Showing posts with label Interior design. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Interior design. Show all posts
Home Decor on a Different Level
Old-fashioned Chinese systems believed in rearranging furniture and home decors as utilizing both laws of heaven and earth. This process is known as “Feng shui”. They consider it the art of harmonizing a person’s personality and character with their own home. Thus, they say that Feng shui will make a person’s life better by receiving positive flow of energy or what they call “Qi” or “Chi”.
As it is based on good values and ideology, they say that the art of Feng Shui will help improve specific phases of life. This is through decorating a home with proper arrangement of furniture and home décor (of course) thus, calling it “The Art of Placement”. This way, it is said that you are inviting positive energy and vigor that can affect not only how you carry yourself but also the whole world you live in generally. Feng Shui is said to help aspects in life such as Happiness, Love, Money, and Health. But how is it really done? What are the principles to follow to achieve Qi?
Feng Shui doesn’t require certain religion or beliefs for it to work. It just needs the right intentions and dedication. It is more symbolic in the modern days than in the ancient times whereas they used complicated analytical reasoning and proper directions. It considers mostly the basic things that you probably don’t notice but is in front of you. Say you are having problems in job search. And probably the main door of your house is squeaking or is not opening properly. Consider fixing it, that way it would symbolically open doors for future opportunities. And thus, it is like inviting some Qi in your home.
Say you are having problems with your social life; that you have vices, habits, obsessions or even trivial beliefs that might set off your emotions by feeling ashamed. It is a natural instinct for you to push people away and hide the things that you are embarrassed about. If you are a type of person that is disorganized or enjoys seeing the mess in your living room, and you have this problem, well you better start cleaning. Clutter may just symbolize a messy and unhappy life. Not only do you improve the quality and hygiene of your home, cleaning up might mean trying to fix your personal life as well.
For others, designing a home is not just only to impress friends or colleagues on how well you choose home decors. It is also, in a way, self motivating and uplifting. For many years, Ancient Chinese believed that doing the art of Feng Shui will help give you enriched communal significance and improve your lifestyle. But whether you choose to believe in the mastery of Feng Shui or not, the important thing to a great life is to stay positive at all times. Who would want to visit a nice decorated home with an occupant that has the heart of Cruella De Ville?
About the author:
http://homedecorcenter.com/article-whole-URL-home-decor-on-a-different-level.html
Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com
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Feng Shui Symbols
Colors, elements and symbols play a very important role in Traditional Feng Shui. Chinese symbols, such as wind chimes, three-legged toads and tortoises, are vital tools that help achieve harmony and balance inside the home. Such symbols invite enlightenment and a good environmental aura.
It is important that the symbols used during the process are highly sentimental; doesn’t really matter if they are traditional Chinese symbols. Not all people can afford statues and fountains. Or in some cases, using plants or animals for Feng Shui is not possible due to home-rental agreement issues. Symbolisms can be simple candles, photographs, or even furniture and decor; as long as they portray personal value. Symbols that have stronger association or a certain bond with a person work better and are more effective and compelling. Although this is so, the positioning and certain number of symbols placed in a home is still important and needs to be highly considered.
There are a lot of things that people would want to change in their lives; aspects that we may want to amend, or in Feng Shui terms, cure. Each of these facets uses different symbols to attract positive energy flow. In example, in terms of good luck and protection, traditional Feng Shui uses the symbols dragon, tortoise and a mystic knot. It is said that these symbols will bring you not only protection but also good fortune and a full life. Whether these symbols are on something you wear like a necklace or a home décor like a figurine, it’s completely up to you.
The symbol dragon does not only work in the aspect of protection and luck, but also, when correlated with a phoenix symbol, cures Love and Relationship dilemmas. Ever heard of the saying “it takes two to tango”? Well in Feng Shui, it is said that the Love aspect is best with partnered symbols. It is because an individual item may signify a lonely unmarried or solitary life. So if you are having Love issues, use paired symbols; mandarin ducks, matching candles, or even a crystal lotus that denotes romance.
As with problems with Wealth and Prosperity, symbols such as a gold Arowana, a Koi fish, Chinese coins and three-legged toads are very effective. A lot of people, especially with the economic crisis this country is experiencing right now, are hoping for financial stability. Traditionally, live bamboo plants or water fountains that are placed in certain areas of the house also invite money opportunities.
Feng Shui symbols don’t necessarily need to be conventional Chinese illustrations or images. In the modern days, people use similar representations other than traditional Chinese figurines or symbols. As long as the symbols used attract a certain energy that allows good emotional response, they can be used in the process. And since the mastery of Feng Shui works based on intentions and objectives, the use of substitute symbols, such as personal belongings and or photographs, can also attract positive energy flow as long as it is an object that one can relate to. This is an advantage to people of different cultures, especially those that are not comfortable using traditional Chinese objects.
