Stale Nursery Trends It’s Time to Say Goodbye To

featured on Domino by Caroline Biggs

Ask any parent-to-be and they’ll probably say the same thing: Half the fun of prepping for a baby is designing the nursery. But before you go pinning up a storm on Pinterest, it’s important to take a minute to think about the trends that are actually worth putting in your little one’s room. While some ideas might offer initial appeal—much like other outdated home décor crazes—a lot of nursery fads are fleeting.

Luckily, we have a lot of designer friends to call upon for help. We asked these interior aficionados what nursery trends are on their way out, and they had a lot to share. From animal prints to crib mobiles, read ahead for the trends the experts say it’s time to bid adieu to.

Gendered Colors

As gendered stereotypes become more and more passé in the real world, it’s no surprise that hip designers are making a concerted effort to create gender-neutral nurseries.

“Gender roles in society are beginning to be revisited, and so are the traditional go-to hues (i.e. pink for girls and blue for boys) used in nurseries,” says designer Anjie Cho. “Gray—my favorite is Benjamin Moore’s Gray Owl—is the new yellow of non-gendered nursery colors; it works with pastels and is both soothing and neutral.”

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If you’d like to learn more about feng shui check out the Mindful Design Feng Shui certification program. Laura Morris and I launched our program in September 2018. To get on the list about it, sign up at: www.mindfuldesignschool.com.

Mindful Design is a new way to learn feng shui. Our unique training program takes an holistic approach to learning the art of feng shui design. Mindful design is about becoming aware, and attentive, to the energy around you: both inner and outer qi. It is about promoting a better way of living and creating sacred spaces that support, and nourish.

Q&A Sunday: Self-Sabotaging Love

I'm not sure if there is a way to answer this question with feng shui, but it's worth a try! I am a single woman hoping to find lasting romance. I've done most of the suggested feng shui adjustments to welcome love into my life, and I find that I have no problem finding interested men, but I seem to self-sabotage with my anxiety. For the past year, I've noticed a pattern of becoming paranoid and distrustful of men I'm involved with, and that almost always leads to me pushing them away or running them off. Is there a feng shui adjustment that can help with this?

April S., Philadelphia, PA

Hi April,

Thank you for your question. I think there are probably a lot of people who feel the same way you do, so I’m glad you asked the question. It does sound like you have a good idea of what your personal issues are, that they revolve around anxiety and trust. This is definitely the toughest thing when it comes to love — being vulnerable. 

When clients approach me about love and relationships, I ask a series of questions that can best help me to determine what feng shui adjustments would be the most appropriate. You already answered some of these. Are you meeting people? Yes. Are you meeting people that you’re interested in and that are interested in you? Sounds like a yes. But is it really? It is also possible that you have not met anyone who is worthy of your trust as well. That you are simply not meeting the right people. But from your words, it sounds like the main issue is that you fear being vulnerable. 

The Career/Path in Life area of the feng shui bagua map is related to fear and water. There is a fear of opening your heart and being hurt. But if we never risk anything and stay safe, then there is no chance for love. Also, there’s also the importance of seeing the situation clearly, rather than what our conditioning colors. The first thing that comes to mind for clarity is for you to clean your windows. The windows symbolize your eyes. If you can’t see the reality of the situation, it’s easy to remain closed off, and you may miss opportunities. Once you can see things as they truly are, then you can trust your experience and know what to accept and what to reject. And then there is less fear.

The second part is related to Knowledge and Self-Cultivation. There is more you can do there. Work on the anxiety and trust issues. Where do they come from, and are they still useful? Feng shui is by no means a substitution for good mental health. So take care of yourself and ask for help. I used to also have a lot of anxiety, and meditation has really helped me. I also have mentors, teachers and community all around me to support me on this path. A simple exercise of writing an affirmation 27 times each day for 27 days while sitting in the center of your bed can activate the Health area, which impacts the entire bagua on your bed. I’m thinking something along the lines of “I am ready to open my heart and be vulnerable.” You can take the affirmations from each page, tuck them into a sealed red envelope and place them in the Relationship area of your bed (top right), under the mattress. 

Thank you for being willing to share and asking for insight on this. Remember that the mundane is just as important as the metaphysical, so please take care of yourself and take time for wellness. When you work with this and the suggested adjustments, you may find your heart opening to new experiences and opportunities.

by Anjie Cho

If you’d like to learn more about feng shui check out the Mindful Design feng shui cerfication program. Laura Morris and I launched our program in September 2018. Check us out at www.mindfuldesignschool.com

Mindful Design is a new way to learn feng shui. Our a unique training program takes an holistic approach to learning the art of feng shui design. Mindful design is about becoming aware, and attentive, to the energy around you: both inner and outer qi. It is about promoting a better way of living and creating sacred spaces that support, and nourish.

Thanks for reading our "Q&A Sunday".  We will be answering questions submitted by our readers. Click here to submit any Feng Shui or Green Design questions!

An architect's guide to creating holistic spaces

featured in Irish Examiner by Carol O’Callaghan

Tradition and modernity combine in a new book by architect Anjie Cho who takes the art of mindfulness into the organisation of our homes, helping us to lead healthier lives, writes Carol O’Callaghan

Architect Anjie Cho is about to revive our interest in the ancient Chinese practice of feng shui with her new book, Holistic Spaces: 108 Ways to create a Mindful and Peaceful Home. Drawing on her own approach to interior design, it aims to create supportive and nurturing environments for the inhabitants.

As a one-time prolific reader of anything feng shui related, and never knowingly passing an advertisement for a Saturday seminar on the subject, I would say the most challenging aspect of feng shui is getting to grips with the bagua — a floor plan of the home divided into nine areas relating to different aspects of life — work, relationships and health, for example.

…read full article

If you’d like to learn more about feng shui check out the Mindful Design Feng Shui certification program. Laura Morris and I launched our program in September 2018. To get on the list about it, sign up at: www.mindfuldesignschool.com.

Mindful Design is a new way to learn feng shui. Our unique training program takes an holistic approach to learning the art of feng shui design. Mindful design is about becoming aware, and attentive, to the energy around you: both inner and outer qi. It is about promoting a better way of living and creating sacred spaces that support, and nourish.