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Feng Shui - It may have originated in China but who hasn’t heard of Feng Shui? Pronounced as “fung shway”, this ancient Chinese method of divination uses energy or qi (sometimes spelt “chi”) to promote harmony, balance, and good fortune in a given environment. Traditional Feng Shui can be very complex, and that’s why Feng Shui practitioners spend years studying this part-art, part-pseudoscience, part-philosophy. Practitioners can also command hefty consultation fees when hired for construction or a renovation project.
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Learn moreHow To Feng Shui your bedroom
Feng shui can be applied in many different areas and many different ways, but perhaps its most popular application is in design, as in room design, floor plan, building orientation, and architecture. In fact, to this day, in many Asian cultures, it would be unheard of to begin construction on a home or a business establishment or to embark on any remodelling project, no matter how minor, without first consulting Feng Shui experts. More often than not, any random house in China or anywhere with a sizeable Chinese immigrant population would apply Feng Shui. It would probably include a Feng Shui Bagua hanging on the entrances, lots of wood elements, and thoughtfully placed furniture. Office Feng Shui is common too, especially if the business is Chinese-owned. But it is in the home where it is most popular, especially in the living room and bedroom.
Many people subscribe to the idea of qi and energy and its power to bring balance and harmony into one’s immediate surroundings, which is why Feng Shui elements are so popular, even to Westerners. If you are intrigued or interested, you can easily dip your toes into the fascinating world of Feng Shui. Before you start trawling the nearest Chinatown for a good Feng Shui consultant or Feng Shui master to help you overhaul your bedroom, here are some well-known Feng Shui principles that are easy to incorporate into your existing bedroom design and your own personal aesthetic. Keep reading and let the energy flow.
Close all doors at night
A popular Feng Shui principle states that when doors are left wide open while you are sleeping, positive chi flows out. This opens up your room to negative energy. Make sure that before you go to bed, shut all the doors including your main bedroom door, bathroom door, closet doors, and balcony doors. While you are at it, close all drawers and cabinet doors as well. This not only prevents the outside flow of the positive chi energy, but it also keeps your bedroom neater, calmer and more peaceful, as well as promotes safety and security.
Minimise the clutter
Simply put, a cluttered room is bad Feng Shui. This is especially true for your bedroom, a place supposedly characterised by calmness, tranquillity, and peace. In contrast, a cluttered and messy bedroom is teeming with noisy and negative energy. Cluttered tabletops and nightstands, and overstuffed closets and drawers signify stagnancy and obstruction, particularly, obstruction in the flow of chi. If you want positive chi to freely flow into your room, make sure your bedroom is clutter-free. You don’t have to adopt a minimalist design or aesthetic if that’s not your style. But do keep your bedroom neat and tidy.
Bed placement is everything
The bed is usually the visual focal point of a bedroom, as well as the most important furniture. This isn’t necessarily a Feng Shui principle, but it is a core design principle. Nevertheless, Feng Shui also has a lot to say about bed placement.
Don’t position your bed against the corner wall. Most people will immediately do this when they want to maximise the room’s floor space, but this will actually restrict the flow of energy. If you happen to be married or if you happen to be sharing your bed with anyone, this one side only access may have negative effects on your relationship, particularly your communication. Your bed needs to be accessible from both sides. Ideally, the space on each side should be symmetrical.
Don’t place your bed directly underneath a window. The body refreshes itself when we sleep, and having a window directly above your head promotes the escape of positive energy, leaving you tired and unproductive. If you must place your bed against a window, make sure it has a solid headboard or heavy drapes.
Don’t put your bed directly in line with the door. Since Feng Shui design is all about the flow of good energy, having your bed positioned directly in front of your bedroom’s main door means that the energy is flowing outward instead of in. This is only ok if your bed has a solid and tall footboard; otherwise, you should consider moving your bed or putting some barrier in between the bed and the door such as a table or a loveseat.
It’s all about air and light
Access to natural air and light are key considerations when designing a space. In Feng Shui, it also demands special consideration as both air and light are essential elements for a good flow of qi or energy. In your bedroom, make sure you set aside time every day to draw back the drapes or blinds and open your windows to let in fresh air and light. Allow as much natural light as possible. In addition to that, make sure every corner is well-lit.
Get rid of non-essentials
Feng Shui aims to bring joy and harmony into your living space, among other things. That is why you will see many Asian-inspired homes that have ponds, waterfalls, and other elements of nature that promote peace, tranquillity, and relaxation. For a bedroom, especially if space is an issue, you can follow this same principle without being too literal about it. Let’s face it, how many people have the necessary space to install a pond or a rock garden in their bedroom? What you can do instead is be more mindful and thoughtful about the furniture you bring in. Each piece of furniture must serve a purpose, even if it is something as “frivolous” as adding beauty to your room. When your bedroom has non-essentials in it, perhaps a treadmill you never use, it will hardly be a place of harmony and peace.
Go for a Feng Shui-friendly colour palette
It’s not that easy to change your bedroom’s colour scheme when you have painted the walls or hung the wallpaper, or bought matching furniture, drapes, and linens. Decide early if you want to Feng Shui your room since you will need to take into account Feng Shui principles when choosing a colour palette. The principles of Feng Shui require certain colours to be limited to certain parts of the house. Feng Shui is big on the relationship of colours and orientation, whether they are in the North, South, East, or West. There are many charts available in books or online that you can use as a guide.
Bring in the plants
Consider beautifying your room with indoor plants. There are many beautiful indoor plants to choose from, and some require very little upkeep, so don’t worry if you don’t have a green thumb. Bringing in plants to your space, especially to your bedroom has many benefits. Feng Shui-wise, this will add a much-needed a wood element into your bedroom. It also acts as an air purifier. This is one benefit that both a Feng Shui believer and a sceptic alike can agree on. Plants will also help retain the energy and balance in the room instead of letting it flow out. This will work when you place a low potted plant by the windows or small pots on the window sill.
Mind the flow
This one is fairly simple to follow, and it won’t cost you a dime. Feng Shui is all about the flow of energy, through a house or through a room. Keep the furniture in such a way that it doesn’t block the natural foot traffic, and you won’t accidentally hit things, especially in the dark. This is also why curved corners are generally more preferred than sharp edges when it comes to tables, dressers, and cabinets.
Choose inspirational and aspirational art for your bedroom
A bedroom isn’t truly personalised until one starts accumulating art and other knick-knacks that serve no other purpose except decorative. A word of caution, be discerning about the pieces of art you bring into your bedroom. Feng Shui principles state that images carry with them particular energy and it needs to be the kind of energy you want in your life. A good tip is to stick to art and images that are inspirational and aspirational. Do you want to invite more love in your life? More peace? Prosperity? Healing? Picture how you want your life to look and choose pieces that reflect that. Sad, lonely, and depressing images, even if they are considered high art or worth a fortune, might be better off in a gallery than in your bedroom.
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