How to Feng Shui Your Home

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Erin Davis, GoLocalPDX Contributor

Feng shui ("fung shway") which translates to “wind water” is the ancient Chinese art of arranging your home so environmental elements are balanced, which will supposedly bring you good luck.

Some are dismissive of it. Advice like, “To attract more money, keep the stove clean” doesn’t help, either.

But others take feng shui very seriously. In 2005, Hong Kong Disneyland moved the park’s entrance 12 degrees after consulting with feng shui experts.

Rather than obsessing about compass directions, here is my relaxed approach to applying feng shui principles to make your home feel more balanced.

What Is Feng Shui?

First, feng shui is not about putting lucky bamboo everywhere. “Good feng shui decorating will never scream for attention...but rather create an energy that is vibrant, happy, and harmonious,” writes KnowFengShui.com.

Feng shui’s general principles are similar to the KonMari method: Get rid of clutter and embrace minimalism, but hold onto things that bring you joy. Fresh air and good lighting are vital. And your home should be easy to navigate, so keep plenty of open space.

Where Do I Put Everything?

Feng shui is all about how energy flows through your room. Here are some popular feng shui beliefs you can use as a guide for arranging your furniture.

Your bed: Feng shui has a lot to say about bed placement. First, there should be a good solid wall behind your bed. Balance both sides with nightstands or something similar. And if possible, your bed shouldn’t be right next to your door. “Doors usually have a strong flow, or rush of incoming energy. This energy can be very unsettling and too active,” writes feng shui expert Rodika Tchi.

Your sofa: As interior designer and feng shui master Catherine Brophy told Real Simple, your sofa should go “against a solid wall -- ideally, the wall farthest from the entry -- with a clear view of the door. Leave a few inches of breathing room between the sofa and the wall.”

Your living room furniture: Your goal is to facilitate communication in your living room. It should be a place where everyone feels comfortable. So instead of pushing chairs back against the wall, group them to encourage conversation. Also, when seated, people should be able to see everyone entering the room.

Plants and water: Natural elements like plants and fountains are symbols of positive energy. Just make sure there aren’t any dripping faucets or stagnant water, both of which are apparently bad for feng shui. And avoid water imagery or mirrors on the wall behind your bed.

Your kitchen: Keep your kitchen airy and bright, with several lighting sources. Minimize clutter and gadgets -- keep only ones you love and use regularly. Any natural element like a bowl of fruit or vase of fresh flowers in your kitchen will boost the positive energy in the room.

For love: This one’s a little out there. Many feng shui experts say that if you’re single and looking for love, make sure you have physical space for a partner. So buy things in pairs, like two accent chairs or nightstands instead of one. And consider leaving a little space in your closet or dresser as a symbolic gesture that you’re open to having someone else in your life. Kooky, perhaps, but some people swear by this!

Feng Shui Elements

Feng shui consists of five elements: wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. To make these elements work for you, look at an area of your home that feels off. Try to figure out what it’s missing...and then add that element. The goal is balance and harmony.

If you need more calm or abundance: Water

Water is inherently soothing. Adding a little blue decor, wavy or curved design elements, and mirrors can bring some calming energy to your home. Or add a small fountain for the sound of running water.

If you need more clarity, freshness, or structure: Metal

Metal is no-nonsense! If you’re feeling frustrated or lazy, metal can help. Try integrating a bronze lamp base, burnished gold candlesticks or a silver accent pillow. Even the colors gray and white can work. Round shapes are also associated with metal in feng shui.

If you need more passion, fun, or creativity: Fire

Feeling cold and lonely? Add some warmth and romance to your home, by incorporating sunset colors like red, purple, orange, and pink. Triangular and star shapes and candles will help too. For instance, many people have blue bedrooms. This is calming but can lack the zest associated with the fire element. So consider adding some red candles or even a star-shaped lantern to cast some mood lighting around your bedroom.

If you’re sick, low-energy, or need a breakthrough: Wood

You guessed it: Wood symbolizes growth. It also represents strength and rebirth. For more energy and health in your space, add plants or other green and brown decor. Consider art that depicts a forest or garden. Cotton textiles, wicker furniture, and wooden picture frames can also bring the outdoors in.

If you’re disconnected, overwhelmed, or stressed: Earth

Think of the earth element as a calmer, more maternal version of wood. Earth is a grounding, peaceful, stable influence in your home. Think stones and pottery. If vivid colors dominate your furniture and art, you might need to balance them out with muted earthy tones. They’re innately calming.

Conclusion

Feng shui can be a fun way to mix things up in your living space. Try the parts of it that appeal to you, and don’t let it feel overbearing. And of course I’m happy to help if your home needs a little extra oomph, that decor touch you can’t put your finger on.

Erin Davis is owner of Mosaik Design & Remodeling in Portland Oregon. For more information and tips mosaikdesign.com or contact her at [email protected].

