Feng Shui Living-Room
In feng shui, remember the acronym CANES: Colour, Animal
symbols, Number, Elements, and the Seasons as guidelines for your
accessories, interior and architectural designs.
The living room, sitting room or you may call it a family room-
this particularly important living space in your home is where family members
and friends often gather to be entertained, pass the time, and share a variety of
feelings and experiences. It has to be conducive
to feelings of welcome and comfort.
Here are some helpful hints:
- An unobstructed movement of
cosmic energy, called chi, is one of the attributes of good feng shui and
traditional Chinese medicine. To facilitate maximum chi flow and your good
health, keep the design and décor of your living room functional and simple by
using additional colour, lights, plants, reflective objects, blinds, screens
and furniture arrangements. Plus remove
the clutter in your home in general to facilitate this flow throughout.
- Ideally the front door should not
lead straight into the living room. If the living room leads directly onto the
street or if several doors lead into the room, it can leave you feeling
vulnerable. If the house or apartment is small, but if the living room is
large, block the force of the incoming ch’i with a screen, bookcase, wall or
some other such partition. In contrast a dark, confined living space creates
oppressive conditions.
- Arrange your furniture to provide
protection from the rush of energy that can enter through a doorway or large
window and do not face them towards sharp corners or angular objects which cut
through beneficial energy.
- Do not place the sofa directly
opposite any door; you will be inundated with the rush of oftentimes negative
ch’i each time that door opens. This will leave you feeling drained and
vulnerable.
- Nor should you place the back of
the sofa directly in line with any door. This will leave you vulnerable and
unprotected as well. If this is
unavoidable, at least placing wind chimes over the door will alert you when
someone is entering the room.
- Do not position the sofa or
chairs under a beam: this could cause financial ruin or ill health.
- Ideally the sofa, a key item of
furniture that is used most frequently, should have the support of a wall or another
piece of furniture such as low bookcase, shelving unit or screen behind
it. The same principle applies for
armchairs. This position allows you a certain
security and control, as you are able to see the individuals entering the room.
- The height of a ceiling plays an
important role in the living room. For instance, if the ceiling is too high in
proportion to the size of the room, chi rises and disperses, and if the ceiling
is too low, chi is condensed and cramped.
- If the room is full of alcoves
and corners energy may be caught and trapped, so do not clutter these areas.
- I repeat, do not crowd the room
with ornaments, sharp objects and angular furniture. Beneficial ch’i moves more
freely around curved edges and symmetrical arrangements.
- Cramped passageways between
furniture are to be avoided as they limit the circulation of beneficial ch’i
and at the same time funnel negative ch’i.
- Organize lights in a way to
establish an easy, relaxing ambiance. Avoid using bright fluorescent tubes or
bulbs directly above your head as this may cause headaches and vertigo.
- If an open concept dominates the
floor plan, and the kitchen and living room are in plain view of each other,
screen off the kitchen area to prevent smells and steam filling the area where
you sit and relax watching T.V. Clear
away left-over food and empty the kitchen waste bins frequently.
- If the living room is L- shaped,
do not crowd the narrower part of the room with furniture and ornaments.
Instead, place lamps in these dark corners.
- Large windows or patio doors
allows too much ch’i to escape the room, particularly if they are juxtaposed. (Opposite
to each other). In this case, make good use of curtains or blinds to restrict
the loss of energy.
- If the back door and front door
face each other, it means that your wealth will fly away.
- You should not have a lavatory
door opening directly into the living room.
- Keep your walls balanced with an
equal amount of covered and uncovered space. Have the proper balance of male
and female images in the artworks displayed.
- Avoid displaying images of predatory animals
and their fallen prey. Images of death and violence emanate negative
energy. Instead, decorate the room with
uplifting art and images that inspire and calm you during your day.
- Position the spines of the books
so that they are all flush with the edges of the open (or closed) bookcase
shelves.
- Keep lots of healthy green plants
in your family room. They will keep the peace when everyone assembles
there.
The End