About the author:
http://homedecorcenter.com/article-whole-URL-feng-shui-symbols.html
Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com
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5 Feng Shui Tips for the Bathroom
The bathroom may seem to be an insignificant part of the house, but there are many taboos in feng shui when it comes to the location of toilets. In ancient China, toilets are considered to be bad feng shui. If you look at ancient Chinese buildings, you will realize that the toilets are often located in a separate building away from the house.
In modern times however, an attached bathroom is considered a luxury, and most houses have at least two bathrooms or more. Here are five bathroom feng shui taboos to observe.
1. Never locate the bathroom in the Northwest of Southwest sectors of your home. The Northwest direction of your house represents the patriarch while the Southwest direction represents the matriarch. In the household, it is important to make sure that the farther and mother enjoy good feng shui as they provide for and support for the whole family. If you already have bathrooms in these areas, and relocating them isn't an option, at the very least try to relocate to toilet bowl so that it is not directly located in those sectors.
2. For many of us the toilet is a place to relax. It is also a sanctuary after a long day’s work. Having lavish decorations in the bathrooms if the common interior design trend today. One must be careful not to be overly ostentatious in decorating the bathroom. For example, it is inauspicious to decorate the bathroom with luxurious elements such as gold, crystals, diamonds, or anything that represents wealth and prosperity. The bathroom is where waste and water gets flushed away. An overly ostentatious bathroom represents wealth being flushed away.
3. Another important tip is to never place a bathroom directly above the main door. The main door is the most important part of the home and should be kept auspicious. Having a toilet directly above the main door (on the higher floor) ruins the feng shui of your home’s entrance. This is a major taboo when it comes to bathrooms. If your bathroom is located in such a manner, you must either relocate your bathroom or the main entrance. This configuration does not only bring bad luck, but also tragedies and misfortunes.
4. Today it is common for bedrooms to have an attached bathroom. In such a configuration, one must make sure that the bed and the toilet bowl to not share the same wall.
5. The most inauspicious part of the WC is the toilet (or more specifically the toilet bowl). The bathroom, where you have your shower or bath, can be big and spacious. The toilet should be as small and as discrete as you can manage. Preferably, the toilet should be located in a different room, separated by a door. This way, you can have the bath area as big as you want and have it decorated as ostentatiously as you want it to be.
About the Author: For more practical Feng Shui Tips visit: http://www.fengshuitipstoday.com
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Ancient Chinese Fengshui Tips for the Home Explained
The ancient chinese are concerned about balancing the natural energy flows around the house. Since we normally spend most of our lives in our houses, any disruptions in the energy flows will have a serious impact on us. Not all buildings are constructed in perfect harmony with the surrounding environment and sometimes the balance can also be destroyed when a new road or house is built recently. While we believe chinese fengshui does make some sense and has logical basic fundamentals, the interpretations of the original teachings must have gone way too wild. Furthermore, the original ancient scripts were written in chinese and most of its true meanings and contexts were probably lost in the translations to western languages. Add on the cultural differences between these worlds and you can get the idea why most fengshui sayings sound funky and contradictory.
Fengshui Tips
We now list some basic fengshui tips for the home and what we think they really mean after considering ancient fengshui as a form of symbolism to affect our psyche:
- A marble table in the house is bad for one's career since it invites work stress.
What the fish? How many marble tables have you seen so far? Do you know how heavy a table made of marble is going to weigh? We think the marble table is not good for the house as it causes additional stress to the building structure.
- A red sofa set too is often said to give rise to work obstacles and troubles.
Agree. I believe most people know that red, gold and yellow are auspicious colors favored by the chinese. For important happy festivals and ceremonies such as weddings and groundbreaking, these colors are often used. For example, the traditional costume for a chinese bride is red and gold - red dress, red shoes, red head dress, gold jewellery, gold embroidery on the costumes etc. However, these same colors are not used at other times. These are powerful colors that introduce a lot of positive yang energy and there is no need for so much yang at normal times. Otherwise, the delicate balance between yin and yang will be overwhelmed.
There have been modern studies of how colors affect our mood. We know that red causes aggression (remember the bull?) so we guess a sofa which is used for lazing and lounging around should not be causing such strong emotions.
By the way, the ancient emperors have imperial robes made from golden and yellow silk, and no other person whether they are commoners and officials are allowed to wear clothes of those colors. They are so damn special that they are only reserved for the emperor. It is a capital offense to be in possession of clothes made of golden and yellow silk - they charge you for trying to rebel against the country and become the emperor yourself. So why is the emperor not subjected to the above rules on powerful colors? Well, this is a special case...he is the son of heavens after all, and we are not going to argue with someone who is allowed to have hundreds of young maidens as concubines anyway.
