Sunday, July 28, 2013

How to Make My Bedroom Feng Shui for Teens

The teenage years are a time of transition, confusion and emotion fueled by raging hormones. Designing a teen bedroom using feng shui principles can help bring some calm to an otherwise chaotic life. This Chinese philosophy, thousands of years old, is based on promoting relaxation, success and a constant flow of qi or energy. Feng shui principles are impossible to learn overnight, but if you are redecorating a room for your teen or for yourself, you can constantly make amendments to improve your connection to the bedroom environment.



Clean out the bedroom to get rid of any clutter or unnecessary objects. If feasible, remove as many electronic devices from the space as possible; if this is not feasible, make a conscious effort to shut off all electronics at least one hour before bed time.

Paint the walls earth tones or neutral colors, such as brown, beige, taupe or ivory. If possible, incorporate this color scheme throughout the room, such as within the bedspread and flooring.

Position the bed so that it can be accessed on both sides and so that it is not in a straight line with the doorway.

Place a side table on either side of the head of the bed.

Stand in the doorway, facing the inside of the room, while consulting a bagua chart. Octagonal in shape, the bagua chart will help you map specific areas of your room as they relate to life characteristics and the five elements. The career/career prospects portion of the chart corresponds to where you are standing in the doorway. Alternatively, you can be technical and use a compass to line up the chart according to the cardinal directions; in this case, the career prospects portion of the chart corresponds to the northern part of your room. The Buzzing Kids World and Feng Shui Room Design websites have bagua charts.

Decide which areas of the chart are most important to you and place related items in the area of the room that corresponds to the chart. For example, if you would like to focus on your creativity, place art supplies or items related to another passion, in the western portion of your room or at a 45-degree angle toward the right from the door. For the recognition and fame portion of the chart, directly opposite from the career section, you can set up awards, candles or plants.

Place mirrors so that you are not facing them while you are in bed; hang them beside or behind your bed.

Open the windows to let in fresh air; incorporate other aspects of nature, such as a soothing water fountain or a mini Zen garden.

Saturday, July 27, 2013

Feng Shui Ideas for a North Facing Front Door

Feng shui is an ancient Chinese practice that aims to optimize the flow of positive energy into a building. Feng shui places great importance on the direction of your front door. Energy, also called chi, needs a clear path to flow through your home. The front door is also one of the first things guests see when they come to your home. The way your north-facing front door looks affects the amount of positive or negative chi that comes into the home. Learn the best colors and material for the front door to maximize the positive chi in your home, according to the principles of feng shui.



Color and Material
Your front door's color is vital to creating harmony in your home's entryway, according to feng shui practitioners. North-facing front doors look best when painted blue, black or white. If your door faces northwest, paint it gold, yellow, white, silver or magenta. For northeast-facing doors, choose purple, yellow or orange. The type of material your door is made out of is also important. A wooden north-facing door is best. Terra cotta is an ideal material if the door faces northeast or northwest.

Water Designs
A north-facing front door lies in the water element, according to feng shui beliefs. The water element is responsible for guiding chi into your home. To take advantage of this, decorate the front door or the surrounding area with wave-like patterns. Hang pictures of fish or the ocean near the front door. If possible, get a fish tank or aquarium and put it by the door. Place a fountain, birdbath or other water element on the left side of the front yard. A stream that flows toward the front door is also advantageous.

Mirrors
The sun is a major source of chi, but unfortunately, north-facing front doors are not in the position to take advantage of this energy. To capture the sun's energy, hang a mirror in your front yard. Hang the mirror about 20 feet away from the front door on a tree or pole. This directs sunlight toward the door.

General Front Door Tips
Keep your north-facing front door in good condition to attract positive chi and opportunities, according to feng shui practitioners. For example, keep the area around the door clean. Remove yard debris outside and clutter inside. Install bright porch lights and replace the bulbs when they burn out. Grease any sticky or squeaky door hinges. Wash the door regularly to remove fingerprints, dirt and scuff marks. If washing does not improve the door's appearance, give it a fresh coat of paint.

Friday, July 26, 2013

Feng Shui Living Room Colors

Create balanced energy and a pleasant and welcoming space by applying feng shui principles to your living room. Color plays an important role in feng shui design and can help you create a space that is fun and energetic, restful and soothing, or creative and inspiring. Bring color into your room with paint, fabrics and accessories to create a living room that suits your personality and needs. Aim for a balance in your feng shui living room by combining both colors and materials to create a space that incorporates the cool and warm energies of fire, water, earth and wood.



Cool Colors
Shades of black, blue and gray are associated with water energy. These colors are soothing, restful and encourage calm contemplation. Shades of blue not only relax, but also encourage adventure and exploration, since both the sky and sea are blue. Black is associated with money and income, so it may be better suited for the office than the living room. Use water colors to balance a more energetic space or on their own to create a tranquil living room suited to quiet time and activities. Connected to wood energy, green is ideal for spaces supporting healing, creativity or revitalization. Bring green accents into any room with living plants to add cool color and ground the space to the earth.

