Feng Shui for your Place - Kansas City Apartment and Rental Decorating Advice

No single article could possibly cover all the philosophy behind the ancient Chinese art of feng shui, so we’re not going to try here. What we will address, however, is some of the common sense behind the ancient school of thought and how you can apply some of its principles in your own apartment or rental home. In a nutshell, feng shui is the art of creating balance and harmony in life. This applies to work, relationships, pursuits for money, health and even decorating. When there is a harmony and balance, things work correctly and you work correctly.

In its most basic form in relation to decorating, feng shui tells us to open ourselves up to healthy energy. This means creating a comfortable flow in a apartment or rental home to create peace of mind. In very simplistic terms, it means getting rid of clutter.

Translated feng shui means wind and water. Those who practice this art believe that arranging a apartment or rental home and its décor in a way that compliments nature allows us to gain harmony and good health in life. The placement of everything in a apartment or rental home effects its feng shui – from the door to the bathrooms. Colors also come heavily into play when feng shui is considered. The biggie, however, is cleaning out any overloaded spaces since a cluttered space is a sign of a cluttered mind. Freeing the space can free the mind.

Organizing and removing clutter is the obvious place to start when trying to apply the principles of feng shui to your life and your apartment or rental home, but what’s next? How do you overcome the obstacles a confined space might create? And, what about colors is so important?

Here are some basic tips for putting Feng Shui into practice in your space:

• Color is key in feng shui. Dark colors are off limits within a apartment or rental home. Reds and deep plums and purples are great for outside doors, but not in. These are considered too heavy for indoor use. Lighter colors such as light blue, yellow, pinks and light greens are great indoors since they speak to a positive frame of mind. In fact, yellow signifies longevity in Chinese. White, however, is considered too cold a color. It needs to be offset with colorful flowers, paintings or other accents.
• Organize belongings: Find a place for everything and keep it in its place. Consider rearranging closets to gain optimum use of space and remove clutter from flat surfaces by stowing items neatly in drawers, cabinets and closets.
• The entry of your apartment or rental home: From the outside, the hedges should be trimmed so the way to a door is clear and free of any obstruction. Foyers themselves need to be clutter-free and open. Even if your neighbor has clutter outside your door, focus completely on your personal space.
• Kitchens: The stove should never force a person cooking to have their back to the door. A mirror affixed behind the stove works to remedy this situation if there is no other way to alter the floor plan. The stove is considered so terribly important since it is the location where sustenance is made.
• Bedrooms: These are perhaps the most important rooms in a house. They are considered havens – rooms that should provide peace and protection and give a safe location for intimacy. For marital harmony, it is thought vital to place objects in twos in a bedroom for balance. Candles, vases, pictures and so on fall into this category. Beds should be placed where the door is clearly visible. It is believed this will keep unwanted energy from entering the room while you sleep. The best way to place a bed is within eyeshot of the door, but off to a side for protection.
• Living and dining rooms: Keep them free of clutter and pay special attention to color. These are rooms where families tend to gather, so they should be open, warm and hospitable.

While it’s not likely anyone can turn into a feng shui master overnight, it’s not difficult to begin applying some of the basic tenants to any room. Keep pathways and hallways free of clutter, keep rooms warm and colorful and by all means get rid of the clutter and you’ll be on your way.

by Tiffany Lewis, Kansas City Premier Apartments, Inc.