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Homeware & Furnishings

Feng Shui: Learn how to nail the basics

A white on white bedroom.

Feng Shui has been a staple in Chinese interior design for thousands of years. With its clear and calming properties, it’s no wonder it's used in modern day decor throughout the world. The purpose of Feng Shui is to create a perfectly balanced space within the home. Great Feng Shui should uplift the mood, clear the mind, and leave you feeling calm and relaxed in your living spaces.  Are you ready to refresh your home with Feng Shui? Let’s get started.

Find a commanding position 

The commanding position is all about channeling good energies, and it applies to three key items in the home: your bed, your desk, and your stove. Your bed represents you, your desk represents your career, and your stove represents your resources and wealth.  So, what is the commanding position? Whether you’re lying in bed, standing at the stove, or working at your desk, you should be able to see the door but aren’t directly in line with it. The idea behind this is that you’ll subconsciously feel more comfortable as you can physically see when someone’s entering the room. We spend so much of our lives sleeping, working, or cooking, so it makes sense to focus on these areas. Go a step further and add style and comfort to these spaces with new bedding, a comfortable work chair or new cooking tools.

Heed the five elements 

The five elements of water, fire, earth, metal, and wood shape the overall flow and mood of the home, with each one imbuing a different energy throughout the space.  Add these five elements to your space, both in their elemental form, and through the colours they represent:

  • Fire: Red and orange colours; lamps, fireplaces, candles
  • Water: Black and blue colours; mirrors, water, glass, crystal
  • Metal: Metallic and pastel colours: metals and metallic surfaces
  • Earth: Yellow and brown colours; ceramics and pottery
  • Wood: Green and teal colours; plants and flowers

Clear away the clutter 

Many interior design styles encourage clearing away the clutter, from Scandinavian minimalism to the more modern KonMari method, from Marie Kondo’s organising style. Yet Feng Shui was one of the first to instill a clutterless home as a route to a clear mind and happiness.  The point of difference with Feng Shui is all about how an item makes you feel, rather than purely about how it looks.  Perhaps you have an uncomfortable couch you’ve been holding onto? Or a rug that’s seen better days? It’s time to say goodbye to the old and bring in the new, with pieces that bring you joy and make you want to spend time at home. Clear out the clutter and make your space your own. You could bring in a new storage solution  for crowded rooms in your house - think pretty but functional glass jars for your pantry or bathroom. Or finally getting round to organising your office with a filing system, functional desk and a trusty label maker.

Embrace natural light and wood

Bring a breath of fresh air to your home by letting in light and adding natural materials to your decor. Add warmth to any room with wooden furniture, whether you opt for a glass-topped oak coffee table or a teak dresser. Consider investing in natural stone for your worktops or even flooring, for a chic, long-lasting finish. And for a quicker-fix, add luscious plants to any room to calm your heart and clear your mind. To embrace and enhance natural light, move anything that blocks your windows and consider adding mirrors to your space. Not only do they help light bounce around your space, their connotations to water add wisdom and connection to a room. That’s something to tell your dinner party guests! 

Clear a path

Your front door and entryway are important when it comes to Feng Shui, as this is where good energy comes into your home.  Sometimes even called the ‘mouth of qi’ (chi), this area should be kept clear and open, with a clean pathway from the door into the rest of the home. If your entrance opens straight onto a wall, add a mirror to this space so it feels less like a blocked path and more like an open, welcoming space. To add character without taking up floor space, focus on adding artwork or a statement wallpaper to brighten up your walls.  Ready to create a calmer, warmer space in your home with Feng Shui? Find inspiration at Bankstown Home. Visit today and get started!   To keep up to date with all that is happening at Bankstown Home, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.