Warm Colors
Shades of red evoke fire energy in the room. A room that is predominately red will be lively and energetic, keeping you on your toes. Appetites, heart rates and respiration may all increase in a red space. Earth energy is represented by shades of yellow, ranging from paler tones to bolder ones. Yellow is ideal for a gathering space, bringing cheer and conversation into your room. Too much yellow may cause anxiety, according to Jayne Pelosi of Renaissance Interior Design.

Portrait Of Adele Bloch Bauer I
Painting suit for Living Room

Blended Colors
Blended colors have their own meanings in feng shui. These colors can be an ideal choice if you are looking for a predominant color for your living room. Salmon tones will create a warm, conversational space. It will feel welcoming, as it combines both fire and earth energy. Shades of turquoise blend watery blue and earthy green, to create a space well suited to movement. Lavender creates a quiet and spiritual space, but will not encourage activity or conversation.

Thursday, July 25, 2013

How to Create a Romantic Bedroom With Feng Shui

Is your bedroom giving you the blahs? Has your love life gone down in (lack of) flames? Give your room a feng shui makeover and transform it into a romantic retreat. In the Chinese culture, romance begins in the feminine (yin) essence and vibration of the room but it uses the balance of male (yang) and female energy to energize the chi completely. Feng shui is all about balance. There are several easy things you can do to get that romantic energy flowing through your room and through your relationship once again.



Clear out the clutter first of all. Your bedroom should be peaceful and relaxing and filled with positive energy, not a pile of junk, books, or dirty clothes. These do nothing for your chi and they don’t contribute to sexy, romantic feelings either. A major area to focus on is under your bed. It should be free and clear of any clutter so the energy can flow under, over and around your bed clearly.

Ditch the computer and dispose of the TV. These are horrible energy suckers and don’t belong in your bedroom. If they must remain, invest in cabinets that can house your electronics and be closed at night. Armoires and computer cabinets with doors are great ways to hide those electronic energy sappers.

Toss out the exercise equipment, another feng shui bedroom blunder and major no-no. Exercise equipment is work and is male energy; it is not relaxing or conducive to a romantic environment. Do you even use that stuff for anything other than a clothes rack? Ditch it.

Create a love shrine dedicated to you and your lover. Use symbols and items that remind you of love and passion. They could be paintings, photos (especially romantic ones of you and your honey), even statutes of two people intertwined. Heart-shaped items are another great symbol for love and passion.

Arrange everything in twos. One is the loneliest number and that applies to feng shui as well. For romance, passion, and love everything should be in twos. Two paintings, two photos, two candles, two nightstands, etc. Photos of the two of you together are positive images that should be displayed around the room as well.

Watch out for water elements in the bedroom. Not only can these put a damper on the flames of passion it can cause financial downfall, and we all know nothing kills the romance like money troubles. Water elements can be symbolized by fish tanks, fountains, even paintings and photos of lakes, streams, ocean, beaches and more. Get them out of the bedroom.

Increase your passion with the right colors. Reds, pinks, and burgundies are fabulous colors for a bedroom, very feminine and passionate. Avoid white (which symbolizes death), grays, blues and other cool pastel colors.

Pass on the polyester and go for all natural. From your bedding to your furniture skip the synthetics and go for the real goods: cotton, bamboo, hemp, and silk for the bedding is fantastic and real wood for the furniture is a sure thing.

Keep it gender neutral. Even though you want feminine energy you don’t want to overpower the man with frilly, lacey, girly stuff. Keep it simple and pleasurable for you both. Stick the stuffed animals elsewhere as they are not sexy.

Stir the flames of passion with actual fames. Light some candles, throw some logs on the fireplace or burn an oil lamp. Fire is good for romance.

Add some visual aids and sexy symbols. Rev up the romance with some erotic visual stimulation. It could be paintings of lovers, erotic statues, even a few erotic novels on the nightstand may do the trick. Make sure to put red objects on the woman’s nightstand and copper on the man’s. This will increase sexual libido in each partner.

Feng Shui Bedroom Painting Ideas

Feng Shui is the ancient Chinese art of balancing the energy -- or chi -- in a space, ensuring positive energy flows easily and the inhabitants of the space enjoy good mental and physical health, and good fortune. Color is one of the most important aspects of Feng Shui because it directly affects a person's mood. Using the right colors in the bedroom not only aids sleep, but also creates a refreshed and positive feeling upon waking.



Yin Colors
In Feng Shui practice, yin colors represent healing and relaxation. Yin colors are black, white, purple, blue, green and pink. Black is symbolic of power and money, so best avoided in the bedroom. White is a calming color that represents purity, and purple is associated with spiritual awareness, making both of these colors good bedroom choices. Blue is calming, soothing and peaceful, but also represents adventure and exploration, so should be used sparingly. Pink is ideal for the bedroom as it represents love, and is often teamed with another great bedroom color -- green. Green represents renewal, new beginnings and fresh energy.

