Decorating Your Home With Feng Shui

Decorating Your Home With Feng Shui

Feng Shui is the practice of bringing good fortune by achieving balance between various elements. In the US, more people are beginning to consult Feng Shui experts in decorating their homes. For you to understand what they say, you need to learn the basic Feng Shui areas that need your attention so you will be able to decorate it properly.

The first step is to draw a layout of your home. When you are doing it, you are noting down the north points in the house.

Then it is time to work on the door. Ideally, the front and back door must never line up with each other. This is because according to the principles of Feng Shui, energy that enters the house will just go out without bringing any benefits to the homeowner. If this is the case in your home, put a plant or any other obstruction with an angled throw rug to encourage a path in a sideways direction.

To bring more energy in the home, bring in some light. This doesn’t mean turning the lights on but simply opening up the curtains so the sun can come in. You should also add green plants since in Feng Shui, the color itself brings joy and happiness. Other decorative items you can use include mirrors, wind chimes and brighter colors.

You can also bring good fortune to the home by putting in an indoor water fountain. This is because water refreshes Chi. At the same time, you can throw in some goldfish as this also encourages wealth. Just make sure to keep the pond clean and never let it stagnate.

Red is a very strong color in Feng Shui because it is hot, passionate, rich and celebratory. You must use this color for a living room set because too much of it may bring restlessness, a burst of anger and over stimulation. If you want to use it, use it only for details and accessories.

When you note down the north point of the home, it will be easy for you to work in other areas such as the southwest area of the house. This area is vital because it will allow you to have satisfying relationships. You can do this by eliminating clutter and replacing it with symbolic items ideally in pairs. Some good examples are candles and other figurines. Never make the mistake of putting wooden or green items here.

As for your dining room, the best ones to get are circles as this symbolizes heavenly blessings. The chairs should be even in number and comfortable to sit in. The décor should be simple so people will not get distracted and be more focused on having a good meal.

Watch out for exposed beams. If there are, these should be covered up because it creates an oppressive downward energetic flow that may cause health problems and other misfortunes in your life. The other option is to have two Feng Shui flutes installed at 45 degree angles on the beam, one at each end.

As for the bedroom, make sure that the bed is not directly facing the door. You shouldn’t also place a mirror on the opposite side of the bed as this could attract a third party into your relationship.

Peace and prosperity can only be achieved by decorating your home with Feng Shui. You can start now with some of the basics then get help if you think you need it.

Earth, Metal and Fire and Feng Shui?

Good Feng Shui means you have a balance of the five elements that compose the earth. Coversely, it also involves not having these elements overpower each other. Now, how do we really go about that? The basic principle on Feng Shui is heavily anchored on the five elements of the earth. In an ideal system, the five elements complement each other in a form of life cycle. If the environment fosters this positive nature that balances the five elements of the earth, then prosperity and good luck may not be far off.

Ideal System

The ideal system is where water produces wood, wood yields fire, and fire fashions the earth. Then, the earth forms the metal and the metal consequently produces the water. The overbearing and ugly system is when the elements contradict each other: wood burdens earth, fire destroys metal, earth hampers water, or water kills the fire. If you are able to see the visual properties of these elements, you may find that these arrangements prescribed by Feng Shui also make practical sense, even if you do not necessarily dig the concepts and foundations of Feng Shui.

Earth

You don’t have to be a geologist to understand good Feng Shui for earth. Earth is generally composed of ceramics and rocks. If you want a happy home, you must have a good dose of rocks and ceramics strategically placed in tune with the other elements that are present in your home. Lacking in earth, you may find yourself filled with instability and resilience that the earth is generally known for.

Metal

Electronic devices can actually have good feng shui as well. They are under the metal category, which not just brings in the technological advancements of this age but also the toughness brought about by metal materials in the different elements of Feng Shui. Make sure that metal is not colliding with fire elements, and this may even hold a practical significance because you wouldn’t want any of your electronic devices to catch fire!

Water

Zen fountains and the like form the water aspect of Feng Shui. Just ensure that water complements your metal. Overpowering your home with electronic appliances may actually appeal to the gadget junkie but not to the Feng Shui aficionado. Aside from the fact that water balances metal, you may also find that it has visual appeal if a person finds a Zen fountain in the midst of a sea of gadgets in the home which may be cool in function but not in appearance.

Fire

Candles and fireplaces are good examples of fire elements in Feng Shui. It may appear weird to put a fountain beside a fireplace for it contradicts that purpose, but many a movie had background sets with a fireplace and wooden furniture that is well ideal for a night of romance. Too much fire can actually drown the environment, so be very careful when lighting your environment. In business settings, it may also be advisable to tame down the effects of fire in the office. But it can be more unleashed in the personal setting, especially in romantic ones.

Wood

Wood is abundant in many places. Wooden furniture remain to be vintage to the Feng Shui expert. And this does not have to be only in the form of wooden furniture. Just by cultivating a garden in your home, you will be able to bring in a lot of wood that can help you balance the different elements.

Clutter and Feng Shui

Part of having good feng shui is clutter management. If anything, clutter is the biggest hindrance you can have for the best flow of chi, prosperity and goodness in your life. However, few people are able to manage their clutter wisely. On a daily basis, we get tons and tons of stuff we won’t be really using for a long time. Here are some tips for you to help reduce clutter and invite good Feng Shui.

Anti-Clutter Feng Shui Tip 1: Sort your mail as it comes in

Incoming mail is one of the top sources of clutter. All those bills are not just stressful if mismanaged and stashed somewhere in your home, but it is also contributory to clutter in your home. If you are really serious about getting good Feng Shui, make sure that you are able to screen your mail. Establish a system for sorting all your mail. And this also holds true for other papers you may be keeping in your home. If you neatly categorize them and throw away the ones you no longer need, you will be much better off.

Anti-Clutter Feng Shui Tip 2: Opt for daily cleanings than reliance on major general cleanings

A general cleaning schedule is good, but if you are still not in the habit of cleaning on a regular basis, you may still find yourself filled with a clutter problem. So the best thing to do when you are trying to apply good Feng Shui is by exercising your cleaning powers on a daily basis, not just on a schedule. It does not have to be too rigorous if done on a daily basis. You can just start with the cleaning per day one area at a time to accomplish it effectively.

Anti-Clutter Feng Shui Tip 3: Clean as you work

While working on a project, clean as you go. This means that you will not just leave stuff lying around on the table as you do your work. This ensures that the work space remains clean, and this also implies that you are open for more productive work in the future since the space is wiped free of any traces from previously done work.

Anti-Clutter Feng Shui Tip 4: Be generous about your stuff

Give away the stuff you don’t need. This is a rule of thumb when it comes to cleaning up and freeing from clutter. Being generous involves giving away stuff you don’t really get to use. What you won’t use for a long time and collect dust may actually be an answer to somebody else’s problems. Just make sure that you are not transferring clutter but something that can really be of use to the person you are giving it to.

Anti-Clutter Feng Shui Tip 5: Dust frequently

Dusting frequently helps keep your place clean. Dust, when accumulated also forms the clutter which we are really trying to avoid in Feng Shui.

Anti-Clutter Feng Shui Tip 6: Evaluate your stuff brutally

If at all possible, have a peer to help you evaluate your stuff at home. What you may hold dear and refuse to part with is not just a sign of bad Feng Shui but may also be a sign of a hoarding problem. Aside from addressing your Feng Shui issues, the mindset on clutter ma also have to be dealt with accordingly.