural items to showcase in your home. Avoid man-made, brightly colored accent items. Focus instead on natural items such as plants and stones. A single bright bloom in a simple but flawlessly made vase is more appropriate than several busy flower arrangements.

Bring natural light into your home. Avoid blocking windows with heavy drapes--or open them during the day. Arrange furniture so that the light can flow from one room to the next. Large windows are better than small, but you can maximize the windows you do have by avoiding ornate window treatments and busy pictures on the walls the windows share.

Choose low-maintenance items, whether furniture or accent pieces. Avoid items that take a lot of time and effort to clean and care for. Choose quality items that will last a lifetime without fuss.