Top 12 tips to improve the energy of your home - Feng Shui

How to Feng Shui your home? 

Dear Luxury Lover,

Today we are discussing the principles of Feng Shui. If you are a regular in the Quiet Luxury Journal, you will know that Asian Design and Asian philosophies are one of the top design trends this year. If you are new here, I invite you to read more on top design trends in this blog. 

In this article, we'll explore the principles and benefits of Feng Shui and learn how you can elevate your home's energy through simple yet powerful design tips. From furniture placement to color selection, I'll take you on a journey to transform your living environment into a sanctuary of well-being and peace. So, let's dive in and discover how to harness the positive energy that Feng Shui can bring to your home.

What is Feng Shui?

I’m sure, on many occasions, you have experienced this -  you walk into a room and immediately feel a sense of calm and tranquility wash over you. That's the power of Feng Shui - the ancient Chinese art of arranging your living space to create harmony and balance. Feng Shui is more than just arranging furniture - it's about creating a space that promotes positive energy flow and balance. This ancient practice is based on the interplay between nature, energy, and design to promote harmony and well-being. Let's delve into the core principles of Feng Shui to understand how we can enhance our homes and lives.

Core Principles of Feng Shui

Feng Shui is rooted in the idea that our physical surroundings impact our well-being and success. The pursuit of balance and harmony are the cornerstone of Feng Shui interior design. To ensure a serene atmosphere, a balance between the five elements - Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water must be achieved. These elements must be integrated into the space in a natural and aesthetically pleasing manner. 

Qi is another vital element of Feng Shui. Qi is the energy that connects all living things. Feng Shui implements design principles that promote the flow of energy, which improves your overall quality of life. 

Yin and Yang concept of duality, demonstrating that opposite forces are interconnected and work in tandem to create harmony: yin is a passive, soft energy, while yang is an aggressive, bold one. In Feng Shui spaces a balance needs to be created, with yin energy in calm, relaxing spaces like bedrooms and bathrooms and yang energy in more social, productive spaces like the kitchen, your entertaining area or home office.

 

The Bagua map or Energy Map is the most common tool in feng shui home design. It's made up of nine quadrants which correspond to major categories that shape and cultivate our life experiences: Career, Children, Fame, Family, Health, Helpful People, Love, Wealth and Wisdom. This means that each category will be represented by a particular space of your home. This map can be placed over a floor plan to determine the best layout for balancing different kinds of energy within the home.

Understanding these foundational concepts will guide us in making intentional choices that align with the flow of positive energy within our homes. Let's explore how these principles can inform our decisions in furniture placement to further enhance the energy within our living spaces.,

Creating Harmony with Furniture Placement

To create a harmonious space, we need to consider the main design concepts such as symmetry, balance, repetition, proportion and scale. As a general rule, the scale and proportion of the furniture must be in line with the dimension of the space. 

 When it comes to creating harmony in our homes through Feng Shui, furniture placement plays a crucial role. The way we position our furniture can either promote positive energy flow or disrupt the balance within a space. This is the concept of commanding position, which is a strategic placement of key furniture pieces to enhance the balance and the flow of the energy. 

By following Feng Shui principles, such as keeping pathways clear for chi to flow freely and arranging furniture in a way that promotes a sense of openness and tranquility, we can create a harmonious environment that supports our overall well-being.

According to this concept, strategic furniture such as your bed, desk or stove must be placed so that you can see the door and at the same time provide a sense of security and control. 

To continue cultivating a balanced and energized home, let's now delve into the significance of choosing the right materials for our furniture.,

Choosing the Right Materials for Balance

 

Feng Shui emphasizes the balance of the five natural elements: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water.  Selecting the appropriate materials can greatly impact the energy within a space. Wood, for example, represents growth and vitality, making it an excellent choice for furniture pieces in areas where you seek growth and expansion. Metal, on the other hand, symbolizes clarity and precision, making it ideal for furniture in spaces geared towards focus and organization.

By carefully choosing materials that align with your intentions for each room, you can enhance the balance and energy flow within your home. Make sure however that each area of your space has a balanced representation of all these elements for optimal energy flow: 

• Green plants, trees, vertical shapes, wooden furniture (wood), 

• Candles, lights, triangular shapes,  red and orange colour, fur and feathers (fire), 

• Carth toned, brown, beige, ochre decor, square and rectangular shapes (earth), 

• Metallic accents, grey and white colour (metal), and

• Decorative blue and black accents,  water features, round or fluid shapes, glass, mirrors, reflective surfaces (water).

Harnessing the Power of Color Selection

Incorporating the right colors into your living spaces can enhance the overall energy and ambiance of your home. By strategically selecting hues that evoke the feelings and emotions you want to cultivate in each room, you can create a harmonious environment that supports your well-being. Warm colors like red and orange should be selected for spaces connected with creativity and passion.  Cooler tones like blue and green promote tranquility and growth, hence these should be selected for spaces promoting relaxation. 

How to Decorate with Mirrors

Mirrors are a powerful tool in Feng Shui as they have the ability to amplify and reflect energy throughout a space. In Feng Shui, mirrors and reflective surfaces are positioned strategically to amplify natural light and create an illusion of a larger space, while window treatments are selected carefully to ensure optimal sunlight exposure.

To effectively decorate with mirrors in your home, consider placing them in areas where they can reflect beautiful views, artwork, or natural elements. Avoid placing mirrors directly facing doors or windows, as this can disrupt the flow of energy. Instead, opt for positioning mirrors to reflect light and create a sense of harmony and balance in the room. By incorporating mirrors thoughtfully into your decor, you can amplify the positive energy in your home and elevate its overall ambiance.

Feng Shui - Actionable Tips 

• Bring nature indoors - Incorporating plants and natural materials like wood and stone. Make sure to remove all dead plants and wilted flowers. Dried flowers are also not recommended as they don’t have any life energy anymore, they are dead and past their time. 

• Declutter regularly - A cluttered space can hinder the free movement of chi. To promote positive energy, make sure to declutter your space, organize your belongings and remove unnecessary items to promote a sense of tranquility.

• Space under the bed must remain tidy and uncluttered - items under the bed send out energy all night long. Organize a different storage space or remove the unneeded items.

• Furniture placements: placing your bed in a corner, underneath a window, next to a mirror, or across from the door is a common mistake in the bedroom. Your home office desk or working space should not be facing a wall while you are working. The sofa in the living room should not touch the wall or face a window.

• Avoid having non-proportionate furniture (i.e., items that are too small or too large) 

• Mirror opposite the entry door will make the new fresh energy bounce right back outside. 

• Broken or cracked mirrors must be removed from the home immediately

• Avoid any secondhand or vintage mirrors, as they may have energy from previous owners.

• Sharp objects should be stored hidden away, decorative items that are sharp and rigid represent the negative energy

• To create the perfect harmony, artwork in the colour of the missing element or representing the missing element will help you restore the balance.  

• Make sure you sit and lie in Power Position - the person in this position can see all entrances to the room, and is seated against a wall or other structure, so that no activity occurs behind the person.

• In open spaces, define different functional zones. Rugs serve as great dividers between the different zones in your home. 
  
  

• You can find more actionable tips in this blog.  

Which Feng Shui principle are you going to implement first? 

Incorporating Feng Shui principles into your home design can truly elevate the energy of your space. By paying attention to furniture placement, material choices, color selection, and design elements, you can create a harmonious and balanced environment that promotes positivity and well-being. Embrace the ancient art of Feng Shui and watch as your home becomes a sanctuary of serenity and balance. As Lao Tzu said, "Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished."

ALWAYS WITH LUXURY AND ELEGANCE IN MIND,