Interior Layouts
Feng Shui in the Home
Applying Feng Shui in the Home is something both of an art and a science. Feng Shui is the ancient Chinese art of placement and location, involving the positioning of furniture, items, homes and even entire cities based on their geographic locations and the flow of energy, or ‘Chi' in the area. When considering feng shui in the home, it is important to remember to treat the entire home as one singular unit, one area where the flow of chi is to be addressed. The main consideration in applying the below principles is to undertake them one step at a time, to properly apply feng shui in the home.
The first thing that most people and feng shui practitioners consider when assessing feng shui in the home, is the bagua, or eight-sided map which is commonly associated with feng shui. The main issue with the bagua is how it should be oriented, and there are two schools of thoughts in this regard, both which (unfortunately) can result in opposite readings. Because of the different geographic locations around the world, the generally recommended use of the bagua is to face the career aspect of the bagua towards yourself as you stand in the front door of your home facing inwards, in order to get an accurate layout of feng shui in the home.
There are also general principles that can be followed in applying feng shui in the home. The first, is that the flow of chi in the home should be free and gentle. Bagua mirrors and plants should be used outside the home to discourage the entrance of Sha Chi (negative chi) from entering the home.
When considering feng shui in the home, simple layout plans can be an immense aide. Consider the location of your kitchen, which represents the elements of water (sink) and fire (stove). The two should not be next to each other, and the kitchen should generally not face north. Also consider the general décor of your home - what colors generally dominate each room? Each color and set of color tones has a different meaning in feng shui: yellow represents authority, white represents purity, green represents longevity, blue represents blessings, and red represents happiness. Layout and color are but two of the general principles of applying feng shui in the home.
Without a doubt one of the most important rooms when considering feng shui in the home is the bedroom. After all, it is your ‘seat of command' for the home, and should be treated as such. In general, the bedroom should be dominated by the bed itself, which should be made of wood, have a solid backing which is placed against a wall, and NOT have the foot of the bed pointing out the door. It should also have relaxing décor, and be used for the purposes of sleeping and sexual activity only. At all costs, avoid storing office equipment, television sets, study equipment, books, exercise equipment or anything not related to the above two activities in your bedroom - it will cloud the energy and influence your sleeping habits.
The bedroom is one of the most important places that most people consider when assessing feng shui in the home. Another important room when looking at feng shui in the home nowadays is the home office, or study. Like the bedroom, this room should generally contain only objects associated with productivity and creativity - computer equipment, books, paper, and stationary. It is of critical importance that when seated, the user of the home office be able to see the entrance door (they should never have their back facing the door). If this is not possible, be sure to use a mirror as a feng shui in the home cure to correct the problem.
As you have seen, applying feng shui in the home is not a mystical and shrouded process - it is the combination of sound design principles, the intelligent placement of furniture and the creation of a pleasant aesthetic. Be sure to check back later for more on using feng shui in the home!
By jackie-tan
