Home
Read More ›
Nine Principles of Feng Shui That Bring Balance to Your Home
Build in harmony with nature and achieve domestic bliss
This article originally appeared in the October 2016 issue of Seattle magazine.
Building in harmony with nature is the primary concept behind feng shui, says Gisela H. Stehr, director of Seattle’s Emerald Feng Shui Institute and author of Feng Shui for Life: Connecting the Dots. This Chinese system explores the connection between the self and the environment with the goal of achieving a nurturing, reciprocal cycle of positive energy flow (known as “qi” or “chi”) between a site, a building and a person. “The people living in the Pacific Northwest are largely concerned about maintaining a healthy balance between man-made and natural environments, and feng shui provides us with the tools to do just that,” she says. When asked for her top 10 “tools” to apply to any Northwest home, Stehr offers only nine, citing the auspicious number as representing the highest level of positive qi within the home.
2. Provide colors, lighting and decorative elements to support the flow of qi based on the homeowner’s personal preferences and tastes.
3. Avoid placing large openings directly opposite to the entrance into a room or into the space in general, and don’t place stairs directly opposite to the main entrance, because this directs energy out of the house.
4. Clearly differentiate between a pathway and a room, a space to be in and to relax in, and between public and private rooms/areas. Each of these distinctions gives a sense of place, which offers protection to the homeowner.
5. Walls that are uninterrupted by any openings, windows or doors provide a protected space to place seating or a bed.
6. In spaces occupied for longer periods of time, whether for relaxation or work, be sure not to place a chair, bed or other seating opposite a door, in the direct pathway through the room or with the back to the door. Placing a door behind the homeowner leads to a feeling of unease, as the lack of protection affects the homeowner’s well-being.
7. A living plant is desirable in frequently occupied rooms as plants can help clear and balance qi.
8. Avoid clutter as it represents an obstruction to the healthy flow of qi.
9. Avoid disproportionately high ceilings as they can create vortexes of unsettling energy.
Follow Us
Can Alaska Kelp Help Washington Crops Beat the Heat?
A Ketchikan company is working with WSU researchers to see whether its kelp-based biostimulant can help grapes and berries withstand environmental stress.
From the floatplane, reddish-brown kelp traces the edges of the small islands between Ketchikan and Prince of Wales Island like brushstrokes on the surface of the water. Up close, on a rare 70-degree July day in Alaska, the kelp is glossy and beautiful, though the wind coming off the water makes it nearly impossible to…
PlantCon Is Coming for Seattle’s Windowsills
The nation’s largest gathering for houseplant lovers makes its Pacific Northwest debut this August with 200 booths, hands-on workshops, and a DJ.
My house is full of plants, enough that I’ve lost count. Houseplants have the same suspicious math as tattoos: One is rarely the final number. I propagate cuttings in jars of water, regularly rearrange corners of the house in pursuit of better light, and like to imagine the entire collection is improving the air. That…
Noir Lux Lights Up Fourth Avenue
The Seattle candle brand’s new two-level pop-up brings workshops and community gatherings downtown through September.
It’s often said that good things come in threes, and for Colina Bruce, founder of the lifestyle and home fragrance brand Noir Lux, that’s certainly proving true. With a flagship shop in Belltown and an outpost in Ballard, Bruce is rounding out a Noir Lux trio with the opening of the Noir Lux Collective on…
Better Together: This Take on Co-Housing Emphasizes Quality and Community
The Seattle project presents an out-of-the-box model, where investors are also residents, and the design focuses on longevity and tenant retention—not profit.
Growing up in rural Detroit, Chad Dale spent many after-school and weekend hours playing with neighborhood kids in an open lot near his house. It’s an experience he always hoped his children would have someday, but by the time he became a father in Seattle, land was at a premium: either already developed or prohibitively…