Feng Shui - The beginning
The house…
I always thought that every house has its own identity already hidden in his walls, and my job as a designer is not to invent it from thin air perhaps it is just to reveal and uncover the existing.
In the past 10 years, it has become common to update more frequently the colors and the furniture in our houses, unlike the old days when we use to buy a sofa and stay with it until it falls apart 10-20 years.
This culture change is because of the fast pace keep-changing fashion and the exposure to outside far east cultures, also due to the low cost of items in our daily life today, this change made a new era when we have more designers/interior architects then architects, this is the time for us to share our knowledge with the rest of the world.
So what is the debate-
How easy it is to remodel a house when you know your style?
But what if you don’t? What if you don’t have a style or maybe have more than one? What if you are sharing a room with a different person who is the opposite of you in his/her style? Is it all lost….
Don’t think you are the only one, there are millions like you and maybe that is the reason for the frequent changes,
First, take a piece of paper and write down –
What is the use of this space? How many people will use it? And for what?
What does the room need in respect of furniture and function?
Do not forget to include storage in any room you are doing, as much storage you will have the better, we as people have the tendency to accumulate stuff as we get older,
Storage options can be used and hissed in a blink of an eye.
Write down the type of space you want to see in that room. If you are not sure, use words like clean or natural. If you have an item you would like use in that space, try to see the type of item and built the room design around it and his color, if you are not sure how to include this in your design put the item aside and try to include his color or maybe even the opposite color – the complement color to your item, for example: yellow and blue are complementary one to another,
Use function first,
Style, color and wanting after,
That’s because you want to use this room first and the design will always find her way at the end.
What is function –it can be numbered:
A space for 4 kids in the age of… they will be there every day and need to sleep there at night, a lot of storage…
Or it can be this is a showroom, for a luxury house, a formal room for reading and relaxation,
Ask your self is this room a statement to show, or a private for family and close friends,
Do you want it to be full of memories or keep it a clean slate for making new ones?
What are you looking to gain in this room?
Now that we know the purpose of the room let’s talk about feelings:
What do we want people or us to feel when they enter this room, even and especially when this is a private room for no one to see the person who lives there needs to feel good about this room,
A small suggestion when you are doing your kids room ask their opinion it doesn’t mean you will color the entire room with the color of dark red because that’s your daughter’s favorite color but it does mean you will have to put this color somewhere, and try not to use colors they hate making their room that color will not make them love it.
As much as love your own bedroom and refer it to your private sanctuary kids have the same needs,
Another tip: if the kids are old enough bring them to the process let them help, shop together for accessories, even if the result will not be what you were trying to do, it will be their choice, and they will love it.
We went slightly off on that subject, let’s go back to feeling:
Is our room needs to be personal, or is it a formal area, stable, give a warm feeling, comfortable, relaxing, maybe not too much if we don’t want people to feel they can stay here forever, high pace, do we want to put some aspect of our character or not.
Sophistication but yet subtle, natural but modern,
Those options are endless, how do we narrow them down?
I would start by using books to find the style that attracts us, remember your house will not end up like those magazines but you can get inspiration from them, you might find just the color you like and start from there, there is nothing wrong with using someone else’s design for an idea.
There are a couple of things –tips if I may offer to those who are new to this all design aspect-
1. do not be afraid of the use of colors, (don’t go crazy and use 8 of them in the same space), using colors and refreshing the room might change your everyday feeling and the perspective of how you see life, also it is just as easily can be removed or replaced if we are not happy with the outcome.
2. when using samples use as big as possible of a sample, (they are stores that sell sampler paint you can paint a big square and see if you want to go for this color), sometimes we don’t see the color on a large scale when we pick the paint and after we transfer it to the wall at a much larger scale it becomes completely different and we go into a remorse shock.
Don’t! It can be replaced just use a primer and start all over again.
3. the use of fabric is a very positive intervention, it keeps the positive energy in the room, but be careful not to take it to the full expense and be aware of the colors you use, use samples from fabric stores or buy the actual thing and return it if it isn’t the color you are comfortable with.
4. Nice items and personal effects are flattering the space and add warmth and character but too much will create clutter, pick those who are the most meaningful and the rest put in a storage box. If you cannot make a decision regarding which to choose you can, every once in a while, take out one or more items from the box for display but remember for every item you take out- one must go into the box.
My personal interpretation of Feng Shui
Some people call it an instinct some call it science, maybe it is wisdom, or a divine feeling, a different point of view, a knowledge, a touch.
I say it is all of the above and more.
Sometimes it is not easy to point the finger on what makes us feel good or bad in a space, or make us feel that we want to stay, or maybe have the urge of running away, why do we like color and the same color a different places will make us ill. Maybe it is not the color perhaps it is only the use of it.
The way we look at spaces is the same way we look at people and the way we interpret their body language is the way we discover a room.
The Feng Shui is an instrument that helps us put all our wanting, feeling and visions from the paper to the actual life and space.
Feng Shui-
The ancient Chinese practice of placement and arrangement of space, this wisdom is a mix that involves geographical, religious, philosophical, mathematical, aesthetical and astrological ideas.
This is not just a decorative style it is a discipline, well guided style, and a way of living.
Our home is where we go to escape our everyday pressure and the outside world, therefore it should be calm, pleasant and with positive (ch’i) energy.
With the knowledge of how to use basic items and colors we can create the harmony we are looking for in our house using color balance, lighting, texture, and fabric.
