If you are like me, you love food. It is a love we have all shared since even before birth. If we are hungry enough, sometimes we don’t even care where in the home we dine or we might even grab the quickest snack while on the run.  However, as often as possible, a meal should be shared with good friends and family. I fondly remember family dinners from my childhood.  Whether MAD  MEN style with Dad still at the office or big Sunday dinners at Nana’s house, along with good food and conversation, there was generally an etiquette lesson.  I know families have less time for those dinners now but we should all make a point to do more of them.  Luckily in the design world we have a special room for that – the Dining Room!

One way to quickly sum up the feng shui of the dining room is as follows: rectangular room with a round table. To elaborate, let’s begin with the rectangular room. An enclosed dining room is ideal to provide an intimate and relaxing atmosphere. Closing this room off from others also eliminates the chances of distraction and promotes conversation between the occupants. A round table assists in the smooth flow of energy through the space. If a square or rectangular table works better for your particular room, be sure to acquire a table with rounded edges. The same roundness can be used in plates and bowls to achieve that flow, but ultimately all specific shapes revolve around your personal preference.  Play around with it and see if a few curves smooth things out in your home.  According to feng shui, a round table will always improve relations.

Round Dining Table - Photo: Gandana.com

Right after spring cleaning it’s nice to brighten up your spaces.  Changing out accessories like rugs, pillows and poufs is a quick and fun way to update your interior decor.

Let’s review a few, fun trends to make your design fresh as springtime:

Blue Mood – bold jewel tones and brave indigos are coupled with eye-popping metallic and white, working in any room in your house.

Prints Charming – mix and match prints with solids for a grown-up yet whimsical style.  Anchor exotic patterns and softer florals with solid brights.  When paired with clean, modern pieces, prints completely refresh you.

Vitamin C – sharp citrus colors give an instant energy boost.  Patterns are fresh but drawn from the classics – think tiles, medallions and rug designs.  Their organic touch provides Bohemian flair to the bright, sunny hues.

Mad Men Mod – Mid-Century Modern is all the rage.  Make your pad hipper-than -thou with clean lines, big graphics and bold mixes of vintage color.  Think acid green and bright orange, tempered with chocolate and caramel – yummy!

Seeing Spots – polka dots are just cute.  Both feminine and graphic, an egg-shape can serve an edgier aesthetic.  Whether in primary colors, brights or black and white, dots and splotches create charm.

Poppies Pop – I recently just reveled in the bright orange-red poppies sprouting gloriously over the Pennsylvania countryside.  Nothing could be happier looking.  Both the poppy-inspired hues as well as the look of the flowers themselves are hot-hot-hot in design today.

Birds of a Feather – feathers and bird motifs are everywhere.  Let your style soar to new heights and float gently around you.  From brazen Peacocks to delicate Wrens, balance the bright birds with springy greens and soft grays.

Graphics To Go – Bold graphic designs, inspired by architecture and pop-art, get right to the point with intersecting lines, circles meeting squares and large-scaled scribbles.  Rather than being too in-your-face, graphics are elegant and easy to live with when placed on dark grays.

Source:  Style & Trend, Surya, Spring 2012

Rug by Surya - Photo: Surya.com

One of the most high functioning and heavily used rooms of every home is the kitchen. It is where we prepare our meals. Where we converse with the family. Sometimes even where we entertain. So it is only natural that the feng shui of this family hub should be as effective as anywhere else in your home.

Here are just a couple of tips to help the energy flow beautifully through your kitchen. Firstly, keep your kitchen simple. A streamlined design is beneficial in more ways than one. The less clutter in your kitchen, the more easily the energy can flow through the area. Having a clean and clutter-free kitchen also makes cooking a much more efficient process – eliminating the time wasted finding utensils, spices, pans, or whatever fine instruments of the culinary arts you happen to use.

Speaking of what you use in the cooking process, fresh and nutritional foods are recommended for many reasons. Not only are fresh fruits and vegetables good for you physically, they also eminate positive energy and help to keep your kitchen healthy. Keep a bowl of fresh fruits and vegetables in a central area, such as an island or table, so that they are visible and easily accessible. You may also incorporate a vase of fresh flowers or some other kind of live plant somewhere in the kitchen. These serve the same general purpose as the bowl, but are significantly less edible.

Kitchen with Green Plants - Photo: Trendzona.com

Do you like money? While asking that question might seem like I am making the opening statement in a pyramid scheme pitch, striving for wealth is almost a universal goal for people. Try using these feng shui tips to enhance your personal prosperity.

