Monthly Archives: May 2009

CAN A MISMATCHED PAIR OF NIGHTSTANDS EVER BE GOOD FENG SHUI?

A pair of mismatched bedside tables that defy a feng shui principle.

A pair of mismatched bedside tables that defy a feng shui principle.

Trying to get your love groove on? If you’re having trouble with your mate or problems finding a date, the feng shui solution could lie in your choice of bedside tables. Traditionally, feng shui for activating the Love & Relationship sector includes the following ‘rules’ about bedside tables;

*Always have two bedside tables, not one.

*Always have matching bedside tables to represent a balanced, equal, loving relationship where one person(table!) doesn’t dominate or overwhelm the other.

Rules are made to be broken (and it’s so much more fun to break them, don’tcha think?). I found this photo on Apartment Therapy that illustrates my point. Here are two not-so-obviously mismatched tables that work beautifully. And, I think they represent a union of two individuals, separate but equal, finding common ground in love. What’s next to your bed?

UPDATE 3/17/2010: Here’s a photo from Apartment Therapy that I just love. The homeowner used etageres as nightstands. Good feng shui? Yes, these work because they are the same but also importantly they do not overpower the bed because artwork was hung properly to balance it out in the center.

Here’s another bedroom with beams and a beamed bed.

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Filed under Design, Feng Shui, Feng Shui Home, Interior Design, Love & Relationship

FENG SHUI YOUR WEBSITE, Part I

Do you have a website that you never even bother to visit? Maybe it simply advertises your business location and you have no need to think about it any further. Think again! You could be activating your feng shui success by clicking on your URL at least once a day. By ignoring this aspect of your business or personal promotion, you are negating the intentions of attracting people to you. If you’re not into your website, why should anyone else in the universe be?

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Filed under Creativity & Future Projects, Feng Shui Office, Wealth & Finances

DOES IT MATTER IF YOUR HOTEL ROOM IS A DESIGNER’S DREAM?

I’d like to know if you care about the way your home-away-from-home space looks and feels when you’re on vacation. Do you cringe at the thought of laminated hotel furniture? Will thread count make or break your memories of vacation? Is a marble bathroom crucial to your relaxation? Take my poll and tell us your hotel happy or horror stories in the comments section.

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Filed under Design, Feng Shui, Interior Design, Travel

WHITE PAINTINGS INSPIRED BY BIRCH FOREST

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I was pretty excited to see the “That’s Not Wallpaper” post on Apartment Therapy that shows exactly the type of view that inspired my “Birches” painting series. I have always had a love of birches in the snow and it takes me back to my childhood in NH.

The technique I use requires a Zen approach that I think translates to the peaceful mood of the paintings themselves. I just love birches in the snow!

The diptych above is 12″ x 24″ each panel…because each panel has to be painted all at once in one sitting and you have to work quickly before the paint dries, I have to focus and I also have to limit the size of the panels. I did complete a 24″ x 48″ (each panel) painting commissioned by dream work author Connie Kaplan. I’ve been told these paintings can be a gateway into the dream weave if one gazes at them right before bedtime.By the way, the painting panels are just the white part…ignore the black background that was necessary to photograph the art work.

These panels work well in a modern interior hung low behind a couch or a bed. I’ve also created some very small versions that are 5″ x 7″ that work in diptychs or triptychs hung in small spaces.

Here’s another one from the series:
"The Path" Birches Series (c) Katy Allgeyer

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DO RELAX, DO RENEW, DOminican REPUBLIC

The beach at Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.

The beach at Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.

Taking time off to replenish your Qi is good for the soul and important to a balanced life. I just returned from a week in the Dominican Republic at the NH Real Arena Resort in Punta Cana. Everything was included in the price (airfare, hotel, food & beverages…even tips!) so you could really kick back and relax. No worries. If a getaway is not in the budget right now, make time to take time off even if it’s to lounge in your own backyard. All you need is a good chair, a good book, and a blender drink.

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Filed under Feng Shui, Healing Energy, Health & Fitness, Qi

SIMPLE SOLUTIONS: Master Bedroom Makeover Winner

Baqua Map Overlay of Marni's Home

“Marni” was the winner of the Feng Shui Bedroom Makeover that was my giveaway prize at the Ultimate Blog Party. Posted here is my partial analysis of Marni’s bedroom’s feng shui. The idea was to offer simple solutions that won’t cost a lot or take much time to achieve but would add a great deal of feng shui impact to enhance the Qi (energy) and strengthen the love area. For example, what could Marni do that doesn’t require repainting the entire room? Removing clutter and organizing her space was the first step I encouraged Marni to make.

Marni’s still working on implementing my suggestions and will get back to me with more photos at some point. The above bagua map overlay shows that Marni’s bedroom was already fortuitously located in the Love & Marriage area of her home. The Love & Marriage sector is naturally enhanced by the colors white, red, pink, and peachy tones. Marni’s room is already a deep lime green color. However, she can inexpensively bring in accent tones of pink/red that are already found in the fabric of her bedding and curtain valance.
Art placed too high.

