Feng Shui for Interior Design

The basic principles ascribed to by the ancient art of Feng Shui are, in fact, fairly rational whether you believe it or not. Studies show that property sales slowdown in December and January when the Thais take time out to celebrate both the traditional and the Chinese New Year. There are many close cultural ties between the two nations and a number of Thais nowadays appear to ascribe to traditional Chinese astrology and Feng Shui beliefs.

Making Sense of Feng Shui

When translated into English, Feng Shui means wing and water and this system of beliefs are based on the theory that energy flows through everything. The school of thought is that every type of energy forms patterns that are both opposing and complimentary at the same time – a lot like the yin and yang. Feng Shui is the practice of placing objects in such a manner so that they allow the proper flow of energy. The placement of each everyday object is important and can have a direct impact on the luck of the inhabitants.

Feng Shui Common Beliefs

A number of property agents have discovered that good Feng Shui wofs usa can help to close a deal and bad Feng Shui can lead to it falling off.

Nowadays many people, including Westerners, are practitioners of Feng Shui. There are a number of schools of thought on the topic but, at the end of the day, it boils down to what each and every person believes and what puts them at ease.

1) The Building Structure

When it comes to Feng Shui principles, curved buildings are much more beneficial than buildings with sharp corners and angles – these are representative of the fire element and this is not the best idea for a residence. From a design point of view, buildings that feature sharp angles usually make less efficient use of floor space and are not ideal when it comes to building homes – particularly if the building tapers to a point and thus reduces the area that is available on the upper floors. From experience, I have found that a rectangular shape is best for residences but that a lightly curving structure is a lot more interesting. One does, however, need to maintain a balance between the two or risk the loss of functionality.

2) Ventilation

In Feng Shui a lot of emphasis is placed on maintaining a good air flow and excellent ventilation, particularly in areas like living rooms and bedrooms. There should be windows in every room but this is not always practical in smaller constructs. When it comes to larger buildings, the design should be carefully planned in order to allow enough ventilation in every room and to have plenty of windows. All rooms should have windows, including kitchens and bathrooms and you will find that this is going to become an advantage when you sell the property.

3) Water Features

When it comes to Feng Shui and water, water is considered very important. Every home should have a water feature. Adding fish ponds or lotus ponds can help the aesthetic value of the property whilst also being beneficial in terms of Feng Shui principles. If you live in a condominium, you could add an aquarium or make sure that you have a clear view of water.

4) Access, entrance and exit

Being easily able to access your home is good Feng Shui and this also makes sense when it comes to traditional design principles. You ought to be able to conveniently access those entrances and, should you stay in a condo, you should have good traffic flow in the car park. The entrance should be clearly labelled and easy to see, even at night.

5) Lighting

Feng Shui also rates lighting as very important and so does general design. Lights both indoors and outdoors ought to be bright, especially when it comes to office buildings. Take a 7-Eleven as a great example of proper lighting principles.

6) Unit features

There are a number of things to consider when it comes to designing the interior layout of any units. Attention should be focused on the main bedroom and living area. The living area needs to embody Yang energy – it ought to be bright, airy and have lots of ventilation and a great deal of movement. The balcony should be an extension of the living room rather than the bedroom because the balcony incorporates movement from the natural world. This makes sense in both the traditional design worlds and the Feng Shui world.

When it comes to the bedroom, the headboard of the bed should never share the same wall as any toilets as it is thought that this will cause illness. When it comes to design considerations, it would be pretty noisy. Mirrors should never be opposite your bed according to Feng Shui and this also holds true for design principles as most people would prefer not to view their reflections on waking. In fact, most Feng Shui masters would advise against having any mirrors in the bedroom as mirrors represent the Yang energy and this would disturb the peace of the room. Mirrors are suited to areas that need energy such as living areas and areas you eat in.

7) Direction

In Feng Shui it is not always a specific direction that is favoured over all others but it relies on specific circumstances and a number of variables. A number of Asians shy away from west-facing units because they want to avoid the heat at sunset but this denies them excellent views. Buildings that made good use of Western aspect like St Regis Residences, The Lake and 185 Rajadarmi are sold fairly easily.

8) Colour Scheme

Dark colours are generally best steered clear of unless conditions are right according to Feng Shui and, generally speaking, most buyers tend to prefer a colour scheme that tends to be lighter. Black or dark colours are used primarily with other colours and should never be used at the front of residential buildings or their entrances.

When it comes down to it, however, these principles need to be practically implementable if they are to work. One needs make sure that your beliefs are tempered with a dose of practicality.