If you have ever Googled “home decorating tips”, then you’ve probably come across a myriad of articles, blogs, guides and a ton of other advice pertaining to sprucing up your new abode. So where to start? How does one decide on a particular style or design without compromising on comfort or quality?
Before committing to a living room lavishly decorated with the best that your local Swedish provider of ready-to-assemble furniture has to offer, or a bedroom fit for a Sultan, bear in mind the art of feng shui and how it can guide your home decorating styles in a wholesome and practical manner.
What is feng shui anyway?
We’ve often heard about feng shui, an ancient belief that revolves around the art of placement, but we may not completely understand how it works. For the uninitiated, feng shui can enhance the flow of spiritual energy (also known as “chi”) while bringing peace, harmony and balance to all aspects of our life.
In this article, you’ll find out how feng shui home decorating tips can positively affect your life and how it might be the best foundation you need before decorating and renovating your new home.
Feng shui colours mood chart
Red: Power, passion and strength
Suggested use: Living room, dining room, upholstery, flowers
Green: Healing, nature, peace
Suggested use: Potted plants in kitchen, bedroom, bathroom or paintings in home office
Orange: Joy, energy, creativity
Suggested use: Pillows or cushions in living room
White: Cleanliness, purity
Suggested use: Bathroom and kitchen, use sparingly as too much white in rooms will appear cold
Blue: Confidence, tranquility, faith
Suggested use: Accents and decor in bedroom, living room and bathroom
Purple: Wealth, romance
Suggested use: Accents in living room, wall paint in bedroom
1. Forget symmetry
OCD and feng shui do NOT mix. Each one of us has a little bit of OCD in us and we probably like things arranged in a certain symmetrical manner, but when it comes to feng shui and home decorating tips, it’s probably best to focus on balance instead. Energy should always flow, so do think outside the box (and the rug, and the border, and the shelf!) and you’ll discover a wealth of pleasing textures and forms.
2. Avoid placing the bed on the same wall as the door
Most of feng shui has to do with identifying the most practical steps to improve our life, and this tip is a good example of how this is done. Placing your bed against a wall that’s away from the door will help prevent you from waking up due to the sound of opening and movement of doors, so as to ensure a good night’s sleep, every night.
3. Keep chi energy circulating
Keep the good vibes going by hanging a simple energizing crystal from the ceiling towards the center of the room. If you think it’s too cheesy, opting for a minimalist-style crystal lamp in the bathroom will ensure good circulation of Chi energy before you go to work each day.
4. Do not hang or place any clock facing or above any window and door
One of my favourite lines in the Rocky movies goes like this: “Do you like having a good time? Then you need a good watch!” Delightfully cringeworthy as it is, what’s more important in feng shui is the position of the clock or timepiece in your home. You should not place clocks above a window or door nor facing them. Because a clock mimics the same properties as a mirror, it will disrupt your Chi when placed above or facing a door. Besides, you will feel as if time is moving too fast and you’ll experience immense pressure all day.
5. Choose your plants and flowers wisely
Plants are not just pleasant to look at, they also make represent certain meanings that will help boost your new home feng shui. For example, the peony represents true love and feminism, so if you’re looking to attract meaningful relationships, seek out a good peony plant or two and place them in the southwest area of your living space. Other flowers to consider include chrysanthemums (joy and optimism), the money plant (for prosperity, what else?) and lilies (for meditation and calmness).
6. Avoid hanging anything over the bed
How would you like it if there is a heavy object hanging over you as you sleep each night? Not very comforting, I’m sure. If the chandelier is already in your bedroom in the first place, try moving your bed elsewhere so that it is not hanging directly above your head as it may disturb your Chi and much-needed tranquility as you rest.
7. Water is life
Water is easily one of the best feng shui boosts you can receive when you need home decoration ideas. Long considered a bringer of good luck, wealth and prosperity, a body of flowing water is usually placed facing the front door to attract positive Chi as well as to invite it into the house. If you can’t afford a lavish fountain, do consider a simple aquarium with flowing water that’s easy to maintain and pleasant to look at.
8. Avoid clutter
It’s extremely tempting to over-decorate a new home before moving in, but for the love of feng shui, do take caution not to go overboard. Decorating your living space with too many embellishments will cause clutter, and this is the last thing you need to make you feel welcome at your own home.
9. Incorporate doubles in every room
Single people, rejoice and say goodbye to unsavoury characters on Tinder, because feng shui may help you find your other half with the right adjustment to your furniture. If you’re keen on starting a new relationship, don’t surround yourself single imagery. Go for doubles instead. Think double chairs, double matching picture frames on the side table, or a symbolic image like a pair of mandarin ducks which is usually a sign of everlasting love in ancient China.
10. Buy a round dining table
Besides fostering togetherness and harmony (why’d you think round tables are a hit in cafes?), buying a round dinner table for your dining room may be one of your best investments yet. However, if you can’t make room for a big round table, a square wooden table made on top of a rug would turn the dining room into a warm and inviting space.
11. Be the captain of your life with the Command Position
A feng shui concept popularly practiced worldwide is the Command Position which guides you on how to take charge and ensure stability, as well as putting you in the best position to deal with whatever walks into the door and your life. To feel comfortable in charge, you should arrange the key piece of furniture in each room that adheres to this concept. In the bedroom, the bed is the centrepiece that should be in view of the main doorway without being in direct line with it. This secures your “power spot” and strengthens your control over your life, no matter what room you’re in.
12. Keep the bedroom low-tech and comfortable
In this busy day and age, it’s understandable that most of us can’t help but be surrounded by tech and gadgets, but it is important to remember that the bedroom is no place for work and disruptions. Save yourself from sleepless nights (and lots of money!) by not placing a fancy flat-screen TV in your bedroom. Keep laptops, tablets and smartphones out of the bedroom if you can, and instead surround yourself with passion and rejuvenation (think: cozy drapes over windows).
13. Place furniture on rugs
If you’ve never been a rug person, this article may convince you to head out and buy one now. Not only are rugs add that extra bit of warm and pleasing element to your home, but it’s also good for feng shui. When placed on rugs, key furniture pieces can be arranged to invite harmony and support good communication. Placing the front legs of tables or chairs on a rug in the living room will create a hotspot that radiates warmth.