Not all of these tips necessarily apply to the home, but are things to consider regardless. Firstly, remember to “honor your money”. Respect those special slips of paper that sit comfortably in your pocket by taking good care of them. Flatten each bill and be sure that all of them are facing in the same direction. Then, stack them in either ascending or descending order of their denomination. All of these things will help you in a practical sense by making it easier to find the right amount of money quickly, as well as preventing yourself from dropping stray bills on the ground when grabbing things from your pocket.

Of course, they wouldn’t tumble out of your pocket if you have a wallet for them to call home. If you do not have one, invest in one. Purchase the nicest one that you can personally afford. This will give you a feeling of being wealthier every time you pull it out. The same rules of clutter that apply in your home also apply in your wallet – get rid of it. Keep your wallet clean and organized. Try your best to always keep cash in your wallet. It may be only a small amount, but keep it on you to promote prosperity.

Now I will take things back to the home. The Southeast corner of your home or office is considered the wealth and prosperity area. This is not necessarily where you take care of your financials, but taking care of this area will promote that wealth which we are all after. The feng shui element for this area is wood and its colors are blues, greens, and browns. Being wood, you should avoid the use of things associated with fire elements in this area. Bring in live plants or a water feature to give it a loost of energy.

Feng Shui Home Office - Photo: dbesthomedesign.com

As far as art is concerned, many of us run into one of two problems: what can I put here, or where do I put this? You are browsing around and find a wonderful piece of art just begging to go home with you, but where in your home is that perfect piece going to go? Here are a few tips to help you solve this dilemma.

Firstly, just make sure you like whatever artwork you have chosen. What is the point if you don’t enjoy it? Once you have something you like, decide which room in your home it should be placed. This can depend on anything from size, colors, subject matter, etc. If it is something like an abstract painting, hang the piece in a room with a color scheme close to that of the painting itself. On the other hand, if the painting is full of color, you may put it into a room devoid of color to make it both of them pop!

Secondly, where in that room will you hang this fabulous painting? Simply put, there are three common places: over furniture, over the fireplace, or on a blank wall. If you are going to hang something over or near your furniture, keep their sizes relative. Bigger furniture deserves bigger pieces of art. Above the fireplace is often a very visible spot in a room and is a fitting place for a large piece to make a statement. Lastly, blank walls are just as good as a blank canvas. That doesn’t mean you should plaster an entire wall with every picture you can get your hands on, but use something that pops and makes sense with the rest of your decor.

Artwork Hanging Over Bed - Photo: ApartmentTherapy.com

However you like to celebrate, Spring has sprung and most of us welcome guests into our homes. It’s the perfect time to care for your property as well as freshen up for guests. Take that Spring cleaning mentality outside to make your home both beautiful and presentable.

Start at your curb! Landscaping can sometimes be a daunting task, but the end result is always worth the time and energy you put into it. Keep your lawn trim and green. Prune flowers or other shrubs. Be sure to check for insects, damage, or diseases as this is the time of year than they begin to show up. Lightly fertilize your lawn and flower beds as needed to keep your leafy greens leafy green.

Stepping inside for a moment, clear your entrance to be more welcoming to company. This is something that you more than likely did during your usual Spring cleaning routine. But if you haven’t, get to it! Adding an interesting plant, piece of art, or mirror into your entrance area will really help spruce it up a bit. Skip ahead skip ahead, let’s take the party to the patio.

Spring get-togethers will often lead us back to the patio. Be sure it is well maintained and is withstanding the weather and test of time. Furniture also gets the pleasure of enduring the weather, so take care to clean and maintain it as well. Have all of your outdoor lighting serviced or change the bulbs. When the parties drift late into the night, you don’t want to be tripping over your furniture because your lights have gone out.

Spring presents the perfect opportunity to make your home more beautiful and more welcoming. Happy Spring!

Patio with Fireplace - Photo: Patiofirepite.com

Spring is coming. Or maybe it is here. In all honesty, it is hard to determine by the weather outside exactly what season we happen to be experiencing. But I digress. While many of us somehow recognize a special time of year for cleaning the house, Feng Shui advocates year-round “Spring-Cleanery”. Here are a couple of broad things you can do during your cleaning session in order have a fresh start.

Firstly, let’s talk about clutter! Normally I would recommend that you reduce clutter. But in the spirit of the Spring, get rid of it. Just demolish the clutter. Imagine the clutter in your home is gold and you are taking it all to some kind of cash for gold establishment. There is the clutter that is on your tables or floors or any other place in plain sight; but there is also clutter in cabinets and other places that are less obvious. Take time to take care of all of it. For example, go through your refrigerator and clear out anything that you don’t use or eat. The same goes for your pantry, cabinets, closets, drawers, and so on.