The artwork in Marni’s bedroom was placed much too high. I also discovered that Marni did not LOVE the art. It’s always a good feng shui idea to remove things that you absolutely do not LOVE (especially from important areas like your Love & Marriage area/ master bedroom). Until she can afford to replace it, I suggest she lower the paintings. Replacements that would enhance the romance in feng shui terms would include pictures of happy couples, mated animals, roses or peonies, or hearts. I wouldn’t be surprised if Marni ends up liking her tropical paintings more if she rehangs them and then adds the other touches I offered.

I would also like to see Marni replace the bedside lamps with two matching lamps that have substantial round bases. The candlestick lamps are too spindly, too matchy-matchy to the wooden bed, and add too much yang to an already very masculine feeling room. Globe shaped ceramic lamps will bring in feminine energy and can also bring in the love enhancing color accents to offset the lime green walls.
Draped curtains are needed.
The sliding doors were covered with a skimpy valance that did not make a lot of sense. Since the doors are also aligned with another pair of French doors (unseen in the photo), it’s creating a “Poison Arrow”. My solution is to add some soft, puddled curtains swagged to each side and then released at night. I suggest a gauzey white fabric or something that brings in the romantic accent colors discussed above.
A large potted palm with rounded leaves would also be nice to the left of the slider, capturing the palm tree theme in the art and the bedding as well as disarming the Poison Arrow effect.

BTW, a Poison Arrow is when you have two or more doors or windows in direct alignment. The energy is said to whoosh straight through instead of meandering gently around a space.
Cover the entry to bathroom.
The bathroom entry is viewed from the bed. Not too sexy. I want Marni to swag a curtain (same fabric as she’ll use on the sliding doors) and drop it down at night so the bathroom is hidden. Again, this will add yin energy to the harsh architectural cut of the doorway as well as add visual appeal.

Marni received my full analysis which included some other tips.
Do you think these simple suggestions will be enough to give the room a much more romantic energy?

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Filed under Feng Shui, Giveaway, Love & Relationship

DOGS OF DREAMTIME–thumbs up!

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If you’re a dreamer and a dog lover, this is the book you want to take to the beach. I wrote a review of it on amazon but it hasn’t been uploaded yet as of this blog post. This true tale is heartfelt and I found it quite a useful tool for working with loss and grief as well as celebrating dogs & life.

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IMPACT OF WINDOWS ON FENG SHUI

“Friends are like windows through which you see out into the world
and back into yourself… If you don’t have friends you see much
less than you otherwise might.” ~ Merle Shain

I captured this view from a window in paint in 2007.

Katy captured this view from a window in paint in 2007.

WINDOWS ON THE WORLD
Windows are such an integral part of all architecture that sometimes we hardly notice them unless our space doesn’t have any at all. When we don’t have any windows, we notice their absence immediately. We may feel closed in without windows to provide a connection to the outside world.

* Windows let in light to dark places.

* Windows provide us with a view to other spaces, generally outside, but not always.

* If they open, windows give us a means to circulate fresh air into our space.

* Well designed windows add a focal point to any room.

* Windows can create moods and uplift our ch’i (energy).

In feng shui terms, windows are generally a good thing for all of the functional reasons mentioned above. There are instances where too much of a good thing can
be harmful and needs to be balanced with some feng shui cures.

POISON ARROWS
Do an inspection of your home. If you have windows lined up at the front of your home that allow you to see clear through your home to the backyard, you have a situation known as a “poison arrow”. Being able to see through the entire home leaves you vulnerable and feeling unprotected. Anyone passing by from the street (especially at night when your interior is lit) can see right through your home and capture a glimpse of your backyard. Best to keep the windows at the front of the house covered for privacy. You can do that a variety of ways. It could be done with outdoor landscaping or interiorwindow treatments or a combination of both.

GLASS WALLS
Windows are made of glass and glass is equivalent to the element of Water. Many contemporary buildings have floor to ceiling walls made of glass. While this can be great at home when you want to enjoy the view from your dining area, at work you will want a solid wall behind you as you are seated at your desk. If it’s too late and you already work in an office where there is a glass wall directly behind you, you must take steps to counterbalance the “fishbowl” effect. Through use of roller blinds, window coverings, frosted glass, screen systems, or creative use of plants, you can modify the wall of glass to strengthen your position and make working a lot easier.

FAUX WINDOWS
If we leave windowless walls barren of any decoration, the feng shui can feel very stagnant. Sometimes we need to add the look and feel of a window where there is none. Mirrors are good substitutes. In fact, I’ve even seen some mirrors that are designed to look like paned glass windows. Mirrors can bounce the light back from an existing window, or, they might reflect a scene from an existing window to make a room look double the size.

Another illusion of a window can be created through placement of art. Whether the art is painted to actually appear to be an outdoor scene or not, sometimes a well chosen piece will make us feel that we have a portal to another world. So, look at your rooms and see where you have too many windows, or, not enough. Work on bringing balance and beauty to your home or office. And remember, keep those windows clean!

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Filed under ART, Feng Shui, Feng Shui Home, Feng Shui Office