Feng Shui Paint Colors for Relaxation

Guest User May 5, 2021

A lot of us are living modern, speedy lives these days, and so we’re seeking ways to find more relaxation and harmony in our environments. We want to feel less rushed and less anxious, which can be a challenge with everything that’s going on around us. Through feng shui, we can work on creating more relaxation and ease in our homes and our lives.

One of the simplest ways to shift your environment and your feng shui is through color, including paint colors. I know it may seem daunting to repaint your space, but it’s actually pretty noncommittal. It doesn’t take as long as many other home projects, and if you don’t like the color you choose, you can always change it. If you really don’t have the bandwidth to paint your walls, you could instead get a blank canvas and paint that. You can also bring in color with accents like pillows, blankets, rugs, drapes, or even small items like candles or crystals.

Colors can have a strong impact in terms of creating an ambiance and shifting your mood. Most of us are visual people, and we’re very affected by what we see. That’s one of the reasons that feng shui is so important: not only do we move through spaces physically, we also focus on visual cues. (That’s why our phones and Instagram are so attractive — they activate our vision!) The color we surround ourselves with makes a big difference.

Feng shui is inspired by nature, so when we talk about relaxing colors in terms of feng shui, think about the colors you see most often in the natural world. Those are usually the most tranquil.

Here are a few colors you can try out in your home to create a more relaxing environment:

Blue: Use relaxing tones of blue to create a meditative feeling. Think of the pale blue of the sky, or the deep, dark blue of the ocean, and how these make you feel. Blue can create a quiet, settling sensation, like an exhale or letting go of tension.

Green: Greens represent tranquility and the wood element. There can be very vibrant greens, but for a peaceful, relaxing feeling we want to look at deep and pale greens. Bright green can be very active and stimulating, so choose something more subtle if your goal is relaxation.

Brown: Browns bring in the earth element — think of the earthy tones of sand and soil that remind us of being grounded in the earth. Pale browns can be reminiscent of sand on the beach, and darker browns call to mind the steadiness of a strong tree trunk, or the support of Mother Earth below you.

Purple: While this might be less common in the natural world, I find that pale and deep violets can be very balancing and relaxing. They can also invite more inner peace and support self-worth and abundance.

by Anjie Cho

If you’d like to learn more about feng shui, check out Mindful Design Feng Shui School at: www.mindfuldesignschool.com

Feng Shui for Prosperity

Guest User April 21, 2021

I wanted to share a little about feng shui and prosperity. Something I’ve noticed in my most prosperous clients is that they all frequently make changes in their home.

This is an important thing to do to invite more prosperity and good qi. My business partner Laura Morris always has a home project she’s working on, and I’m actually doing a renovation this year. Many of my clients renovate some part of their home every year.

I think we can all visualize visiting a relative who hasn’t made any changes to their house in years. I once went to somebody’s parents’ home, and they literally had furniture from the sixties and seventies, and it even had a certain smell because it had aged.

Of course, you want to reuse and upcycle things as much as possible. At the same time, there’s an importance in changing the energy of your home, in having home projects and investing time, energy, and money into improving your home.

If renovating isn’t within your budget, or you live in a rental, there are also very simple changes you can make. One thing you can do is change your bed linens each year. Your bed is a great place to make changes, because it’s the part of your home that’s closest to you. You spend so much passive time in bed when you’re really absorbing the energy around you. You want to buy the highest quality linens possible — if you can, go for organic, non-toxic, ethically made products. It really does make a difference to invest in high quality changes in your home.

There are a few things you can do with your retired linens so that they don’t go to waste. I like to use them as picnic blankets. You can also call your local animal shelter, and they’ll usually take them for the rescue animals. Another option is to take them to a textile recycling center where they can be reused for things like packing materials. It’s important to be mindful of what you let go of, and making sure you are recycling, repurposing, or passing them on to someone else who can use them.

If getting new bed linens feels like a lot for you, you can also repot your plants. The idea is to constantly look at the qi in your home, and make sure that you’re not letting your home, your life, or the energy fall stagnant. Dust is a huge indication from the phenomenal world that this part of your life is falling stagnant. If you have a shrine or altar that’s collecting dust, for example, what does that mean about your spiritual life? There might even be a whole room or closet in your home that hasn’t been touched in a while, that’s collecting dust and stagnant energy.

You deserve to have a nice home. You deserve to make improvements to your home that support you, whether that’s a big renovation or something as simple as changing your linens or repotting your plants. Making changes in your home shifts the qi, so I hope you are able to invite more prosperity by finding something you can change in your home!

by Anjie Cho

If you’d like to learn more about feng shui, check out Mindful Design Feng Shui School at: www.mindfuldesignschool.com

7 Tips to Make the Most of a Small Space

Anjie Cho March 10, 2021

Do you have a space you label cozy (as a code word for small)? Whether you’re living in a studio apartment or you’ve got a bonus room that could use just a tad more bonus, squeezing a little more from the space you’ve got is as easy as these seven tips.

Hidden storage

You’ve got stuff, and that stuff needs a place to go. Having it out in the open can make even a large room look cluttered. Invest in items like an ottoman or bench with storage hidden under the seat. Look for tables with drawers or compartments. If it can double as storage and it fits your aesthetic, it’s worth considering.

Create illusion

There are a number of ways you can create the impression of more space without actually having more space. Mirrors and glass will reflect light, which in turn creates the illusion of a bigger room. A glass topped table, a mirror placed just right on the wall and artwork framed behind glass are all great options. In a similar vein, remember that rule about hanging artwork at eye level? Ignore it. Hanging your wall art a bit higher than usual will draw the eye up creating the impression of higher ceilings and, in turn, a bigger room.

Go big

It sounds all wrong, but putting larger pieces in a small space can actually make the room look and feel bigger than it is. You’ll want furniture that multi-tasks to make this work. Use small bookshelves for end tables or nightstands, or place that bench with storage in the seat strategically at the foot of your bed. Be careful not to overcrowd the room. A few well selected pieces will do the trick.

Let the light in

A dark room is a visually small room. Look for light. airy window treatments. Even better, choose curtain rods that are wider than your windows, and hang the side panels outside the window frame. This will allow your delicate curtains to frame – rather than enclose and block the window. Place your mirror on an opposite wall to reflect the sunlight as it streams through.

Go outside the lines

In an attempt to maximize minimal space, people tend to place their furniture flush to the wall. The extra bit of room you may pick up doing it that way, however, can make the space less functional and awkward. Decorate in triangles. For example, place your sofa against a wall and then angle a chair away from the wall to face the sofa. Use an area rug to define the area.

Edit

Don’t overfill the space. Your favorite collection doesn’t need to be all out on display. Every square inch of shelf doesn’t need to be filled. That library of music you once accumulated on CD can be pared down to the music you actually still listen to on CD.

Vertical climb

Don’t let vertical space go to waste. The space above furniture is ideal for shelving and art work. Plus, remember: the more there is to draw the eye up, the larger those walls will appear.

by Anjie Cho

If you’d like to learn more about feng shui, check out Mindful Design Feng Shui School at: www.mindfuldesignschool.com