- Have sufficient lighting in the rooms because light is an important source of energy. In dim places where natural sun light cannot reach, color the walls with yellow paint to represent sunlight.
Just go buy a table lamp or a hip lava lamp. Do you really want a yellow cellar?
- The bed should be placed next to a wall and not pointing towards the door.
I suppose if the bed is inline with the door, it is going to get pretty chilly at night with all the winds passing from the windows towards the door.
- Remove mirrors that show reflections of yourself lying in bed.
You may get scared and thought there was another person sleeping in the room when it was just a reflection you just seen. Well, it can happen so make sure the dressing mirror does not face the bed.
- The doorway should not be obstructed with shelves, shoes and other items such that positive energy can freely enter the house.
Ehh...it is embarrassing to show an untidy doorway to your neighbors or passersby every time you open your door.
- The seats should be arranged such that anyone inside the house can see the doorway clearly.
We think this is for security reasons; you will definitely not want people sneaking into the house without you noticing.
- Placing mirrors in the room help positive energy reach dark corners in the room and help amplify the amount of light energy.
Blah, it is really difficult to design a room with many mirrors unless its a dance hall. It is also very distracting with all those reflections moving around. Remember suspense movies with mirror room scenes? We would not want to live in such a house.
- Healthy plants represent living energy and invokes the healing and nurturing vibrations of nature while dying or withered plants attract negative yin energy.
Well, rotting plants do attract lots of pests so they should be removed as soon as possible. They look untidy and people may think that the inhabitants of the house are unkempt. That is bad for your image.
- Do not place home appliances associated with water and fire together as they do will clash badly and this will cause disagreements to arise among the family members.
Does that mean it is bad to boil tap water for safe drinking? And the stove should not be placed in the kitchen where the tap and sink are located?
- Do not let children sleep on the floor or else they will fall sick frequently. Let them sleep on proper beds with space between the floor and the mattress such that beneficial positive energy can flow underneath the bed.
The floor can be awfully cold at night and it is really hard and bad for the spine. Even adults are going to get sick by sleeping on the floor. The space between the floor and the mattress is probably for air ventilation and keeps the mattress fresh and cool.
- Positive energy flows can be disrupted by clutter and mess in the house. Positive energy should be allowed to flow freely in the house from one room to the other.
We think it is awkward to walk around in the house if it is messy and there are a lot of unwanted stuff lying around. You just feel uneasy if your room resembles a pig sty rather than a living quarter fit for humans.
- Keep the bathroom clean and its door should be closed all the time in order to avoid its negative energy to flow into the rest of the house.
We serious believe funky smells to be a form of negative energy so this rule should be strictly complied with. Just in case, make sure everyone in the house flush properly after using the bathroom.
- All the doors in the house should be closed and locked during night time as you sleep such that domestic relationships are benign and no health problems will arise.
Anyone will be seriously worried and unable to sleep if the main door is missing and cannot be closed or locked. How can there be privacy if your bedroom door is not closed while you sleep?
There you go, some common sense interpretation of the arcane fengshui arts. Do not expect a sudden windfall after applying the above rules and you should do just fine.
Source-- http://hubpages.com/hub/Ancient-Chinese-Fengshui-Tips-for-the-Home-Explained
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Make Every Day Special With Feng Shui
When you pay the kind of attention to order, aesthetics, and positive emotion that are a part of decorating a space according to feng shui traditions, you make every day special. Feng shui is the ancient art of creating harmony in your environment so that you will be able to live a balanced and beautiful life. Having this goal reflected everywhere you look within your home will help you feel pleased and contented throughout the day. With feng shui, you can learn to cherish the balance and beauty of each moment, even when you are going about tasks that used to feel mundane and ordinary.
Many of us have experienced the difference that improving our home or workplace atmosphere can make in our attitude. Think of the last time you decorated for a party, and how good it made you feel to infuse your environment with a feeling of festivity and celebration. Feng shui works in much the same way. With feng shui, you place objects with the goal of changing the energy in a room so that it will be more positive. Feng shui creates a feeling of balance, which helps give a space an orderly and peaceful arrangement so that you will feel calm and happy when you are there. This can help you look forward to every day, not just holidays.
With feng shui, it is easy to make your home or office feel like a special place even if you don't know the first thing about interior design or aesthetics. When you decorate according to feng shui tradition, you follow a set of simple rules that will guide you as you create an environment that you and your loved ones will enjoy spending time in. Using feng shui as a guide to improving the look and feeling of an area will help you make the right decisions about everything from furniture placement to light sources. With feng shui, you will learn to create beauty so that you can enjoy it on a daily basis. When you re-create your home environment or your work space according to feng shui principles, you will be increasing the aesthetic pleasure that you get at all times.
