Daily Archives: February 10, 2010

SIMPLE FENG SHUI SOLUTIONS FOR EVERY ROOM IN A HOUSE

What’s cooler than this wall mounted space-saving desk by Bernard Brucha? Having a mirror placed properly over it so that when your back is to the entry door, you can see who is coming up behind you. That way you won’t be surprised. Without a mirror, you are subconsciously in a state of unease because you are not in the Command Position. The mirror cures that.

What’s wrong with this light-filled bedroom, you ask? Nothing that Feng Shui By Fishgirl can’t fix. First, remove the mirror. You don’t need it to bring in light—there’s already natural light in abundance coming through the floor to ceiling French doors. This mirror is creating too much ch’i bounce and stimulation. I’d replace it with a gorgeous fabric hung on a rod (same or near to the width of the bed, hung much higher than the mirror is now). This fabric could be an unusual textile piece from an ethnic tribe perhaps, or, a canvas that has been painted by a local favorite artist then hung on the pole instead of stretched on a wood frame. It will serve to anchor the bed visually as well as energetically so that the bed is not adrift in the too-high ceilinged room. It feels like the flimsy drapes on the windows do not match the solidity of the heavy wooden bed. I’d rework those and add some shades so that one can sleep in late sometimes. The bedside tables need matching lamps and I’d remove the spikey plant (too sharp and pointy for the Love & Relationship area) and replace it with soft peony or rose blooms. The fern on the floor should be raised up onto a planter platform.

This dining room was designed poorly but we can save it, don’t worry! High above the bench is a stained glass “focal point” window…I don’t think it really served the purpose it was intended for but it’s too late now unless you have the budget to redo it. So to improve this space, I would paint the wall underneath it between the cabinets a deep but bright color that enhanced the stained glass colors. Perhaps a deep teal or navy depending on where this dining room is located within the home’s bagua.
Then I’d remove that picture with the reflective glass and replace it with a large canvas or a triptych canvas painted in rich colors (a landscape or an abstract would work well here). I’d also place some philodendron plants on the tops of the cabinets so that the tendrils hang down. If that is all I could afford, I’d stop there. If I had more to spend, I’d add some window treatments in lush colors to match the newly painted wall. For the final piece-de-resistance, I’d begin shopping for a much larger dining table in a round or oval shape that would add yin energy balance to the room, seat more people more comfortably, and fill up the space better.

This beautiful designer bathroom would be improved immensely by simply painting one wall. Guess which one? The tallest one on the left hand side. Because the ceiling is sloped, the room would feel a lot more “finished” and “cozy” if you anchored one wall with color. It could be a neutral color or a deeper mid tone. As always, my color suggestions depend on where the room is located in the overall bagua of the home. I’d also replace those black metal candleholders and fixtures as they do not add to the beauty of the room. The beams are not a problem here because it is a room where one spends temporary time. If it were the bedroom, you’d have to address the problem.

I love the kitchen remodel in the photo above. It’s a small apartment kitchen and the space is well utilized for maximum impact. They even have used a mirrored backsplash behind the stovetop–this symbolically increases the wealth and abundance by reflecting the burners in the mirror for optimum feng shui. Still, I’d improve this space by painting the window wall. If it were a bright turquoise or blue it would really create some energy where we have too much white.

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Filed under Architecture, Command Position, Design, Feng Shui, Feng Shui Home, Interior Design, Plants & Outdoors, Qi

REFLECTIONS ON HANGING MIRRORS

Photo from the LA Times

The latest trend in mirrors according to the “LA at Home” blog at the Los Angeles Times are these ‘masculine leather strapped designer mirrors’ that cost a pretty penny. In feng shui terms, the round shape automatically puts them into the feminine yin category but I agree that having leather and bronze trim and a rather rustic simple hanging fixture does lend a masculine yang balance.

* If you have a room with a dark area you can hang a mirror to reflect and bring in more light. The mirror creates the illusion of a window and that stimulates the ch’i energy as well. (Darkness is equated with stagnant ch’i.)

*If you have a missing sector of your bagua map you can hang a mirror to seal and enhance, thereby replacing the missing sector. This one is a little tricky and I suggest calling in an expert to help you with placement.

* Often at the top of a stairs landing a mirror can help solve a poison arrow (too-fast-moving ch’i).

*If you can’t place your desk or bed in the Command Position, you’ll want to place a mirror so you can see who is entering the room while you’re sitting on your bed or at your desk.

*Reflective surfaces behind a stovetop multiply and magnify the burners symbolizing wealth and abundance.

* A bagua mirror can deflect negative energy from a street, from a telephone pole, from a difficult neighbor if hung properly.

Where NOT to use mirrors? Never hang a bagua mirror inside the house. The mirrored side should always be facing outside. Children may have trouble sleeping in a room with large mirrored walls as the energy is over stimulated by bouncing light (hang a drape over a mirrored closet). The same is true for adult bedrooms. Sometimes the opposite effect occurs: the over stimulated ch’i energy creates a situation where one feels tired all the time and is sleeping too much if not too little. Another situation is hanging mirrors opposite each other—one wall is enough.

Keep in mind that you want the ch’i energy of mirrors to be “contained” within a frame and you want to always hang them high enough so that nobody’s head is being cut off when looking into the mirror.

See also the Feng Shui By Fishgirl archives: Mirror, Mirror and Feng Shui Mirror Cure as well as Impact of Windows on Feng Shui.

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Filed under Design, Feng Shui, Feng Shui Home, Feng Shui Office, Interior Design, Qi