I often get asked “Can Feng Shui and Interior Design co-exist and work together?” The answer is absolutely, they work perfectly together! Everyone wants their home to look beautiful, feel happy, calm and inviting, so my advice is to always invest in a professional Feng Shui consultation before you commence any re-decorating, renovating or building to avoid a home that doesn’t have the correct energy flow, falling short of what you were trying to achieve and possibly causing the occupants problems.
During a consultation a traditionally trained Feng Shui Consultant will use several methods including Landforms, San Yuen Yuen Gua System, the 5 Element Theory – Fire, Earth, Metal, Water and Wood, Flying Star Feng Shui and 8 Mansions which will ensure the correct colours, shapes and elements are used in each room of the house according to the home’s energy map.
This energy map is calculated by taking a compass reading at the front of the home (the facing direction) with a Lo Pan Compass. The consultant will also take note of the occupant’s birth year and gender, as each sector of your home represents a different person depending on their birth year, gender and a body part or organ.
A Feng Shui Consultant can also work alongside an Interior Designer or directly with the client. This will ensure the quality of the energy flow, producing a space that you not only want to spend time in, but helps enhance your health, relationships, career and wealth.
This is achieved by integrating the findings from the Feng Shui Consultant, which is usually presented in a report form identifying what colours and decorative elements need to be incorporated into each room. If the client is renovating or building, then recommendations for the best positioning of the kitchen, bathrooms, air conditioners and doorways will also be given. From there the Interior Designer or client can select the appropriate colour scheme, homeware pieces and textiles in order to create a beautifully balanced home.
It is a wonderful process working with Interior Designers or clients directly, watching my recommendations turn a house into a home that looks stunning and feels beautiful, but also knowing it will help support the health, wealth & happiness for the family living there is a wonderful feeling!
In my opinion Feng Shui and Interior Design are a match made in heaven, creating a warm and inviting home for you and your family to thrive for many years to come.
On a side note, once you have had your home Feng Shui-ed and an Interior Designer help you, it is not a set and forget. It is paramount to keep the homes maintenance up ensuring the energy flow isn’t blocked. If there is a blockage causing stagnant energy in the home, depending on what area is affected can cause different issues. For example, if there is an issue in the Southeast, it can cause problems with the eldest daughter, people born in the Year of Snake or Year of Dragon and the body parts effected can be chest, back, shoulder, neck and throat. Stagnant energy can be caused by clutter, dirt or event mould.
A good starting point is to ask yourself, “how does my home look when I pull up in the driveway?” Is it neat and tidy or full of weeds and overgrown plants in desperate need of some TLC? Remember the front of the house is where the energy gathers before it enters your home, so if it is overgrown how can the energy enter?
Your home is also an extension of your Aura or energy field. So, if your home is unorganised, cluttered, or dirty you can guarantee this is how you will also be feeling… Therefore cleaning, organising, rearranging furniture or getting rid of clutter from your space can have a huge impact on your mind, body & spirit.
While traditional Feng Shui isn’t about clearing clutter or keeping your home clean, it does allow beautiful fresh energy to continually circulate throughout your home.
So, as the Chinese New Year approaches, it is an ideal time to get on top of things that you may have missed or put in the too hard basket during the previous year. Walk around your home and write an achievable list of what you can get done so you can welcome in vibrant new energy for the New Year on February 4th.
Wishing you a year full of health & happiness.
Dee Burgess
“I believe everyone wants health, wealth and happiness. ALL this can be achieved through the positive practice of Feng Shui.”
Photo’s courtesy of Blink Living
