Most of the clients I receive calls from have read a book (or two, or three) about Feng Shui. They call either because the books confused them so much or some scare them so badly they are afraid to touch a thing. No doubt there are many books out there that use scare tactics and to me, that's a shame. Feng Shui is meant to make you feel better in your surroundings. If you change something around and it just doesn't "feel right," change it back; believe me, nothing disastrous is going to happen to you! And only YOU and other people that live in the house can actually tell how you feel in it; or can others sense it as well?
I love to show pictures when I am allowed because they often say more then a million words on Feng Shui. This particular client had read some books and went to work on her home. She changed it, readjusted it again and again until it felt good to HER. It's interesting to note that she is a delight, full of good energy and loves the look and feel of her "new" place. It's also interesting that her neighbors, who originally made fun of her new found passion in Feng Shui love the look as well! She has created an new interest on the block. And was kind enough to let me show her home.
Aside from a few Feng Shui principles, it DID feel good in there. Although it may be difficult to see, she had a wonderful balance of The Elements and had what most homes often lack, FIRE. Her couch placement was angled, it was originally flat against the window but blocked so much light; we are adding a plant there for both life force and to deflect the eye and aside from a few other principles, I didn't find much else wrong. I did wonder, though, what a stager would think of the furniture placement, colors, and balance. Do the different areas of the space make you feel like home? Are there things you would change?
By the way, KUDOS to this lovely person on Long Island, New York for allowing me to share her home with you!
The piano on the right side takes up a lot of space but is often used by this musical family.
The living room opens to the dining room, also filled with light.
I love her use of color and angles.
Ceiling fans are notoriously bad for health in Feng Shui, particularly while sleeping. It is called "Cutting Sha (Chi), the Energy from your body.
Everyone differs on colors for the kitchens but RED is the Auspicious color of Feng Shui and is enlivening and stimulating. A good place to use Red is the kitchen.
Another view of the kitchen showing a balance of the Elements.
Does this home feel good to you? I loved it, it exuded a warmth that I don't often find. I wondered what others would change because we all have different perspectives. I can tell you, though, it is wonderful to meet people who are so positive and happy! Feng Shui on Long Island, New York.
Let's see i would first remove the large cabinet in the top left corner of LR out of the room. I wuold place the couch under the window. I might angle the piano on the wall it is on now, for starters, plus take down alot of the chatchkies. Remove the chair and angle the TV. Place the chair alongside the couch by the piano.
DR-remove the tablecloth, doily on buffet, put DR chairs 2 on each side to open up space
Kitchen, great colors too much stuff on walls competing. Remove and put 1 large print on wall and centerpiece on table. Remove the garbage and stuff off of stove, remove curtain, remove tablecloth
Okay that was easy until you see the job in person and find out nothing works as you thought it would
Phyllis Pafumi
Carole - The home has a very homey feel. I know nothing about Feng Shui but I often stage with red because it photographs well. I recently did paint a kitchen a rusty terra cotta red because it had bleached cabinets and the room looked washed out with light walls and cabinets. I normally don't advise clients to paint their walls red because as Endea said not everyone likes it, but in this home it worked. Here is a pic:
Ladies, thanks for the comments. I realized no matter how careful I try to check my posts I happen to leave out important facts---like this person wasn't moving so it wasn't a staging job. She wanted a good feel to the home. As much as I love Red, I wouldn't advise painting a room that color either for staging because as Endea pointed out, many people do NOT like it---or certainly too much of it. Maureen, your picture had a great balance and gave the room a lift, thanks for posting that.
Phyllis, your post made me tired just reading it :) I couldn't angle the piano, directly on the other side was an opening to the kitchen....and that wall didn't have enough space. I agree with lightening up the dining room but she gets alot of company and wouldn't have a place to put the chairs.
Hi Carole - I'm late to the 'party' ONCE AGAIN!! but hey! I've been busy!!! :)
I can sense the love and warmth in the house...not sure that I see all of the 'elements' in each room though...can you point them out?
VAL
I always thought that dried or fake flowers (hanging over the clock) were bad Feng Shui.
Another reason that RED is a good kitchen or dining room color ... it stimulates the appetite. (how appropriate that my word graphic below is "tomato")
Val, today I was late! The elements she used for some of the rooms was color...and the ones you couldn't see were probably water elements which she had by the windows (out of view) but you can see it in the dining room with the fresh flowers in water magnified by the mirror. She used green to represent Earth but she need plants for the "life force" they give. But mostly, she had them covered in one way or another, you can't see the fire very well but it's in the pillows and artwork in the living room.....The couch bothered me either way we placed it, I don't like leaving the gap..I suggested a plant that hangs down. She's very close to me and I'm going to stop and see what changes she's made, actually.
Sandi, GOOD EYE! I checked those flower arrangements and they were silk and man made materials to hold it all together. I always loved dried flowers before this and had many of them, but the principle to me DOES make sense....it was alive and now it's dead and you're living with "dead energy." Unless it is loved for some reason (one client had her wedding flowers dried); she loved that and it brought back wonderful memories, I can't see that as being a bad thing. Other consultants would disagree and tell them to get rid of it anyway....
HI Margaret,
I was looking for you in relation to another blog. I hope I have it somewhere, I know you may have been familiar with (I think it was the 60%, 30%, 10% color rule that someone posted on? I was not familiar with it and thought you would be. I think it was James Frazier if you see this and check his posts.
Yes, that is exactly right to remove a ceiling fan and replace it with something that is not cutting you directly. Even the smaller fans had almost a shield in front of them and the floor standing ones are better as well. It can be expensive but they are related so strongly to health that I would not use them and use the lights only or remove them. Fire can be added by the Color of RED. So flowers, candles, pillows, any ornaments can be addressed with the fire element.
