HOME SHUI HOME. Rearranging a city apartment according to ancient Chinese principles.

As a feng shui master and interior designer, I believe the more you are at home in your home, the more you are at home in the “universe”.
Feng shui, which means wind and water, is an ancient Chinese system of organizing objects in a natural pattern, using symbolic colors to harmonize and balance the energy in a room.

Elizabeth Cooley, a 28-year-old Extra reader, agreed to spend a day with me to turn her Manhattan apartment into a feng shui friendly space. At the very least, she figured she will have cleaned up a bit; even she doesn’t feel the “feng shui energy.”

I studied the complex art of using the Chinese compass in Hong Kong and let me explain what I do with a compass by using this example:
In Asia, when an office building is constructed using feng shui principles, a fountain is usually placed outside because an object with water is thought to promote “flowing success and prosperity.” A compass measures the correct angle at which the fountain should be placed in relation to the front door, as well as its size in relation to the building. If the fountain is placed at the wrong angle, it is believed to have the opposite effect of washing away wealth. Specifics like the type of company, its owners’ birth dates and how far away the building is from the ocean or mountains are all taken into account.

So, what could a Manhattan apartment dweller do?

Your home is an expression of your life, and the choices we make in our interiors are a personal reflection of our inner spirit. By moving the position of a desk or by painting a wall, a person can change the energy in a room – because all objects give off energy. A “map of energy”, called the ba-gua, relates parts of one’s life (such as relationships, health, career, etc.) and specific colors to areas of the home. Using the map, a compass and Cooley’s birth date, I would transform her studio apartment.

BEFORE

The first thing we did was move the bed into the “relationship corner” of the room, and the desk into the “knowledge/career” area.
Then, since Cooley complained that work gives her no time to have a relationship, I suggested she connect the two areas. I “bridged the gap” from Cooley’s desk to the “relationship corner” with nine plants. The number nine is symbolic because it’s thought to be the highest, most complete number. The green plants, which “breathe life” into a room by promoting “good energy”, also help, balance the red of the rug. Every color has a meaning and gives off certain energy, whether it’s in one’s apartment or on the clothes one wears.
Next to Cooley’s bed, I placed a passion Firecracker candle in a copper bowl. The candle is hand-made with all-natural herbs, and has a copper top to boost the color plum. It’s meant to burn only 8 to 12 minutes at a time to “balance the energy” in the room.
A potpourri satchel was placed next to the candle because scents stimulate our senses and create strong patterns of good energy flow. I hung a bell on the front door because you should never be caught unaware, and bells and wind chimes in a room activate air energy and ring in success. I also put up a few colorful pictures on the walls and added flowers to expand vision.
Finally, I showed Cooley a feng shui table setting. The table is where you entertain guests, and provide nourishment to your body – it’s important that it’s properly set to promote harmony and balance. I used two “chargers,” oversize plates that are placed under each dish. The “female” one, made out of silver, with moons and stars, represents creativity and harmony. The “male” one made out of copper, represents healing.
Without having your own chargers, you can still balance a table by using the proper colors, shapes and textures, which can increase your well-being and give you a feeling of power. Some other fun items I added to the table were small, aromatic “clearing sachets,” which were placed near each setting. A candle in an “intent rock” was where Cooley was supposed to write down a wish and light the candle (although wishes are “written in stone,” you can use chalk to change your mind from week to week). “I’ll wait until I think of a really good one,” said Cooley.

True feng shui is about a lifestyle. I’m not saying everything you want will definitely happen, but try it and you will feel the balanced energy… The more you’re in balance, the more powerful you become.

Cooley loved the new layout of her apartment, saying, “It looks like I have so much more space – it even feels like this is more “natural” arrangement of the furniture, the way it’s “supposed” to be… I love it, but I’ll have to get back to you about the “energy-feeling” part – you’ll be the first one I call if my life changes!”

AFTER

What we did…

In addition to changing furniture placement (see before and after photos)I focused on two areas in the rearranged room.

On two small tables filled with pictures, I separated the “loving couple” pictures (of parents and friends) from all others, keeping the relationship ones on the table closest to the bed.  I also made sure the foot of the bed wasn’t directly facing the entrance to the room and was aligned at the proper angle.  To promote communication at the table, I used blue trimmed plates Cooley already had and added orange napkins for “a boost of sun energy” and square place mats to balance the roundness of the table. A square inside a circle symbolizes Heaven and Earth, which is also what an Asian coin looks like. (Two of these copper coins are attached to all the feng shui items I design for my Heaven and Earth line.)

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