I have no idea what is happening in the land of interior design. We seem to be stuck in the land of cream and beige and we could ask if this is a mirror of life at the moment. In Feng Shui these colours represent the Earth element which is all about grounding, foundations and stability. Hmmm, chic but honestly, for two years? A shot of a navy blue cushion, the ultimate in conservatism, looks radical! So I turned for inspiration to the land of teacups, porcelain and ceramics. At least these add life and symbolise your personality. Just look at your coffee cup right now. Mine is a 1940s vintage mint-and-gold teacup or a bright yellow and leafy modern reproduction via Wedgwood.

What on Earth?

This element is all about stone, tiles, sand, walls and foundations. It is the centre of the Bagua map and the centre of the overall floor plan of your house or apartment. Earth represents grounding and a sense of stability. In the five elements Chi life cycle, when balanced, the Earth element is made from Fire and it is where the Wood element and life grow. Earth also creates and polishes Metal. If it is in a negative cycle, the Earth element can be weakened by too much Wood, depleting it of energy, and the Water element can muddy Earth. In the Bagua map, it is also the key element for the Inner Knowledge and Relationships sectors. Think cream, ivory, sand, caramel tones and stone.

Feng Shui Tips & Tricks

Place the Bagua map over a general drawing of the whole area of your space. You may have missing sectors but try and fit all of the house or apartment in to the square. You can then find the centre of the total floor plan. This area is seen as the centre of the whole energy of your place and there are some Feng Shui rules to consider, ideally before you buy or rent a space:

  1. No staircase in the centre and particularly a spiral one – this is literally a corkscrew in the middle and destabilises the whole space. If you have one, you need to strengthen and ground the Chi energy and slow it down so it doesn’t ‘spiral’ or rush up and down the staircase. Also, make sure it is safe to use.
  2. Avoid a bathroom in the centre as this is said to drain all energy and health. We had a cottage with a bathroom in this area, so we added stone and earth tones balanced with wood. However, when we sold the house, our careers, finances and other areas of our lives picked up as soon as we moved.
  3. Decorate the centre in warm earth tones of yellow, tan, coffee, ivory and light brown and use stoneware and ceramics to represent the Earth element.

How to Brighten the Space

And then there is colour. Consider red as it represents the Fire element; cushions, throws and art work can help. Metal colours such as silver and white represent honesty and communication; perfect for this space. Also lemon is a great colour to add for some brightness. Here’s hoping that in the spring collections we actually start to see some other colours and textures to add a sense of light and fun.