Feng Shui Rama

Decorating the Feng Shui Way

Reading the above title, you are probably already groaning. But take heart, this is not about packing a bunch of bamboo, samurais and gongs into your home, promise. Instead it is about creating an environment that is clean, filled with color, and has an instinctive flow to it.Anyone that likes to decorate knows that if you put too much into a room, it can begin to feel uncomfortable to be in. The key to decorating with the principles of feng shui is less is more. It is just that simple. The true power behind feng shui is not in the objects you put in a room, but rather the colors you bring to it. Based on ancient principles that invite positive energy into a dwelling, keeping negative energy at bay, and inciting feelings with color, feng shui can be a fun and empowering way to decorate.Colors form the foundation of feng shui, and colors should form the positive environment within your home. The first step of starting this method of decorating is also simple: get rid of the clutter. According to feng shui, clutter brings about stasis, any energy that would have been moving freely through a home gets caught up in the clutter and dies. Keeping rooms clutter-free also makes them seem lighter and more inviting.Now, onto colors. In China, the colors red, yellow and purple bring good luck. These should be used in the first room that visitors would enter through, to draw positive energy into your home. Keep in mind that you don't have to drown a room in a particular color, nor do you have to repaint or other major changes to accomplish this. The easiest way is to choose one prominent item in a room to use as a focal point for the color. In the first room, if you have a wall facing the front door, place a larger piece of artwork with one of the three colors dominant within it. Simple as that.In other rooms, decide what feeling you want to inspire. Green is the color of freshness, peace and growth. Try a green throw for a piece of furniture, or decorate the room with plants. Just remember, less is more, and keep the clutter to a minimum. A great way to tie energies to a room is with contemporary area rugs. Think about that as you walk from room to room whether the change you want to make is just the rug.Family areas should combine wood and water, or browns and blues. Bedrooms should have the colors of nature within them for peaceful rest and health. This is where you might want to use inexpensive oriental rugs and geometric rugs to anchor and tie the other rooms together into a single, vibrant flow. Decorating with feng shui is easy to do if you know what a color means, and how it can be represented. Use objects to represent colors, like plants, the veneer on furniture and artwork.