I always thought that every house has its own identity already hidden in his walls, and my job as a designer is not to invent it from thin air perhaps it is just to reveal and uncover the existing.
In the past 10 years, it has become common to update more frequently the colors and the furniture in our houses, unlike the old days when we use to buy a sofa and stay with it until it falls apart 10-20 years.
This culture change is because of the fast pace keep-changing fashion and the exposure to outside far east cultures, also due to the low cost of items in our daily life today, this change made a new era when we have more designers/interior architects then architects, this is the time for us to share our knowledge with the rest of the world.
So what is the debate-
How easy it is to remodel a house when you know your style?
But what if you don’t? What if you don’t have a style or maybe have more than one? What if you are sharing a room with a different person who is the opposite of you in his/her style? Is it all lost….
Don’t think you are the only one, there are millions like you and maybe that is the reason for the frequent changes,
First, take a piece of paper and write down –
What is the use of this space? How many people will use it? And for what?
What does the room need in respect of furniture and function?
Do not forget to include storage in any room you are doing, as much storage you will have the better, we as people have the tendency to accumulate stuff as we get older,
Storage options can be used and hissed in a blink of an eye.
Write down the type of space you want to see in that room. If you are not sure, use words like clean or natural. If you have an item you would like use in that space, try to see the type of item and built the room design around it and his color, if you are not sure how to include this in your design put the item aside and try to include his color or maybe even the opposite color – the complement color to your item, for example: yellow and blue are complementary one to another,
Use function first,
Style, color and wanting after,
That’s because you want to use this room first and the design will always find her way at the end.
What is function –it can be numbered:
A space for 4 kids in the age of… they will be there every day and need to sleep there at night, a lot of storage…
Or it can be this is a showroom, for a luxury house, a formal room for reading and relaxation,
Ask your self is this room a statement to show, or a private for family and close friends,
Do you want it to be full of memories or keep it a clean slate for making new ones?
What are you looking to gain in this room?
Now that we know the purpose of the room let’s talk about feelings:
What do we want people or us to feel when they enter this room, even and especially when this is a private room for no one to see the person who lives there needs to feel good about this room,
A small suggestion when you are doing your kids room ask their opinion it doesn’t mean you will color the entire room with the color of dark red because that’s your daughter’s favorite color but it does mean you will have to put this color somewhere, and try not to use colors they hate making their room that color will not make them love it.
As much as love your own bedroom and refer it to your private sanctuary kids have the same needs,
Another tip: if the kids are old enough bring them to the process let them help, shop together for accessories, even if the result will not be what you were trying to do, it will be their choice, and they will love it.
We went slightly off on that subject, let’s go back to feeling:
Is our room needs to be personal, or is it a formal area, stable, give a warm feeling, comfortable, relaxing, maybe not too much if we don’t want people to feel they can stay here forever, high pace, do we want to put some aspect of our character or not.
Sophistication but yet subtle, natural but modern,
Those options are endless, how do we narrow them down?
I would start by using books to find the style that attracts us, remember your house will not end up like those magazines but you can get inspiration from them, you might find just the color you like and start from there, there is nothing wrong with using someone else’s design for an idea.
There are a couple of things –tips if I may offer to those who are new to this all design aspect-
1. do not be afraid of the use of colors, (don’t go crazy and use 8 of them in the same space), using colors and refreshing the room might change your everyday feeling and the perspective of how you see life, also it is just as easily can be removed or replaced if we are not happy with the outcome.
2. when using samples use as big as possible of a sample, (they are stores that sell sampler paint you can paint a big square and see if you want to go for this color), sometimes we don’t see the color on a large scale when we pick the paint and after we transfer it to the wall at a much larger scale it becomes completely different and we go into a remorse shock.
Don’t! It can be replaced just use a primer and start all over again.
3. the use of fabric is a very positive intervention, it keeps the positive energy in the room, but be careful not to take it to the full expense and be aware of the colors you use, use samples from fabric stores or buy the actual thing and return it if it isn’t the color you are comfortable with.
4. Nice items and personal effects are flattering the space and add warmth and character but too much will create clutter, pick those who are the most meaningful and the rest put in a storage box. If you cannot make a decision regarding which to choose you can, every once in a while, take out one or more items from the box for display but remember for every item you take out- one must go into the box.
My personal interpretation of Feng Shui
Some people call it an instinct some call it science, maybe it is wisdom, or a divine feeling, a different point of view, a knowledge, a touch.
I say it is all of the above and more.
Sometimes it is not easy to point the finger on what makes us feel good or bad in a space, or make us feel that we want to stay, or maybe have the urge of running away, why do we like color and the same color a different places will make us ill. Maybe it is not the color perhaps it is only the use of it.
The way we look at spaces is the same way we look at people and the way we interpret their body language is the way we discover a room.
The Feng Shui is an instrument that helps us put all our wanting, feeling and visions from the paper to the actual life and space.
Feng Shui-
The ancient Chinese practice of placement and arrangement of space, this wisdom is a mix that involves geographical, religious, philosophical, mathematical, aesthetical and astrological ideas.
This is not just a decorative style it is a discipline, well guided style, and a way of living.
Our home is where we go to escape our everyday pressure and the outside world, therefore it should be calm, pleasant and with positive (ch’i) energy.
With the knowledge of how to use basic items and colors we can create the harmony we are looking for in our house using color balance, lighting, texture, and fabric.
Feng Shui
Feng Shui - The Beginning