The Feng Shui Home Cleanse That Will Bring Your Intentions To Life

featured this week on MindBodyGreen

Whether you're an entrepreneur or work for a company, most of us have offices in our homes. Home offices can be a whole room, a desk at the end of the hall, or even sometimes the dining room table. In many cases, I've found that a home office comes with all sorts of challenges. The predicament that I hear most often as an interior architect and feng shui expert is "I can't get anything done! I get too distracted."

Well, there are things we can do to help with that. In feng shui, your home office is an important space, as it is a symbol of your career and affects how you succeed in the world. I'm so happy to share a few simple feng shui tips to create the perfect home office and transform how effective you are!

Location, location, location!

It's really quite important to have a spot for your home office away from the bedroom(s) and toward the front of the home. The bedroom area is about rest and relaxation. If you have trouble with focus in your home office, it's best to move the office out of the bedroom and closer to the front door. The rear of the home is more insular and more "yin," quiet and inward, whereas the front of the home is closer to the world and more "yang," outward and active. It's better to be alert and awake when you're working, especially when you have deadlines or need some motivation.

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by Anjie Cho

The Essential Elements Of A Productive Workspace (According To A Feng Shui Healer)

featured today on MindBodyGreen

Manifest the year of your dreams by going inward. Renew You 2017 is a month of mindfulness during which we’ll share content that guides you to create a deeply rooted intention for the new year. We’ll help you navigate inevitable obstacles with the latest science on habits, motivation, ritual, and more and equip you with tried-and-true techniques to outsmart even the toughest inner critic.

Many of us spend countless hours a day laboring away with projects, whether we have a job, work for ourselves, or are retired. I'm continually grateful and amazed by how my life's work has manifested in the world, thanks in part to these simple feng shui adjustments. I hope they encourage you to infuse your own workspace with love, prosperity, and wonder.

1. Rethink your desk position.

The single most important aspect of your work space's feng shui is your desk location. For maximum flow and productivity, place your desk so you can see most of the room when you're sitting there. You should be able to see the entryway, but you should not be directly in line with the door. For the most dynamic desk placement, place your desk at an angle, kitty-corner from the door. This is called the "commanding position," and it creates the most dramatic shift toward renewal, effectively clearing the space for opportunity and abundance to come your way. In case you can't move your desk, you can also place a mirror at your desk that reflects the door.

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by Anjie Cho

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Marble Countertops: Are They Right for You?

Crisp. Cool. Distinctive. Elegant. If those words are describing countertops, we must be talking about white marble. Marble is a timeless classic that is right at home in a wide range of décor styles and rooms. Whether you’re looking to finish off your kitchen, upgrade your bathroom or incorporate a workstation in a home office, marble should be on your list for consideration. Like any material, marble has its pros and cons. 

Pros

  • Classic beauty – Marble is the Audrey Hepburn of countertops: classic, timeless beauty that exudes sophistication. It’s the only natural stone that comes in bright, crisp white, with or without grey veins running through it.
     
  • It’s got personality - As a natural stone, marble offers a unique, “no-two-are-alike” style that will give your countertop its own distinctive flair. Marble doesn’t conduct heat. It’ll remain cool to the touch, a welcome feature in kitchens and spa-like bathrooms alike. With age, marble takes on a patina. If you’re intrigued by a surface that tells the story of its lifespan with you, then marble is a terrific choice. 
     
  • Affordable – Unless you’re selecting a more rare variety of marble, this natural stone tends to be within a price range that's comparable to other countertop options. In some cases, it’s even more affordable than other natural stones. 

Cons

  • It’s a softy – The same thing that gives aged marble a story to tell may be a turn-off for some. Simply put, marble is prone to staining and scratching. Even with regular sealing, marble may show traces of the red wine you once spilled in the kitchen or hints of your favorite shade of blush on the bathroom counter.

Tips for living with marble

If the pros outweigh the cons for you (and for so many of us they do!), take note of these general maintenance tips:

  • Seal your marble and reseal it at least once a year (or sooner in high use areas). A sealer doesn’t mitigate stains and scratches, but it does give you some time to respond. A splash of wine on a well-sealed countertop that’s wiped up in due time might never leave a clue that it was there. 
     
  • Be gentle when cleaning. If you wouldn’t wash your hands with it, don’t use it on your marble. Avoid acidic cleaners and abrasive cleaners or pads. Marble prefers mild soaps (such as dish detergent) and warm water with a cloth or sponge. Need something a little tougher? Look for a natural stone cleaner.
     
  • When you’re choosing your marble countertop, opt for polished finishes over honed. Polished is more stain resistant, whereas honed is more porous and prone to staining. 

If your idea of the perfect countertop is one that retains the pristine, glossy shine from the day you bought it, then marble isn’t the right choice. Conversely, if you are attracted to a countertop loaded with unique character and beauty, classic marble may be for you!

by Anjie Cho