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Let’s face it, at this point in January we’re all pretty much recluses, hermits or skint AF. If you’re starting to drive yourself insane spending most of your time at home, it could be a wise idea to channel your inner Marie Kondo and give it a detox using the ancient Chinese art of feng shui (pronounced fung-shway).
The Chinese practice originated over six-thousand years ago and it looks to balance the energy in your home with the placement of objects. With the correct arrangement of shapes, furniture and objects within our homes, feng shui is thought to not only affect our material comfort, but our mental and physical health. If the unseen energies in your surroundings are balanced using feng shui, it could positively effect our relationships and success and who doesn’t want that?
This year, British homeware retailer Habitat is teaming up with interior design duo Topology (Athina Bluff and Amy Brandhorst) with a campaign to detox our homes (big or small) following some simple rules in the home including feng shui.
Feng Shui for beginners
Feng Shui is a wealth of knowledge that can be difficult to adopt when you have absolutely no clue what it is. Mindfulness in the home books are a great starting point if you’re looking to harmonise and balance your space at home. Some of the best are An Edited Life by Anna Newton, Feng Shui Made Easy by Davina MacKail and Hygge by Amy White and Ryan James.
Athina and Amy of Topology Interiors advise that a great place to kick-start your feng shui mission is your home office / desk or work space. “For those who need a work space at home, place your desk in the centre of a room or opposite / adjacent to a window. According to the laws of feng shui this enhances creativity, energy and productivity and is much better than a desk facing a wall which blocks or stunts our energy forces.“
“Alternatively, consider removing any unnecessary clutter from your entry hallway. This is down to our doorway being the entry point of the home or ‘the mouth of qi’. By keeping this area tidy, spacious and inviting it’s a great starting point for good feng shui & positivity within the home.”
“Lastly, another simple tip to achieve good feng shui is to regularly clean your windows. The cleaner our windows, the more light enters into a space, as a result of this increased exposure to light, we can feel more energised and our moods are boosted.”
Lift items off the floor
This doesn’t mean lifting your sofa to just have a peek underneath, this is for good. Athina and Amy explain that “by simply lifting furniture, clutter and everyday objects up and away from the floor, a space can instantly feel lighter, detoxified and more up-lifting. This small home hack works because if we can see more floor space and light through/around objects in a room, a space can feel much more weightless, clutter-free and calm.”
“A way you could try this at home, particularly if you’ve got a small space, is to consider a sofa or chair on high legs. This will ensure the sofa appears light rather than bulky and adds more visible floor space to make the space feel bigger and cleaner. This can be applied to storing items on the walls too. Utilise walls with shelves and bookcases to lift possessions up off the floor creating freer floor space and a great sense of space.”
Follow the three colour rule
It’s so easy to get carried away with colours when redecorating a room, whether that’s fifty items in the same shade of beige or cramming every possible colour from the rainbow into your guest loo. It’s best to stay simple when choosing a new colour scheme, if your space feels hectic and busy then so will you. “Home detoxing is all about creating spaces that are positive environments for our wellbeing, ones that are relaxing and serene”. Yes, please.
“Instead of using lots of colours, pick three main colours that you’re naturally drawn to. From within these three colours, choose different shades and tones to create your colour scheme. To put it into an example, if one of your main colours is ‘blue’ think of shades you can use such a teal, navy, sky blue etc. By keeping your colour scheme to a minimum, the space will feel much more understated and tranquil but will still be full of depth.”
Use rounded shapes
A whole load of scientific research finds that round shapes when used in the home are comforting, feminine and energising. Athina and Amy agree. “Use spherical shaped or rounded furniture and homeware in your space, to create a sense of balance, harmony and calm. Scientific research has proved that receptors in the brain light up dramatically when people are around the presence of curved / round objects rather than angular or jagged shapes. Thus our psyche has a greater appreciation for furniture or homeware that has this soft, round appearance.”
“Something as simple as using a round mirror above a bed would be a great example as a bedroom is a space where we want to create an oasis of calm to induce a better sleep. Or alternatively, consider other popular items such as a rounded pouffe, spherical pendant lights or a round dining table in your home where you want to provide a sense of balance and serenity.”
Habitat in collaboration with Topology interiors will be launching a series of ticketed workshops on interior design, houseplants and cookery. For more information please visit www.habitat.co.uk/smallspaceliving
