Did you know that feng shui actually translates to "wind-water" in Chinese? When it comes to home or room designs, the invisible forces of nature that this name was inspired from can be incorporated to achieve overall balance. Feng shui is an ancient Chinese set of principles and best practices for arranging objects in a way that feels natural, welcoming, decluttered and harmonious.
Easy tips for incorporating feng shui into homes:
1. Declutter, even behind the scenes.
Decluttering and cleaning is easier said than done. Clutter brings negative energy to a home that feels heavy on the eyes, stressful to the mind and challenging to live in harmony with. According to feng shui theories, even hidden clutter will bring a block to balanced energy necessary to live in peace. This means looking beyond bookshelves in plain sight and focusing on basement storage, closets, under the bed and the garage.
2. Fix what's broken.
Has that faucet been leaky for years? A door finicky to latch? This is causing imbalanced energy according to feng shui principles. Broken items in need of repair drain people's energy and nag at us, impeding peace and balance.
3. Arrange furniture in a commanding position.
Large furniture items like beds and couches should have a clear view of the door, but should not be directly in line with it. This brings a sense of security and peace knowing that the entryway is in plain sight.
4. Consider the balance of elements.
A key part of achieving balance in homes to feng shui standards includes the elements: wood, water, metal, fire and earth. The addition of plants, for example, but (not too many!) brings the earth element into play with natural colors and soil. Water can be incorporated using fountains, or blue colors. For fire, consider candles or red colors. Be careful when adding elemental items to still follow the decluttering rule of thumb.