Feng Shui Hallways

People don’t usually think of hallways as “rooms.” They just lead from one part of the house to another and are usually treated as “non-rooms”, remaining dark and plain.  Long, thin hallways are like rivers of Chi, forcing us to hurry through them. These can be slowed down by hanging round faceted crystals a few inches from the ceiling every 10 feet or so.  Ideally we want to be pleasantly drawn and enjoy a hallway’s special décor.

Think of where the hallway is aligned to the Bagua, and enhance it with the attributes and colors of that area, choose the lighter shades of the spectrum to enlarge them.  This is a perfect opportunity to create a gallery for displaying paintings, photographs and posters – especially anything with depth that will widen the area. Wider hallways can be made narrower with furniture, bookshelves, carpets and plants.

Lighting in hallways is very important. Bring beauty to the area with track lighting, sconces and interesting lamps.  Treat every inch of your house as a special gift to you and you will reap the results!

My hallway above is enhanced with my father's art and beautiful hand blown glass sconces from the Nourot Glass Studio. www.nourot.com

Garages and Feng Shui

In Feng Shui EVERYTHING COUNTS, including closets and garages.  If you are building your home, keep your garage detached from the main house to ensure good air quality and a more peaceful flow of Chi throughout the house.  Unfortunately, that is not the case for most of us. Garages tend to be built in the front right or left of homes, either in the Knowledge and Self Cultivation, or Helpful People areas. Both of these areas are very important in your life, therefore what your garage looks like is critical to your harmony.

Avoid the tendency to let the garage become a chaotic storeroom. Make it a place you enjoy seeing every day. Leave plenty of room to drive in and out, without worrying about hitting piles of stored items. Install shelves and cabinets for storage, design attractive work areas.

The garage is often the last room you see when you leave and the first when you return. Make is a beautiful and inviting place. Make it a “real room”, hang art and pictures representing its area of the Bagua, paint it an auspicious color, add travel posters,  pictures of family, beautiful lighting and carpeting.

In our garage we have hung a large round faceted crystal in the center, and placed travel pictures and pictures of our spiritual guides. We also created a vision board inside one of the closet doors with pictures and positive affirmations of what we want to have come into our lives.  Outside, in a small flower garden by the garage we planted white flowers surrounding a small angel blowing toward our house. Whenever we feel that our synchronicity is off, and that we keep hitting stumbling blocks, I say, “Honey, it’s time to clean the garage.” We take a few hours to organize, dust, polish, sweep, and state our affirmations once again.  We immediately feel the shift in energy, plus our garage is once again pleasing to look at.

                                     

                                      

Feng Shui With Gardens

If your home is considered the "heart" of your property, the garden is considered the "aura". Your garden is your personal passport into nature. It keeps you connected to the rhythms of life, while replenishing and sustaining the Chi that meanders through your home. Whether a flower or vegetable garden, vibrant nature in your yard attracts vibrant Chi into your home.

When applicable, use gardens and landscaping to complete the shape of your home. If your home is not a complete square or rectangle anchor the missing areas with a pleasing combination of trees, flowerbeds, garden sculptures, large rocks, decks, patios, fencing, lighting, specialty gardens and water features. There is no end to what you can do and the missing area becomes an enhancing outdoor area.

Make sure you have an attractive view from every window and door. Be nourished by a lovely view each time you look out. Camouflage or screen unsightly views with trees, trellises with climbing vines, and hanging gardens. An inspirational place to rest the eye is a gift you give yourself every day.

In the pictures you'll see red flowers with a whimsical border the fame area,  a red mirror added to the love corner reflecting a bistro set with two chairs, and a bicycle planter used as a greeter at the entrance. Have fun with the palette that flowers provide!

 

 

Feng Shui Flowers

Flowers are the quintessential Chi enhancers for our homes. They provide us with the beauty and wonder of nature and help us stay connected and grounded to the natural world. Another alternative to fresh flowers is silk and plastic flowers which have the same uplifting effect.

Just like everything in Feng Shui flowers can uplift the Chi if beautiful and healthy, or deplete it if sick, dusty or depleting. If your plants begin to wilt and look sickly, move them on and replace them with vibrant healthy ones.  Artificial plants need to be kept clean and dust free at all times to have the same uplifting effect.

Orchids are the ultimate flower Chi enhancer; bringing positive energy to every area of the house. I always give people  fresh orchids as housewarming gifts  to help bless their homes.

Think of the qualities of the Bagua areas you want to enhance, and use flower colors to enrich the enhancement: Red flowers at an entrance for Career, white for the Helpful People or Children and Creativity areas, yellow for the Center, pinks or reds for Love, purple for Wealth. Use the beauty of nature to paint a palette of colorful enhancements in your home.

Creating Feng Shui Environmental Affirmations

In an ideal world your home would be an entire Environmental Affirmation. In other words you would be surrounded by objects that lift your spirits; please your senses, have wonderful feelings and memories associated with them, and constantly affirm your harmony and balance. When surrounded by such beauty your environment acts as a giant vessel of positive Chi, constantly nourishing and strengthening your material world.

To reach this goal, begin by looking at the objects and architecture you live with.  Decide what you love and what you don’t.  If you don’t love much about your current home, don’t be discouraged. You can improve it immediately by placing one thing you love in each room. This begins the process of enhancing the Chi flow by attracting the things that uplift you. Begin discarding what you don’t like, and watch your world change for the better.

Dining Room Before and After

This is a perfect example of a client who turned a not so comfortable dining room, with a very “active” mirror into her own “personal paradise.” This dining room is located in the Wealth area of the home, and was specifically redesigned to take on the opulent qualities of that sector. The purple wall, blooming flowers and richly appointed lighting and accessories make this a designer’s dream room, and will surely enhance the client’s prosperity.

 Before

 After

Enhanced Dining Experience Through Feng Shui

Dining rooms are also very important rooms in our home, because like the kitchen they represent a “hearth” or heart of the home where meals are created and shared. This represents nourishment of the body, hearts and spirit.  Unfortunately in many homes, dining rooms are used infrequently only for entertaining, while the family eats in haste in other rooms of the house. 

Reclaiming the deeply nourishing experience of enjoying our meals in a pleasant and serene dining environment, we become more aware of the vital energy (Chi) in our food. Essential vitality is passed on to us with every meal.

Although the dining room takes on the qualities of the Bagua area it is located, with art that relaxes and inspires; Waterscapes in Career, blues/greens and wooded scenes in Knowledge, floral scenes and family pictures in Family/Health, purple opulent art in Wealth, red tones in Fame, romantic art and pairs in Love/Marriage, whimsical pastels and children pictures in Children/Creativity, travel or spiritual guide pictures in Helpful People, and gold earth tones in the Center, there are other very important considerations.

1)      Comfort is very important for the flow of Chi. Make sure your dining room furniture is very comfortable for you and your guests.

2)      Avoid protruding legs or sharp corners that would make leg placement difficult or possibly tear clothing.

3)     Large mirrors are too active for dining rooms, and they tend to make guests self-conscious and uncomfortable. If you can’t remove the mirror quiet it down by placing plants or decorative objects in front.

Relax and enjoy a pleasant dining experience.