Feng Shui
There are a few universal truths that you need to accept when settling into a career in design: the creative mind never sleeps (nope, not ever); a healthy wedge of your time will be spent managing clients, yourself, suppliers, trades, deadlines and expectations (only to hopefully exceed them); and you need to be good with the fact that you will forever and always be a student of design.
Case in point: we recently started a project with a young Chinese Canadian family moving into their dream home in North Toronto. They sought out EG Design, so they were well versed in our aesthetic and quite happily on board with our approach to interiors. No two projects are ever created the same at EGD – so as always, we expected some back and forth as we fine-tuned elements of the project specifically designed for them. What we didn’t anticipate was the unseen force guiding so many of our client’s decisions: Feng Shui.
Feng Shui is the ancient Chinese practice of trying to create balance with the natural world through interior planning and detail. These ancient principles are deeply rooted in common sense and are intended to simply make our homes healthier and more organized and to bring harmony and calm to our interiors. Sounds heavenly - who doesn’t need calm and harmony?
There isn’t enough blog real estate to cover all of the practices of Feng Shui, so we picked a few aspects that we feel are doable in any home.
Please, Come on in!
The entrance and foyer of a house are where ‘Chi’ or ‘life force’ enter your home. Capturing and containing that life force/good energy is critical to Feng Shui. The great, big, open concept North American home inherently makes holding that Chi tricky. What you need is an obstruction – something that visually and quite frankly, physically can capture that Chi goodness as it enters. So, don’t worry, you don’t need to erect all the walls you just took down, but you do need to think about flow and creating those obstructions (whether with furniture, rugs or art) to keep that valuable Chi in the house where it belongs!
The entrance to this gorgeous country estate has all sorts of good Feng Shui going on! Of course, being in the Spanish countryside is also going to help with staying calm and being in harmony, but the 18th century Provencal table placed strategically near the front door, and the wall that runs perpendicular to the entrance, all contribute to good Feng Shui. We’re already breathing deeply. How about you?
Design: Memi Escárzaga
Photographer: Unknown
In the case of our North Toronto project, we are using a curved stair rail to help with the Feng Shui at the entrance of the house. Although we were immediately on board with the architectural elegance of this beauty, its purpose is rooted in the practical. Capture and keep the Chi.
Design: Starr Sanford Design
Photographer: Unknown
Who’s Hungry?
Across every culture, the kitchen is arguably the heart of the home. But in the practice of Feng Shui, it is on another level all together as the centre for health and wealth. Its origins are linked to the importance of the head of the household remaining strong in order to facilitate a life of abundance. At its most basic, Feng Shui wants your kitchen to be clean and clutter-free. AMEN!! But it also wants your stove (representing fire) and sink (representing water) to not face one another, as it potentially could cause conflict in relationships. And, you need to ensure everything is well-maintained and in working order. A broken stove, for example, is a symbol of neglect and can bring bad Chi into the home.
Design by Neptune - part of the "Henley Kitchen" collection
Photographer: unknown
One very interesting point we learned through our research is that knives should never be on display in a kitchen – the same goes for anything with a blade or that ‘cuts’ including sharp angles. Emily found this out when she presented a pendant light for over her client’s island that was pointy at the end and was an automatic no! It’s all about flowing around energy. The more circular and organic something is, the better the Feng Shui.
Design by Neptune - part of the "Henley Kitchen" collection Photographer: unknown
Nighty Night!
In Feng Shui, the primary purpose for the bedroom is rest. Period. So, anything that doesn’t deliver on that promise, needs to be edited out (we are looking at you, people who want 75” TVs in the bedroom. Yes. You.).
Another interesting tid bit we learned is that images of water shouldn’t be hung in the bedroom, because water represents emotion and you want a bedroom to be a place of rest and healing – not too much emotion in which you could drown! Fascinating right?
Soothing and warm colours like soft pinks, lavender, peaches and yellow create palettes that encourage calm and relaxation. Don’t mess with the Chi – what helps you feel most at peace? That’s what gets to live in the bedroom.
Design by Greyscale Interiors
Photographer: Joshua McHugh
And guess what? Declutter. This is a fundamental of Feng Shui – less is more. Ensuring everything has a home and if it doesn’t, you are going to need to take a minute to assess what place it has in your life. There is a metaphor in there somewhere.
We love the roots of this wisdom: surround yourself with things you love, edit as you go, take care of your space and everything in it, live clutter free – all of it. It combines to create balance and good energy in your home, something I think we can all agree is palpable.
Feng Shui is just the Chinese road map to get there. Protect the Chi!!
