Feng shui is an ancient art of arranging the home to promote “flow” and positive energy. True believers in the decorating practice will use placement of home goods to encourage things like wealth, luck, and good health. Whether you buy into it or not, feng shui has some extremely useful tips for new homeowners. If you’re decorating your first house, considers these eight feng shui tips to encourage a happy home.
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Go Yin (or Yang)
While you want both elements present in the home, consider which one is more important to emphasize. Yin is known for winter, cool colors, and interior spaces. In feng shui, concentrating on the yin will yield comforting, passive spaces. Yang is associated with summer, bold, warm colors, and hard angles. Yang brings an activating energy to a home.
Just Add Water
Even if it’s a small bedside fountain, adding a water source to your bedroom or workspace can increase your “flow” and bring in positive energy. All of the four main elements should be present or represented somehow in your home, and a water source is an excellent and peaceful addition to any home.
Do Things in Threes
While symmetry is often touted in style magazines, feng shui principles stand by the number three. Groups of coins, flower pots, or other decorative items can be grouped in triads for effective decorating and energy balance.
Have a Welcome Mat
The first impression one should get upon entering your new home is one of warmth and welcome. Concentrate on creating a space that is both lovely and naturally suited for guests. When you have visitors, their first impression of your home will set their mood and energy levels.
Accent Your Energy With a Wall
Choose a bold color (try red) for courage and strength, or choose a lavender or blue-based color to invoke restfulness and peace. Accent colors can differ from room to room, but make sure they compliment one another and flow naturally. Neutrals can also be accent colors, if paired with bright decorations.
Less is More
One of the best feng shui tips for new homeowners is this: Less is more. Not only should this relieve you of some pressure to buy expensive furniture to overfill your house, this principle should also govern how you place your furniture and decor. While starkness and minimalism may not seem inviting, feng shui consultants always emphasize the importance of inviting “flow” into the home. If it’s easy to get from one room to the next, your mind will feel more at home in no time.
Keep Your Broom Upside Down
A funny feng shui tip that actually makes sense: Keep your mops and brooms out of sight, and preferably upside down. While the ancient art believes this wards off intruders and loss, an upside down mop hung in a closet or pantry will keep the rest of the house more sanitary. Additionally, hanging your broom upside down ensures that lingering dust and dirt in the bristles won’t spill out onto the floor.
Get a Chia Pet
According to feng shui principles, homes should have plants in virtually every room. Live plants specifically clean the air and encourage progress in the home. While this doesn’t mean you should have fichus trees everywhere, think about which spaces in your new home would benefit from the addition of some plant life
