Harmonize with Feng Shui
First of all, what does fung shui mean and why may you want it? Pretty simply, it is when the human (that’s you) and the environment work as one creating a good energy flow. Have you ever walked into someones house and even though it was decorated nicely and clean something still felt…off? That is because the pieces in the home don’t work well together or could just be misplaced. I’m sure you have heard the term ying & yang- one energy source creating, one energy source receiving. Fung shui is highly focused on this to create an environment that helps you work well with the universe; you might as well if you can, right?
-Furniture Placement:
-In order for the energy of the room to flow properly there needs to be pathways in between and around furniture. Too much furniture in a room significantly throws off the balance, and alternatively too little furniture creates a feeling of absence. The distance between the couch and the end tables doesn’t need to be large enough to walk through, but having them too close cramps the space and wont allow the energy to flow properly.
*A: 11’’ to 17’’ between the coffee table and seating
*B: 3’ for walk ways
*C: 2’’-6’’ between seating and end tables
-Mirrors:
- Hang them so your family and guests can see themselves in the reflection without cutting the tops of their heads off or having to stand on their tip toes in order to see themselves in the glass. Not only do mirrors make the room appear larger they also fabricate a sense of more open space.
-Plants:
- The use of plants not only adds a little color to the inside of your four walls, it brings the outside in. If you’re lucky enough to have a green thumb there are tons of proven benefits to having plants inside. Reducing pollutants in the air, and studies have shown they can help increase memory so keep some in your office or where your kids do their homework!
-Declutter:
- Reducing visual clutter will help put your mind at ease. Without having too much stimuli at all times the brain can focus on the task at hand. Too many things in one area can overwhelm the mind subconsciously and be a key factor in short attention spans and the inability to focus. How many times have you seen a pile of things and thought “I really should take care of that”? Clean it up and check it off your list!
-The Right Lighting:
We have all been in a doctors office or a business and the lights are bright; too fluorescent and it makes us uncomfortable. We want to create the opposite effect by introducing soft light into the home. A couple ways to do this:
- When possible, utilize as much natural light as you can. Allowing the sun to shine in through the windows makes the space look bigger by creating the illusion of one space flowing into the other.
- Use lamps as the primary lighting source. Over head lights tend to be pretty harsh, especially when you are trying to wind down and create a sense of comfort.
- Add soft white lights into décor either in decorative fixtures, or a strand of white Christmas lights can add a nice additional glow to a space without being to over powering.
- Burn candles. The flicker of the flame will be calming and placed in the right areas of the room will allow for consistency for the mind to be at ease.
Keep it Simple:
Clean lines and neutral pallets are more appealing to the brains ability to comprehend the surrounding space. Beige and soft complimenting colors suggest a clean environment and wont demand much attention allowing your mind and body to relax. Keeping knick-knacks to a minimum and wall art low key allows for the best result.