For the bedroom: This lovely client had gone through a split and wasn't seeking another partner right now. Normally married couples would put a wedding picture or something else over their bed but not in this pariciular case. Since she is not ready yet, I gave her suggestions for the future on what to do to attract someone GOOD into her life. And I follow up with amost all my clients so they don't have to have me back every year and can always ask questions and talk! Thanks for your comments, I am interested in what you do and have read a little about it!
Carole,
I'm so glad you shared this--I'm one of those that read the book and was totally confused! But some rooms--and whole homes--just don't feel right. Can you suggest a book that is basic and easy to understand?
Deb
Hi!
Thanks for the comments. The confusion in Feng Shui is because there are so many schools and they are all different. And then there are each person's perspective; it can be overwhelming to try to incorporate them and practicing just one method isn't enough. My favorite book was written by someone who incorporates Western methods and he was one of my mentors. The book is called "Feng Shui Made Easy" by William Spear. He doesn't have many of the principles in the book from a Black Sect method but he won't tell you to renovate a home, either. None of the books contain the true blessings for a home or business and they are essential....Homes and businesses may not "feel" good due to predecessor energy, from former occupants on or in the space. The only thing that addresses this well are the blessings which remove it.
Hey Carole - fun post! I am in the same boat as everyone else about FS...am getting ready for phase 2 of phase 1 of the love sector...no confusion there!!! The 60/30/10 rule was in one of my newsletters...click here.
i am going to have to re-read this post again then will be back...good one Carole!!!
Definitely agree with you regarding the couch. I would put the couch on the wall where the television is. In a perfect world I would not have the TV in the room if it was staged to sell. If it has to stay I would put it in an Armoire so that it can be closed up when not in use. I would put the piano facing outwards into the room so that your back is to the wall while playing it. In the picture that would be in the bottom left corner. I'm not sure if there is a wall behind the photograper so it's a bit hard to tell. The TV I would place in the bottom right corner of the picture beside the piano on the wall. The china cabinet or armoire I would place on the right side of the dining room entrance.
Bedroom: I would use bigger artwork behind the bed. I personally hate window toppers so I would change that to some nice drapes. Also I would get rid of the ceiling fan. I love the look of a chandelier in the bedroom as well. (I think someone else said that too.)
Bathroom: Remove the border. I also think there is too much wood in the bathroom. I'm no feng shui expert but maybe some more water element?
Kitchen: Looks pretty good to me, From a staging perspective I would replace the fan with a chandelier, I would also remove the flower sway and the clock. It is a little cluttered looking but as you said this is her new home so its designed for living not selling.
Overall: I like it, Again for staging I think the living room has too much stuff in it. I love the colours, they flow nicely. With the exception of the bathroom. I would have stuck to a colour that transitions from the red and olive colour. A great colour that would look fantastic with the other colours in the house is Buckhorn by Benjamin Moore.
That's my opinion ...You asked for it. :)
Hello, Carole!
I love the use of color and I'm a big fan of the natural earthy tones. Red, Terra Cotta and a "sage" green along with a pale yellow seem to be very popular in our area of Florida. Although this home feels somewhat "crowded" to me - I would definitely reduce the number of wall-hangings and/or trinkets being displayed. I agree with the water addition or perhaps stainless steel, iron and/or tile - something to give a cooler, lighter feel to the heavy, weighted feel that I get from the layered fabrics and amount of wood. It does seem like a very warm, comfortable home - I would just remove some of the bulk.
Lisa Duhamel
Virtually Ready
Carole,
Thanks for the book suggestion. We moved into a home 10 years ago that had "bad vibes" from the former owners--our real estate agent described it as emotionally abandoned. We have done lots of remodeling and filled it with fun people and good memories and I think it has positive energy now but I wish I had known about the blessings.
Thanks,
Deb
Hi Monica, Thank you for your comments. A suggestion for a water element could be a small fountain, a clear glass bowl with clear glass type "rocks" (they sell them in Bed, Bath and Beyond in all different colors) or a landscape picture of the sea. Anything that incorporates a water element.
Thank you for asking.
I have Chinese clients and they are also personal acquaintances of mine. I stopped looking for their house and let them do it themselves but I also started taking feng shui classes. I prefer the traditional feng shui over the new age western (just my humble opinion) but that was what I was most used to talking with them. They even told me that their brother has fung shui master visit his home every year to give a consultation and redo room colors specific for that particular year. i found this to be extremely interesting to have the need to repaint every year.
I have a question about the ceiling fan, please. I have never heard that a ceiling fan was bad fung shui for health! This disturbs me b/c I always sleep with my ceiling fan on, and I was wondering if this applies to only a ceiling fan, can I have a regular fan. Point is I need a fan to sleep and I would be OK if I just had to get a regular fan..please help.
Thanks
Hi Tiffany, Thank you for your response and question. I have learned the Compass Method, Black Sect and Western methods to accomate clients but I am known for teaching them the principles and topics of Feng Shui and that is too difficult to do from the compass method. Also, many of my clients could not afford to paint and change things every year. Black Sect methods allow me to teach them Feng Shui so they don't have to call me for two places---such as their home AND their office. Incorporating Western methods makes it easy and inexpensive to make changes. They have had exceptional results combining these methods and putting their INTENTION into the changes.
In answer to ceiling fans, they are considered a health hazard in Feng Shui. We watch for sharp points and "cutting" energy....spending periods of time under a ceiling fan is not at all recommended from a feng shui health perspective. Also, your body is more "open" and receptive at night, sleeping under them is not a good idea. IMO, a regular fan at least has some barriers in front of it (often looks like a cage) so it helps deflect the energy of cutting. That's what I use and recommend.