decorating in family spaces
For believers in Feng Shui, everything is relevant. The placement of each and every object in the home plays a major role in how smoothly things go in their everyday lives. Colors, shapes and even the actual elements in your house are all important for creating harmony and balance in home and life. Practitioners believe that by arranging our furnishings and decor to align with nature, we invite health, harmony and happiness into our worlds. According to this philosophy, the placement of everything from the welcome mat to the back screen door plays a part in our well being.
To begin practicing Feng Shui, start with a clean home, throwing out all unused and unsuitable items. Small groupings of collectibles which only gather dust should be removed, along with old newspapers, magazines, cracked dishes and worn towels or linens. Color plays a large role in decorating with Feng Shui. The Chinese believe that red brings luck; so many front doors are painted scarlet. Pinks and purples are also good colors to choose for the front door. Green is considered a color of growth and peace, which makes it ideal for the bedroom. Choose a medium to light shade, though, since dark colors are considered too dire. The same goes for shades of blue.
Light to medium blues are acceptable, but dark blue to navy shades are out. Yellow is a perfect choice for bedrooms or living rooms, since it represents longevity. With the color white being a symbol of death, or cold energy, the Feng Shui decorating method usually steers away from this color in great quantity. If white is used, it's important to add lots of colorful touches, like pots of flowers, surrounding the white to offset the effect. The bedroom of your home should receive special attention, since bedrooms are looked upon as private, peaceful and intimate. Placing objects in pairs in the bedroom, like lamps or candles, is said to increase marital harmony. The bed should be positioned to where it has a clear view of the doorway, providing safety and support.
When entering a Feng Shui home, it's believed that there should be absolutely no clutter. Never should you step in, only to find the back of a sofa right next to the entry. When walking through the house, there should be lots of open space. Objects that are pointed, such as square coffee tables, are unacceptable and large, awkward pieces must be removed or strategically placed. When entering the kitchen, the room should be spacious and counter tops cleared. Feng Shui decorators do not prefer to have the back of the cook facing the entry, but if it's inevitable, place a mirror or reflective tiles behind the stove to view the doorway.
Children's rooms should be uncluttered but cheery. Shelves should provide storage room for books and small toys, closets for larger toys and belongings. The cords of electronics should never show and even the seam on the lampshade should be turned where unseen. Bathrooms should be safe and comfortable, so paint in shades of green, blue or yellow and keep all appliances out of sight. Hair dryers, curling irons and razors should be kept neatly in cupboards, out of plain view. Towels and wash cloths should hang in matching pairs in harmonious colors.
Even the placement of the bathroom tissue is important in the Feng Shui. Never should you have to strain when reaching for the tissue. When stepping out of the shower, never should you have to stretch to reach your robe or towel. These things, to which normal folks pay little attention, mean everything to the Feng Shui believer. Arranging your home in a neat and homey manner not only brings luck, money and health, it also allows you to feel comfortable and others to feel welcome and appreciated.