Feng Shui Home Decorating for Beginners

Implementing feng shui by decorating your home is not as hard as it might seem. When reading about feng shui it can be easy to become very confused. There are many different "schools" which can contradict each other at times.

It can also be confusing because the different schools talk about sectors. Since different schools use different methods (the bagua or a compass) to determine areas, it can add more confusion to the mix. However, sectors mainly serve as a diagnosis where to place cures when something does not feel or flow right in your home.

You don't have to "believe" in feng shui for it to "work" as it's not magic, a spell or anything of the sort. Feng shui simply translates to wind and water, which are energy. When decorating your home according to feng shui it means to simply be aware of what you are doing, how to balance the five elements, and to keep enough space for energy to flow.

Decorating according to feng shui can be broken down into three simple steps: De-cluttering, placement, and balancing

De-cluttering

Energy can't flow in a cluttered space. Since the basic concept of feng shui is in the flow of energy, de-cluttering sets the foundation. Just like a house can't be built without a foundation, you can't decorate in a dirty, cluttered house. This includes spaces that visitors can't see, such as closets and drawers. If you have many small items, it's best to organize them in containers and organizers.

Not only does clutter keep new and prosperous energy from flowing into your life, but old and stagnant energy stays attached to old items and impedes your progress. The saying "if your hands are open to giving, they are open to receiving" does have truth to it. Do not hesitate to give away things you no longer use.

Placement

Once you have a clean, de-cluttered environment, plan the layout of your furniture. It doesn't matter if you have just moved and are buying new items, or want to re-decorate an existing layout. You can work with what you already have.

When placing your furniture, you want to avoid sharp angles and corners, as well as crowding spaces. A bed should ideally be placed diagonal to the door. If this is not possible due to layout, still avoid lining your bed up directly with the door.

Correct feng shui placement also includes avoiding certain objects in certain areas. Personal bedrooms should be free of family portraits and religious symbols. Place those items into a family room, or your stairwell, instead. Computers and other type of electronics should also not be placed into bedrooms. If there really is no alternative, cover them up at night with fabric.

Bathrooms should never hold any type of kitchen utensils. For example, many people drink coffee in the morning and leave their cups on the sink - this should be avoided. The reasoning behind this is quite simple: Bathrooms are about cleansing as well as eliminating waste. Hence, anything that has to do with nourishing the body should not take place there.

Balancing

Feng shui teaches about five elements: earth, metal, fire, wood, and water. It is best if each area in your house has all five elements represented in equal amounts. This can be achieved by use of colors, fabrics, shapes, and materials.

Wood and metal are pretty self-explanatory. Since most furnishings are made of either material, be careful about adding pictures. Trees and flowers, living ones or pictures of those, symbolize wood as well. However, images of deserts and landscapes symbolize earth. To bring in other earth elements, decorate by using ceramics, square shapes and yellow earth tones.

Indoor fountains, glass, mirrors, as well as paisley and tie-dye patterns can represent Water. Blue and black are the colors of Water according to feng shui as well. Fire is represented not only by candles and the color red, but electronics as well. Animal designs and patterns, silk fabrics, and geometric or triangular shapes add fire also.

What about all the trinkets you see advertised online as feng shui items, such as bells, flutes, crystals, chimes, figurines, carvings, etc? These are cures or enhancers, once problems arise. However, without the basics of de-cluttering, correct placement, and balance those would be useless.