There is no limit to how much incorporating feng shui into your home or workplace can improve your quality of life, or increase your happiness and sense of peace. Many people don't think of themselves as aesthetically sensitive, but you will never know how much of a negative impact your decor and furniture arrangements may be having on you until you change them for the better and enjoy the results. When you spend time in an area decorated in a feng shui style, you will feel lucky to be a part of such a calm, ordered, and harmonious environment. With feng shui responsible for surrounding you with beauty on all sides, even the simplest tasks can become a treat.
Source: Free Articles
Author: languagemaster
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Love, Relationships and Feng Shui
1. If you are married or in a relationship, hang pictures of you together with your mate.
2. For married couples, place a pair of objects in the far right corner of the bedroom otherwise known as the southwest corner. A few good examples are a pair of Mandarin ducks or cranes as these are symbols of marital bliss. Another is a heart shaped figurine made from pink quartz crystal.
3. You surely have mirrors in the bedroom. If they are facing the bed, relocate them because it reflects the couple on the bed. Some believe that this will cause a failure in the relationship because of the entry of a third party. Believe it or not, televisions are just as negative as mirrors do get rid of it.
4. As for the bed, make sure that this is not in direct line to the door. This is because the dead take your with your feet first. It should also be accessible from three sides as this will allow you to keep your partner.
5. You should always treat yourselves to fresh flowers and once they wilt, replace it. Never put these in the southwest corner of the room as this will clash with the element of romance, namely earth.
6. If there are any abstract, dark or sad artworks in the bedroom, take it out. These things encourage negativity when this room should be peaceful and safe for those who sleep there. You can replace it with a painting of Peonies, love birds or silk flowers as these represents love.
7. You must never work out in the bedroom because this represents hard work that is often a hindrance of romantic space.
8. Should the bedroom doors squeak, fix it because it blocks romantic energy from entering the bedroom.
9. For those who have toilets and unfortunately this is located on the south west corner of the room, don’t worry because you can fix it by hanging a five rod wind chime.
10. The bedroom should be well ventilated so old energy moves out of the room.
11. It will also be a good idea to buy yourselves a gift as this symbolizes your relationship. Put this in a prominent place in the room or the home so you are able to remember your partner.
12. But what if you are still single? Well Feng Shui may also work for you. You do this by making a wish list of what qualities you want in an ideal partner and also the ideal relationship. These are two different things and when you write it, be specific. It may not happen today or tomorrow but one day, your ideal partner will show up and you can have your dream come true.
Feng Shui can help you keep the love alive in your relationship by blocking out negative things and then embracing those that are positive. This may mean relying more of Yin which symbolizes femininity more than Yang which is masculinity but it is all good as this causes a healthy balance with the opposite sex.
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Advantages of Applying Feng Shui in Your Life
The good thing about the different options pertaining to Feng Shui is that even the layman can actually be able to understand and apply it immediately in their homes without having to spend too much. And apart from that, there are other advantages that only Feng Shui can bring if you can actually open up your mind to try it.
Advantage Number 1: It brings balance to one’s life
Have you ever found yourself completely overburdened with clutter and unnecessarily stressed out of your wits? Chances are, you are suffering from a visual imbalance of some sort in your surroundings. Now, the best way to introduce some sense of balance is by incorporating elements that provide you with a sense of control in the outer balance of things. If you are able to get some semblance of balance even in things as menial as your furniture, you are bound to find balance in other aspects equally manageable.
Advantage Number 2: It helps you become more mindful of the little things
Mindfulness in the little things can actually be a good thing. Some of us tend to be heavily focused on the big things of life that even the minor details like home arrangement and office ergonomics no longer come to play. When these “minor” aspects of life continue to take a backseat, they tend to accumulate and produce a very stressful environment which can add up to other problems and worries of life.
Advantage Number 3: It opens up possibilities of meeting new people
Meeting new people is another bonus of being a Feng Shui enthusiast. When you are applying Feng Shui, chances are, you will be able to find another person within your social network who likes the same stuff and can even help you expand your knowledge on Feng Shui, no matter how limited it is to begin with.
Advantage Number 4: It gives a fresh perspective on things
At any given time, a fresh perspective is always welcome. This positive perspective can invite changes for the better. A new way of looking at home arrangement, for example, may actually serve to benefit you in the long run. The fresh perspective brought about by Feng Shui can actually bring about an enrichment of one’s mind.
Advantage Number 5: It invites prosperity and success
The main objective of Feng Shui is to invite all the good things to one’s life. Prosperity and success can be more easily within reach and a positive disposition may be expected if Feng Shui is practiced well.
Advantage Number 6: It has aesthetic appeal
On top of all the enumerated benefits of Feng Shui, the best would probably be its beauty. The physical appeal of a well-decorated home, interspersed with good Feng Shui techniques, is actually something that you can call a personal heritage that can transcend generations and promote beauty in all aspects, including design of the home and the office.
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