- January 12, 2011
- Diane
Whew, back to work and reality after the holidays can be chaotic. We rush, we feast, we give and we get and then, the New Year hits. Suddenly, we’re up in the dark morning, back to work, school, errands and yes, even planning.
Now we’ll renew, we’ll refresh, we’ll plan, and we’ll resolve to make this year the best year yet.
First stop: a critical eye around our home. We’ve heard from you! One client wants to re configure her dining room – “the kids are bigger, and we were so squeezed,” while another wants to paint her office a color that works for potential resale.
Yet another client is ready to tackle the guest room – which has languished for years.
The Art of Feng Shui
At times like these, we can look to the ancient masters for inspiration. The Art of Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese design tradition that allows you to harness the positive energy in your home.
Take a moment to read these ideas from the basic philosophy of Feng Shui (pronounced Fung Shway).
Like any design choice, you get to pick and choose so that your home reflects you and your family.
- Feng Shui incorporates five elements: wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. Each element invokes a different mood or attribute. When incorporating all five elements into every room design – using specific elements according to your objectives, you have a customized space for your family’s life style.
- Wood represents the rising sun. It has an active energy, and it evokes the power of creativity and expansion. Use wooden objects to promote motivation, inspiration, and passion. To add more wood energy to a room, use vertical shapes.
- Fire is the most powerful of all the elements. Fire represents energy and passion. To increase the fire element in your space, add candles, animal prints, and shades of red, pink, and purple.
- Earth / Soil resemble the secure energy of the setting sun. It generates an overall feeling of balance and stability. If you feel disorganized or unfocused, your space could use some earth elements. Look for anything in earth tones, and use images of calm landscapes.
- Metal affects mental clarity and logic. The right amount of metal in a room can help you feel organized and focused. To enhance a space with the metal element, choose round or oval shapes; use white, gray, or silver colors; and use metal materials, like steel, iron, or aluminum.
- Water influences spirituality and emotions. A balance of water brings about inspiration, wisdom, and insightfulness. For water energy, add deep colors, reflective surfaces, and wavy shapes. Water features, such as aquariums and fountains, also work well.
These are the basic characteristics of the Feng Shui elements, one of the many choices to design your home in a balanced, comfortable way. We can help you “test” some Feng Shui choices, to create a home
