Creating the right vibe and ambiance in your home is an absolute must. It’s where you spend most of your time after all! There are so many things that can affect the overall feel of your space. Often referred to as Feng Shui, the balance of your home and its rooms can have a serious impact on your mood, work ethic and even your health! From figuring out the best layout for your kitchen cabinets to organizing your furniture, here are some simple tips to make your home feel more Feng Shui!
What Is Feng Shui?
Simply put, Feng Shui is about balance. Born from the ancient Chinese idea of harmony, Feng Shui is the art of arranging homes, buildings, roads and more all to feel balanced and create positivity. For many Asian cultures, the concept that we can encourage positivity or consequently bring about negativity is not new. Rooted deeply in ancient tradition, Asian cultures have long organized their homes, schools and other buildings in the concept of Feng Shui. Over the years, as cultures came into contact with each other and families migrated around the globe, those ideas came with them. Today, Feng Shui is used by a variety of designers to achieve harmony and balance with interior design. While a method of tradition, Feng Shui is used today to achieve balance with modern furnishings.
Do I have to decorate with Asian furniture to achieve Feng Shui?
Nope, Feng Shui is an idea, not a design style. In other words, consider Feng Shui the goal of your design. The pieces you use are entirely up to you, but their placement and layout are what will create Feng Shui. You achieve Feng Shui by incorporating natural elements into your home and laying them out in a way that makes sense, not by using items designed with ancient Asian patterns.
The Five Elements
In ancient Chinese culture, there are five naturally occurring elements that you should incorporate into your home design in order to achieve Feng Shui.
- Water: Water equates to calm, peace, tranquility and connection. Frequently used in wavy shapes, you can easily incorporate Water in your home by using a unique pattern on a rug or even using dish towels with fun wavy patterns on them. Of course, water is equated with calming colors of blue.
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- Earth: Earth equates to nourishment, central balance and even harvest. Usually represented by the color yellow and symbolized by square shapes, homeowners could incorporate Earth in their home by using a yellow comforter on their bed, laying down an area rug or even using it as a squared planter.
- Wood: Not to be confused with Earth, Wood is often equated to achievement, growth and expansion. Often associated with the color green and rectangle shapes, it might feel similar to Earth but really isn’t. Wood is your home’s energy rising and expanding, so plants are frequently used to incorporate the Wood element.
- Metal: Not seen in Western cultures as an element, Metal is a prominent feature in much of Chinese culture. The Western equivalent would be air. That’s also why it’s often represented in a circular, round shape. This is perfect for putting a round mirror or light fixture in your bathroom as a way to incorporate the Metal element. Many people will use the color white to represent the Metal element.
- Fire: Bright, bold and enthusiastic, Fire is usually represented by the color red and in a triangular shape. The easiest way to incorporate the Fire element into your home is through light.
Making Your Home More Feng Shui
Here are some tips for making your home more Feng Shui.
- Incorporate the Five Elements. Incorporating the Five Elements is the single-handedly most important way you can achieve Feng Shui in your home. These Five Elements are the basis of Taoist thought, also known as the ancient Chinese religion and philosophy. Whether you add white cabinets to incorporate metal or a squared yellow frame to represent earth, incorporating the Five Elements is a surefire way to make your home more Feng Shui.
Source: Photographee.eu/Shutterstock.com - Keep the door in your line of sight. While not necessarily placing your couch, bed or even your desk directly in line with your door, you’ll still want to keep it within your line of sight. This allows you to establish a point of command, where your subconscious feels more at ease. You can prepare for what’s coming and have a good view of anyone or anything coming through the door.
- Put down the toilet lid. Did you know that your toilet lid being open could be the source of feeling like you’re wasting money, opportunities and resources? That’s right — in Feng Shui, the idea is that pipes and drains are a way you can remove waste and water. Keeping the toilet lid up is actually inviting things that aren’t waste to be flushed down along with the water in the toilet. So, keep that lid down!
- Cozy up your living room. Lots of throw pillows, blankets and candles can create a cozy ambiance and achieve Feng Shui in your living room. Face seating towards each other to encourage conversation, keeping the backs of furniture from the door for good luck.
- Keep the space under your bed clear. To avoid crowding your space, keep the space under your bed clear of items. While it might seem like a convenient storage area, especially if your bed sits high, try to avoid using it as a place to store non-bed related items. This can have a serious impact on your overall energy, especially if the layout of the room prevents you from putting your bed in a commanding position.
- Clean your entryway. Sweep away leaves, dust, pet hair and anything else that makes your entryway feel dirty or cluttered. Keeping this area clear will really help the Feng Shui of your home. Your entryway is where energy enters your space. It’s important that you keep it clean and clear of anything that could possibly deter positive energy from entering your home.