Yang Colors
The yang colors are red, orange, yellow, maroon, lavender and gold. These colors should be kept to a minimum in the bedroom because they are very stimulating. They make it difficult to fall asleep and prevent restful, relaxing sleep. They can even cause anxiety. However, small splashes of yang colors add warmth, life and energy to the room. Combine small amounts of yang colors with white, pink, green, blue or purple. A bedroom color scheme should contain three to five colors, with one color more dominant than the others. For example, use green (yin) as the main color, pink (yin) as the secondary color, and splashes of maroon (yang) and lavender (yang).

Compass Direction
Compass direction plays a big part in choosing the right colors for your bedroom. Draw the outline of your home on a piece of paper and then divide into nine sections. Use a compass to label each box with the correct compass direction. North-facing rooms benefit from blue and black. Northwest or west-facing rooms benefit from white. Northeast, central and southwest rooms benefit from earthy colors and yellow. South benefits from red. Southeast and east-facing rooms benefit from green. Although the corresponding colors may not be suitable for the bedroom, a small splash of the relevant color is sufficient, a candle or flower for example.

Your Personality
Your personality is another area that plays a large part in choosing the correct bedroom colors. If you have a very fiery personality, use a color that opposes this such as calming blue or white. If you feel you lack energy, introduce small splashes of yellow or red. If you have a dreamy personality and you find it hard to focus, add a little orange to the room as this color helps focus the mind and encourages concentration. If you are single and looking for love, use plenty of pink as this color represents love and matters of the heart.

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Feng Shui Tips for a Small Bedroom

Decorating your small bedroom according to the beliefs and practices of Feng Shui may make the room feel more spacious and inviting. Feng Shui is the ancient Chinese art of how to best place the furniture and items in your home to let the energy flow through your home, bringing balance and order to your life.



Bed Placement
Bed placement is one of the most important factors in situating your small bedroom. Your bed should not share a wall with the door, a bathroom or be placed under a window or mirror if at all possible. Placing your bed against a wall that's shared with a bathroom is draining and chaotic like the water that's constantly flushing and moving. If there is no other wall that you can place your bed against, hang a mirror above your bed so that it reflects the flushing and draining back into the bathroom.

If the bed is for a couple, it should not be shoved up against a wall where one person has to climb over the other to get out of bed. Instead, leave just enough room for a walkway and place a small bedside table on that side. If the bed is for a single person who's looking for love, the same rules apply. For a child or teen, it's okay to place the bed against the wall to allow for more space.

Do not place the bed directly in front of the door, but in the farthest point you can that's opposite from the door. You should have a clear view of the door and the entire room from your bed, which is sometimes called the king's position.

Mirrors
Properly placing mirrors around your small bedroom can help make it seem larger. Cover the mirrors at night when you sleep if they reflect your head or upper body. If your bed is placed where you cannot see the door, hang a mirror that allows you to see the reflection of your bedroom entryway.

Colors
Soft, pastel colors are best for smaller bedrooms as they can help the room seem larger and airy. Create a focal point by painting one wall a couple of shades darker than the others. Choose a soft color that makes you feel at ease.

Accessories
Water should be avoided in the bedroom as it's constantly in motion and doesn't allow for a peaceful rest. The chaos of any water features may be magnified in a small room as there's less space for the energy to be dispersed. Keep water fountains, pictures of waterfalls and aquariums out of the bedroom to make it a peaceful place where you can rest and rejuvenate.

Hang pictures that reflect the way you want to feel. If you're single and want to attract a partner into your life, hang images of happy couples. Avoid pictures of hostile animals or single people. This is especially important for any images you hang above your bed, as those images are said to rule your dreams. In a small bedroom, there is less wall space to display pictures, which makes the images that you choose even more important to the mood and energy of the room.

Keep your room tidy and free of clutter. If you have little storage, keep out-of-season clothes or blankets under your bed--only if there is no where else to store those items.

Monday, July 22, 2013

What is the Significance of a Red Door on a Home?

Painting a front door red is often associated with the traditions of Feng Shui. The tradition of using bright red paint on a front door circles the globe and has a variety of meanings, depending on the country and the culture.




History
In the American frontier, settlers painted their front doors red to inform travelers that they were welcome there. Travelers knew that when they saw a red door, the family would invite them inside. Red doors in Scotland meant that the homeowners had paid their mortgage in full.

Culture
Feng Shui traditions say that certain colors bring about emotions and feelings. The front door to your home is the spot where energy enters your home. Painting a door red helps bring more energy into the home and creates a welcoming feel, according to Feng Shui.

Religious Implications
Old Catholic churches used red on doors to remind parishioners of Christ's blood and for them a red door symbolized hallowed ground and a place free from evil.