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Wooden furniture still dominates
While metalic furniture such as wrought iron looks nice, wooden furniture looks better. PHOTO BY RACHEL MABALA
What you need to know:
Wood is one of the most commonly used type of furniture. Some people use it because it’s affordable. However, others use it because of its beauty
Diane Gallin, an American-based Feng Shui consultant, explains that wooden furniture is generally sturdy and supportive. She adds that desks, tables or chairs with wooden legs are strong and supportive. If the chair or table has fine wooden legs such as reed or wicker material, it may be too flexible for many uses. Metallic furniture is also useful since it is sturdy and strong, but not to use it for a bed frame since metal conducts electromagnetic energy and may be disruptive to sleep,” she further explains.
Artist Peter Karyeija says, “If harvested at its mature age, wood doesn’t easily crack when drying up which makes it easy to curve.”
Karyeija says he makes seats, entertainment centres, tables and storage sets from wood.
He however explains that there are other types of furniture; bamboo furniture, metallic furniture, plastic furniture, glass furniture and concrete furniture.
Considerations when buying furniture
Gardener and interior designer, Lydia Kyankya, explains that when choosing furniture, you need to have colours in mind.
“You have to put into consideration the colours a client resonates with versus the existing furniture if any. A client’s style and at times age group is another factor to consider,” she explains adding that offices are decorated differently from homes, hotels and churches. She argues that, “It depends on the kind of furniture you are looking for. Is it wrought iron (metal) or wood? Is it a bachelor’s pad, family home? Is the furniture antique?”
“If a person has trouble sleeping or suffers from anxiety then it would be better not to add wood since wood fuels fire. A wooden table in the kitchen can enhance family relations since the wood element relates to ancestors and offspring,” Feng Shui consultant explains.
Make it work
Furniture does not exist in isolation. You will need to interplay it with curtains and wall colours. In Feng Shui, Gallin observes that the principle seeks to include all the elements for balance. “For example, if you have wooden furniture, then add some water elements (colours blue/black, wavy shapes or patterns), metal (colours white/gray, round patterns or shapes), earth (warm yellow or orange colours, square or rectangle shapes) and fire (red/purple colours, triangle shapes.),” she advises.
Checklist
Hardness
Good wood must be hard to be able to sustain itself in harsh conditions. It must display ample capacity to resist deterioration.
Strength
It should be strong enough to bear heavy weights and not crack and perish. Construction sector deals mostly with heavy goods and the good wood should have capacity to lift heavy materials.