One last tip for you is to bring in potted plants. If you already have some, be sure they are properly maintained and in good health. You may recall our recent discussion about feng shui in hotel rooms where I recommended bringing in a plant. As I said then, it serves the same purpose as it does in your home. As far as cleaning is concerned, plants physically clean the air flowing through the space while simultaneously cleaning the energy flowing through. So remember: kill the clutter, bring the home to life with greenery. Do it!

Clean and Organized Cabinet - Photo: HomeMadeSimple.com

The kitchen has become a central hub for home life. While we are always recommending that each room or space in your home have a specifically designated purpose, the kitchen seems to want to ruin our plans of total world organization. So, in this ever-changing space, here are a couple of design tips about space management to keep your kitchen functional.

Space is something that is important in every area of your home. In the kitchen it is paramount. A universal element of the kitchen is something called the work triangle. This triangle refers to three components of the kitchen and their relative distance to one another – the refrigerator, the sink, and the stove. While there are different ways to configure this triangle depending on the overall design of your kitchen, there is one thing you should always keep in mind – do not block these paths. A direct and unobstructed line between these is in the interest of both efficiency and safety. You wouldn’t want to trip over a skateboard while carrying a heavy pot of water from the sink to the stove. Well, maybe you would. But that is between you and whoever covers your medical bills.

Having said all of that, I am not saying you should keep your kitchen completely barren. A common fixture in kitchens with islands or bars is the use of stools. Aside from being sure that these stools are not in the direct paths discussed above, there are still more things to consider. The last one I will give you to process is the functional consideration: have only enough stools to accommodate while having space to sit comfortably. I don’t like to require my guests to solve puzzles when they want to sit in my kitchen. This will allow them to sit comfortably without displacing a rogue stool to block the path of people walking by.

Kitchen with Bar Stools - Photo: HouseBeautiful.com

If you will recall last week’s article about bringing hotel chic into the home, in the spirit of Spring Break, I’ll talk about bringing the Feng Shui of home with you to your hotel room. You can’t always predict what is going to happen on a vacation, but you can make all attempts to make things flow in your favor.

When booking your hotel room, be sure to ask for a room that is away from areas of foot traffic or other noises. This includes elevators, vending machines, pool areas, or rooms along busy streets. Sometimes these things cannot be avoided, but it never hurts to ask. Keeping your room away from these areas will provide for a much more relaxing stay, fewer distractions, and a smoother flow of energy through the room.

If possible, get a room with a balcony, patio, or a window that can be opened. When you first arrive in your room, open the door to the outside or the window to allow fresh air into the room. This serves to literally and figuratively air out the room for your stay by removing old and stagnant energy left from the previous occupants of your room.

I’ll round it off with two smaller yet equally relevant tips that you should have no trouble with in any hotel room. The first is to bring in a small potted plant. Incorporating a plant into your hotel room will accomplish the same as it would in your own home by filtering the air and flow of chi throughout the room – as well as being pretty to look at. Lastly, if the mirror in your room is visible from your bed, be sure to cover it before going to sleep. This slows the flow of energy helping you to sleep better, as well as preventing you from frightening yourself by seeing your bedhead as soon as you open your eyes.

Hotel Balcony View - Photo: Atlantida Villas

Going on vacation is always an exciting experience. While the destination and the activities you expect to partake in are definitely at the forefront of your mind, there is one thing that is almost universal in a trip away from home - the hotel room. The room itself can often add to the excitement, and here are some tips that can help bring a bit of that simultaneous hustle/bustle and comfort to your own bedroom.

The key to many hotel rooms is the space. There is room to sleep, relax, and prepare for the day which is undoubtedly going to be filled with enjoyment. It is likely that you may already have ample space in your bedroom. However, you should be sure that the space is not wasted. While there should be enough room for maximum mobility, you must also designate spaces for certain activities.

This is where the flexibility of the average hotel room comes in. A common staple is a desk. While the desk is not often large, it is enough to be able to do some kind of work in the comfort of your room. On many occasions, there is a mirror mounted above the desk which you can use if your bathroom is occupied. Or if you just feel like gazing at your own beauty as you work. If you have the space, you should also designate a sitting area with comfortable chairs where you can unwind and reflect on the day’s wonders.

Most of the excitement of a hotel room comes from experiencing something new or unknown. It will be hard to replicate this feeling in the bedroom given that it is likely the place that is most familiar to you. Every once in a while, change things up. Add something whimsical like a piece of art or something else that is easily changed. Don’t get bogged down in seriousness.

Hampton Inn Suite - Photo: TripAdvisor.com