Related Slideshow: 6 Ways to Boost Your Morning Energy

Here are the top 6 ways to add more energy to your morning:

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1. Yoga

Doing a short 10-minute yoga routine can get your blood flowing without being too strenuous for the start of your day. Working out in the morning can be tricky because if you are not a morning person, you really don’t want to sacrifice an hour of sleep in order to exercise, and likely you won’t. You might do it for a week, but then you’ll slip back into your snooze routine, and your running shoes will be nothing more than a tripping hazard on your floor. You may also be someone who has a hard time working out if you haven’t eaten anything, but then you have to wait for 30 minutes before commencing exercise or you’ll get a stomachache. This is where the 10 minutes of stretching that yoga will give you really shines. You likely won’t need to eat anything before and you probably don’t even have to get up any earlier.

Try a couple rounds of sun salutations, or go back and forth between downward dog and plank. Really almost any poses will work for this purpose, and you can find short morning routines for free on websites like DoYogaWithMe.com. Along with invigorating you and getting your blood flowing, doing a simple morning yoga routine will work out any kinks or stiffness you wake with so that you physically feel a lot more ready to attack the morning.

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2. Essential oils

Essential oils are quite the rage right now, and unless you really dive in to study the biochemistry behind the oils, it can be hard to swallow all of the claims that are being made on their behalf. One thing you can always count on from essential oils is that they have amazing smells. These smells can really go a long way towards changing your mood and helping you feel energized.

Citrus oils are the go-to oils for energizing and invigorating, so try keeping a bottle of lemon, grapefruit or frankincense on your bedside table. Once your alarm goes off, open the top and breathe in the smells. You can even take it one step further by using a diffuser in the morning in the kitchen or bathroom so that you can breathe these oils in as you get ready for your day.

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3. Coffee

This may seem like a no-brainer, and that is probably how you already start your day. You may currently be dragging so much in the mornings that coffee is something you need just to feel normal. The drug of choice for many people, there can be an art to using coffee for an energy boost. Following this approach is hard at first because it requires that you cut back the amount of coffee you currently drink, but it can be well worth it if you have a targeted energy need coming up such as an overseas trip or a hellish work week.

Start by taking the number of cups of coffee you drink per day (include other caffeinated beverages as well), then add 3 and you will have the number of days before your needed caffeine boost that you will need to start cutting back. For instance, if you normally drink 3 cups of coffee/day, 6 days before your trip you will need to start cutting back. On day one cut out one cup of coffee, and if you have no caffeine headaches from this, you can cut out another cup the following day. If you get a terrible caffeine headache at any point of the process, you may need to cut down by 1/2 cups. Do this until you are down to 1 cup/day. The following day cut back to 1/2 cup of coffee. The day before your trip/terrible work week starts, don’t consume any caffeine. This will reset your caffeine response so that starting the following day you will be more sensitive to the effects of coffee and will get the boost you are craving. You may even find that you are more sensitive to the effects of coffee for several days in a row, which can really help you get started in the morning.

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4. Water

Starting your day with a glass of water can do wonders for your energy. Do this initially upon waking, after the essential oils, but before the yoga, coffee or breakfast. You need water to fuel every cell of your body, and overnight you were basically on a water fast. Often people wake up slightly dehydrated, and one symptom of dehydration is … fatigue.

Starting your day with a solid 8-16 ounces of water is one of the most important ways you can instantly boost your energy in the morning. Not only that, but starting your day out with water may help increase your metabolism, it can increase brain productivity, help you eat less, and helps your kidneys filter out toxins more effectively. There are only benefits to starting your day this way.

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5. Eat Breakfast

Not just any old carb-rich, nutrient deficient breakfast — eat a breakfast high in lean protein and low in simple carbs for a good boost of morning energy. Instead of a bowl of cereal, try a ham and egg sandwich, a bowl of leftover stew, or a homemade breakfast burrito. Read this breakfast article for ideas on how to get a high quality breakfast without spending a lot of time making it. Whatever you end up eating, aim for at least one serving of produce and one serving of protein. The important thing here is that not only will you get the instant boost from the nutrient rich foods, but it will be sustained energy that won’t leave you crashing an hour or two later. Eating this way to start your day will make a positive impact on your energy all day long.

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6. Sleep

Obviously if you are chronically getting too little sleep, this is where you need to start. If you suffer from insomnia, get help. You can have a sleep study done, talk to your doctor, or go see an acupuncturist who can help you get better sleep naturally. If you are just staying up too late and getting up too early, you need to be realistic about your lifestyle needs and choices. Not getting enough sleep doesn’t only feel bad in the short-term; it can lead to real health problems in the long run. Sleep deprivation can lead to adrenal fatigue, blood sugar issues, thyroid problems. And it certainly does not help you look your best. So if you are staying up late because you are a night owl even though your schedule necessitates you rise with the sun, you may need to suck it up and head to bed a bit earlier. It is totally worth it for your health and for your sanity.