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Decorating for your wellbeing
If you feel that you cannot do without your books or clothes you might not use, keep them in order by using shelfs, drawers and suitcases. File photo
When you place your sofa sets against the wall and the coffee set in the middle of the sitting room, you just think of the beauty it creates and not the effect it has on you.
The first time you hear the word Feng Shui, you will not think of anything close to decoration or even something you use in your home. However, this is a décor concept that many Ugandans practice subconsciously.
Pagril Marino, an interior designer, defines the chinese term, Feng Shui by breaking the two words down. He says “Feng” translates to “wind” while the word “Shui” translates into “water”. “Therefore, Feng Shui is an art that deals with balancing energies in a space to promote good health to those people inhabiting it. This can be achieved by use of colour, materials used, furniture, shapes, water, plants and even light,” Pagril explains.
Additionally, Feng Shui enthusiast and author of The Encyclopaedia Of Feng Shui, Gill Hale describes the style as a basic environmental science based on interpretation of the natural world which enabled the Chinese to create efficient agricultural systems, and also the study of the movement of heavenly bodies in order to determine the passage of time.
UNDERSTANDING FENG SHUI
Pagril Marino, an interior designer says many Ugandans have practiced Feng Shui subconsciously by using bits of the style like use of chimes in their corridors and on their porches, inlet of light into their houses by use of bigger glass doors and avoidance of dark corners that would prevent light from reaching every part of the house.
In addition, designer and author, Karen Kingston in her book, Clear Your Clutter With Feng Shui argues that clearing clutter can radically transform your life.
Drawing on her wealth of experience from using Feng Shui, Kinston writes that space clearing and clutter clearing is important as there is energy stuck behind those boxes and clutter that have far-reaching physical, mental, emotional and spiritual effects.
FENG SHUI AND CLUTTER
In one review of Karen Kingston’s book, Clear Your Clutter With Feng Shui, the reviewer says the author intends to motivate you to clutter-clear as never before, once you realise just how much your junk has been holding you back.
In the book, you learn how clutter causes stagnation in every area of your life, why clearing clutter is essential for effective Feng Shui and how to clear clutter quickly and effectively.
Meanwhile, Pagril Marino emphasises that Feng Shui bases its principles on the flow of energy in an environment to create a force that can translate into someone’s well-being, besides just getting your artistic lay-outs to the point.
“Be sure you have good quality air and good quality light by reducing on the clutter.
This will serve as a clear map as to what colours are used in specific rooms, what images are best in your home, how to position the furniture for best energy flow, know how to use colour for good Feng Shui.” he argues. He adds that it is important for you to use good Feng Shui products that your home needs such as a beautiful fountain and some great Feng Shui art, as well as knowing how to position your decor items.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
Marino Pagril, an interior designer, says to attain the proper principles of Feng Shui, you have to follow the guiding principles; sort out space, colours, accessories, decor and furniture in a way that follows the different life elements.
Additionally, in his book, Hale says for the exterior, your home walkways do not have to be simply concrete. He indicates that you can plant some well-chosen flowers that will complement the colours of the concrete. For someone building, there is so much for you to learn on which windows to fix into your frames, which plants you can put where and also tickles your mind on what things you need to kick.
He writes, “As practiced today, Feng Shui gives us advice on how to create environments in which we feel comfortable and supported. Some of these environments are common sense. Others may not make sense until we understand that by recognising the problem areas in our lives and taking positive steps to improve them, we can connect to the energy of the spaces around us and bring about desired changes.”
Pagril observes that the common interior design styles in Uganda include use of wooden headboards for beds, which is part of Feng Shui though Ugandans do so but mostly unknowingly. “Making a bed using earth colours in bedrooms, having a television set out of the bedroom and so many other things many of us do are Feng Shui concepts. We do them out of creativity but they are part of the style,” Pagril notes.
USE OF ART AND COLOURS
Life coach Tamara Star also gives tips on how Feng Shui can add romance to your bedroom, key among these being thinking in terms of two. “Have pairs in your bedroom versus solo items or groups of three. Think: two matching nightstands, two bed-side lights and two candles, rather than three. Three isn’t going to represent the committed partnership you’re hoping for,” she observes.
She adds, “Often, I see artwork depicting one person alone in people’s homes. Some of this sad and remorseful art may be valuable to collect, but represents sadness—not exactly the experience you’re probably wanting. Instead have artwork that represents love.” She advises that if your master bedroom is self-contained, keeping the toilet and bathroom closed and spotless becomes important.
“Symbolic photos of love or couple shots would be important to display in this space. Have matching towels and paint the room a warm inviting colour to lighten up the mood in this room,” she writes.
According to Star, “Painting a room with colours like blue facilitates over-communication which is not exactly ideal for romance, while greens foster growth. While growth in a relationship is healthy, too many growth periods become exhausting, so limit the amount of green in this area,” she adds that also keep in mind that touches of red, purple, pink and maroon add fire and passion to a relationship.
The life coach adds, “Be careful though, too much fire can cause fighting. It’s best to choose warm inviting colors that you both like and enhance the room with touches of red through throw pillows, bed sheets or artwork.”
She advises to remove the television. “Bedrooms are best for sleeping. If you must have a television in your bedroom, shut it out of sight in a cabinet or throw a beautiful scarf over the face of it. Don’t let the T.V become the focal point of your bedroom. In Feng Shui, the bed should be your focal point,” she observes.
Another way to keep the spark fresh is through flowers. Fresh flowers, she notes, do wonders for enhancing relationship energy. Buy a bunch of roses and put two stems in a vase throughout your home. Every time you see those roses standing side by side, remind yourself that there is someone for you out there hoping to find you as much as you’re hoping to find them.
