Feng Shui Your Way to Interior Enlightenment

If someone asked you to describe your home, what words would you use? Calm, harmonious, peaceful, filled with love, laughter and happiness? Of course, this is what we all dream our homes will be like – but it’s a sad fact that most of us struggle to achieve it. The good news is that, by following the principles of feng shui, the dream could become a reality.

What is Feng Shui?

Feng shui is an ancient art developed in China over 3,000 years ago. Translating as ‘wind and water’, in China the two are associated with good health — which is why good feng shui came to mean good fortune.

Feng shui focuses on creating a sense of balance and harmony in our lives through our immediate environments – or more specifically, our homes. According to experts in feng shui, the benefits can be felt straight away – and they believe this is one of the quickest and most effective ways to change the dynamics of your family life and bring health and good fortune to those living within it.

Making It Work For You

Despite being a principle dating back thousands of years and one that can seem quite complicated, it actually makes a lot of sense and can be easily applied to our modern lives. Feng shui is based on the theory that, to have the lives we want, we should create the home we want – and that even inanimate objects have their own energy. Feng shui aims to get your environment in line with who you are and where you want to go — and this means having only those things that are beneficial to our lives around us — so out with the clutter and in with objects, furniture and colours that make us feel good. Simple.

Feng Shui Your Living Room

As a room we rely on as a retreat at the end of a busy day, not to mention the space in which we entertain and spend time as families, the living room has to work hard. Incorporating some feng shui best practices into your living room design ideas is a brilliant way to ensure that this is a space that’s a pleasure to be in at all times.

When gathering together your living room decorating ideas, be sure to incorporate some of the simple feng shui tips relating to colour, furniture position and even coffee table design — since little changes can make a big difference.

Clear Out Clutter

First things first — clutter is a big no-no in the world of feng shui. So before you even begin to think about applying the principles to your living room design ideas, you’ll need to have a thorough clear out.

Once you’re done, put measures in place to ensure that clutter can’t take over again. Incorporating storage furniture, such as shelving units, TV stands with specific space for all your essential home entertainment equipment, window seats that conceal storage beneath and coffee tables featuring shelving and drawers will all eliminate the possibility of future clutter build-up.

Your Life in Colour

Before getting handy with your paintbrush or opting for that acid green funky coffee table, consider what feng shui experts have to say about colour — since it can play a huge role in the way your home affects you.

In the early stages of your living room decorating ideas, feng shui experts suggest using your date of birth to determine which of the five elements you fall under: wood, fire, earth, metal or water.

Those with a fire energy, for example, should find that green balances them (in which case, go-ahead with the funky coffee table), while a wood person will find blue makes them feel more harmonious. As a rule, yellow and orange are believed to inject liveliness and cheerfulness in the home – while blues and lavenders are thought to relieve stress. For an overall sense of peace and stability, opt for earthy tones.

Of course, these colours don’t need to dominate the entire room – using splashes of them here and there, or choosing items of furniture that feature the colours, can also be a good idea. A modern side table in a sunny yellow shade placed strategically in your hallway, for example, will set a happy, cheerful tone from the start.

Furniture Feng Shui

It’s not just room layouts that can benefit from the principles of feng shui — it can be applied to furniture design too.

Take the humble coffee table. It’s believed that a square or rectangular coffee table will not give off the same good vibes as a circular or oval design (making our Retro Hoop Coffee Table an ideal choice). Curved, circular designs avoid any harsh angles pointing at people, which are known to spell bad feng shui in any home.

In terms of layout, you should aim to create a clear space as you cross the room — so a modern side table next to the sofa, or a coffee table place just in front of seating would be more beneficial than one placed in the middle of a thoroughfare. Ensure seating is facing inwards and placed close together to create a cosy, sociable vibe.

Other feng shui tips to incorporate into your living room decorating ideas include placing televisions in a TV cabinet where they can be hidden from view when not in use, using rich, saturated colours such as red, deep blue and aubergine for an energising feel and situating your favourite item of furniture – a funky retro coffee table, for instance – in a prominent spot. That way, when you enter the room and see something that brings you joy, you will, in turn, send that joy back into the living space.

Head straight to our retro coffee tables to bring some welcome positive energy to your home. With dozens of gorgeous shades to choose from, you’re guaranteed to find a colour that fits your element.