Decorating with Intention
Way back in 2012 during Superstorm Sandy on the East Coast, I had the good fortune to be on a beach in Encinitas, California studying Feng Shui. Back in PA, my husband had planned a swinging bachelor weekend, going to his high school reunion without me and numerous other fun activities. He ended up with our generator and his mother for five days – while I, on the other side of the country, was learning about our home’s energy and intention.
Earlier in my career I was looking for a way to differentiate myself from the average interior designer. I was also fascinated with energy in spaces, and the idea that intention and observing our intention in a space every day could help manifest what we want most to happen in our lives.
Without getting too technical or woo-woo, Feng Shui (translates to Wind and Water) is based on a “Bagua” that serves as an energy map of your home (see the diagram above).
Bagua Basics
There are nine quadrants, pretty much covering all aspects of life. And within each quadrant there are ways to specifically enhance each area. The front door is the starting point.
Here’s a brief introduction to the three quadrants that my clients are most interested in – Wealth & Prosperity, Health & Family, and Relationships.
Whatever your intention is, it’s important that you keep these areas clear of clutter. And if you want to manifest an improvement, there are certain ways to do this. This can get a bit involved so for example ….
Wealth & Prosperity
For Wealth & Prosperity, maybe place a thriving live plant in the upper left hand room of your home. (You can also do this in the upper left corner of every room – each room has its own mini-Bagua.) At the very least, make sure there’s no clutter in any of these areas. Energy needs to circulate, and every day you look at what you’ve placed in the room you will remember your intention.
Health & Family
Health & Family in the Bagua is located in the middle far left quadrant of your home – right under Wealth and Prosperity. Again, clear the clutter and indicate your intention with a live plant or something made of wood.
If you are looking for a partner, place a pair of something in the upper right hand corner of your home. In your bedroom this might be two lamps and end tables. They don’t have to be matching. The subconscious mind loves symmetry. A pair of anything will set your intention. By the way, even if you’re in a relationship, this can help to strengthen the partnership.
This is just scratching the surface but can give you a start on thinking about how to improve the energy of your home.
We are spending so much more time in our homes these days.
Feng Shui can be a fun game to play with yourself and your family.
It might even be a way of getting your children to clean up their rooms, or clearing out that junk area that happens to be in the upper left hand quadrant of your home. (I hope your head is not spinning by now.) Have some fun with this.
One of the principles of Feng Shui is that everything is always changing. We can either fight this by hanging on to the past or embrace our future by making room for what’s next in our lives.
One of the things that’s great about interior design is transforming a space. I’m always honored to make this happen in a client’s home. There are many tools I bring to my work with my experience and training. One of them is always designing with intention. I love making a space beautiful and helping their lives move forward.