Transforming your home into a haven of comfort

At the beginning of the year, I like to start on a new slate…by whatever definition I can think. One way of doing this, with regard to my home and its state, is by redecorating or rearranging my furniture. This way, I get the sense that the room is new; metaphoric for the New Year, fresh start and new beginning. My theory is heavily informed by the Feng Shui theory. Feng Shui is an ancient art and science developed over 3,000 years ago in China. It is a complex body of knowledge that reveals how to balance the energies of any given space to assure the health and good fortune for people inhabiting it. “Feng” means “wind” and “shui” means “water”. In Chinese culture gentle wind and clear water have always been associated with good harvest and good health, thus “good feng shui” came to mean good livelihood and fortune, while “bad feng shui” came to mean hardship and misfortune. Feng Shui is based on the Taoist vision and understanding of nature, particularly on the idea that the land is alive and filled with “Chi or energy”. The ancient Chinese believed that the land’s energy could either make or break the kingdom, so to speak. The theories of yin and yang, as well as the five elements of feng shui, are some of the basic aspects of a feng shui analysis that come from Taoism. These five elements are water, wood, metal, fire and metal. But without getting into the scientific details of how these relate, here are some tips on how to give your house a fresh new look, at minimal costs. 1. Clear out your clutter; get rid of everything you do not love in your house. Clutter clearing is a time and energy-consuming process that will feel like therapy, but it will help you “lighten up the load,” so to speak. This is a vital step and is not to be skipped, as it is an essential one in creating harmonious feng shui energy in your house. Sometimes we accumulate junk out of the fear of needy it later. My advice is, clear it now and deal with the consequences later. So, clear all those old magazines and past issues of your favourite daily paper, The New Times, and make better use of the space they now occupy. 2. Have good quality air and Good Quality Light in your house. These two elements are essential for good Chi, or feng shui energy in your home. Open the windows often, introduce green plants or an air-purifier. Allow as much natural light as possible into your home, and consider using full-spectrum lights. For many, large windows are a luxury they don’t enjoy at the moment. If your house is small and therefore most likely also have small windows, increase the lighting by strategically placing lamps in living rooms and bedrooms. 3. Use throw pillows and rugs to add vibrancy and contrast to your living room. These also provide good cushioning for those who may want to sit on the floor and for children when playing indoors. 4. Paintings and mirrors also break the monotony to otherwise boring plain walls. In very small spaces, the use of mirrors can also give a semblance of space, thus making your rooms look much bigger than they really are. Turi_omollo@yahoo.co.uk

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Transforming your home into a haven of comfort