Setting up your own home pilates studio doesn't need to be terribly difficult, but there are some common guidelines to designing one that are pretty important. Much of putting together a useful pilates area is a mixture of changing an existing space and filling it with some of the "tools of the trade" that are so popular for today's pilates routines.

When you're looking to set up for pilates in a room, you'll want it to have the necessary amount of space for accommodating your body movements during the session. You'll also want a specific "feng shui" or room design. You may find it hard to practice pilates or any other fitness activity in a room that's designed for something else (think boiler rooms or kitchens). Ideally, there would be nothing in the room except for your pilates studio, but when this is not possible, you may be able to accomplish a similar effect with screens or other modifications.

Another aspect of finding a good pilates space is in choosing a remote area of a building, well away from the bustle of multiple inhabitants. Find a space where pets or youngsters can't randomly intrude, and where the noises of other everyday activity are at least somewhat muffled. This will give you the best chance at focusing during pilates.

For a basic pilates studio, all you really need is a mat. Choose a large enough mat to accommodate your specific routine, and one that is thick enough to be comfortable. Advanced pilates users may work out on a mat without other tools, if they have perfected the pilates poses that they're using.

For other pilates users, their needs may go beyond the mat. For pilates sessions where beginners will want visual assistance, it may be necessary to add a television and DVD player to the area. Small, portable tools are often part of a home pilates setup. These include mini fitness balls and a tool called a pilates ring or magic Windsor ring that works with some poses, to provide more resistance for pilates.

Another piece of equipment that you may want is called a "reformer." This is generally a body-sized machine that helps the user implement a variety of poses. This machine may or may not be part of your home setup. If it is, you will need to provide additional space for it. Designing a home pilates studio in a full house means thinking critically about how to "multi-task" a space, in other words, providing for pilates during sessions, and for other uses during other times.

Many times, you'll need to further evaluate your home pilates space when you sit down to start a session. See that you have the right temperature and the right noise level for your pilates session. When you have the required gear and have settled into the right studio space, you can focus on doing the work that will make you a pilates pro in no time.

All of this and more goes into creating the right home studio for pilates.