Imagine yourself in your happy place. Maybe you’re at the beach, reclining in a chair in the sand. There is a warm, light breeze flowing over your body, through your hair, just enough to keep you comfortable. Through your sunglasses you take in the beautiful coastal palette. The waves crashing against the white sandy beach begin to lull you to sleep. You close your eyes and smell the salty air. You take a deep breath and you are totally relaxed…
Sounds great right? “Sign me up!” you say? Well, we can’t take you to the beach, but there is a way that you can bring some of the elements of the beach (or wherever your happy place might be) into your home through a decorating method called Feng Shui (fung shway). Feng Shui is an ancient art developed thousands of years ago that addresses the energy and feel of an environment. Chinese for “wind and water”, which are thought to bring good health, Feng Shui has become a popular system to help balance energy, and bring a peaceful, harmonious feel into living spaces.
As the long days of summer slowly dwindle away, and we start thinking about time spent indoors in the cooler months, we thought it would be a good time to share a few tips to help transform the energy of your home. Here are four tips to get you started.
1. Colors - Colors are very important in Feng Shui. The entire balance of the energy in your home can be transformed simply by choosing colors that fit with the kind of energy you are hoping to feel while in that room. For example, think of a room that you might want a more peaceful, calm vibe in, let’s say the sun room. Here you eat your breakfast, sip your coffee or tea, and read the paper while the sun comes up. Where you might naturally think to paint white, try a light grey or beige instead. Keeping with a serene feel, you might add accent pieces with pops of color in the lighter blue or green families.
2. Textures - Colors can be enhanced by textures. If you have a room already painted a color that doesn’t match the energy you’re going for, you can soften the feel without changing the entire color palette. Try adding different textures to the room. A soft furry blanket, barn beam picture frames or shelves, or a warm animal hide rug might just do the trick. Maybe you want to change up the furniture in the room by adding a soft sofa or comfy chair with a wooly pillow. On the contrary, if you’re looking to intensify the energy, try adding smooth, metallic textures.
3. Lighting - Natural light is always a bonus, but there are ways to add more light in your home and keep a serene energy. Opt for lights on dimmers, floor lamps, and warm colored pendant lighting. Try to stay away from fluorescent lighting, lamps without shades, or bright desk lamps.
4. Simplicity - Have a lot of clutter on the kitchen counters? Piles of laundry in the bedroom? Kids toys scattered on the living room floor? This kind of disarray can create a stressful energy. Instead of throwing the mail on the counter, invest in a desk to store documents or an organizer with drawers. Remove dirty laundry from bedrooms by using a bin with compartments for everyone’s clothing that can be kept in the laundry room, or try an ottoman that opens up to double as storage space for kids toys.
Still feeling relaxed? Decorating your home can be challenging, but try not to overthink it. Remember, your home is yours, and the things you like and enjoy should be represented inside of it. Sometimes it takes only slight changes, such as a few accent pieces to change the energy of a room and make you feel inspired or calm. In other cases, you might want to break out your paint brush, or splurge on a new sofa to change the feel completely! Either way, decorating your home should be a fun, enjoyable experience.
Now, back to the beach? Yes please!