Catherine

The power of a bouquet of flowers. We are only as strong as our community and many are going through tough times. This week I was reminded of this. I finally got our French taxes, paid them and then found out the bank details on the tax site were wrong. It was the end of a frustrating day but in two hours, my wonderful German bank manager stopped the payment, my French real estate agent advised me, even the tax dept helped a bit! And my husband bought me flowers. I kissed the money goodbye and was thankful for

I watched a wonderful film called The Glorias around the life of Gloria Steinem and the feminist movement which really focuses on equality for both genders and all races and life choices. Interestingly, Feng Shui seeks a balance and equality between Yang, the masculine energy and Yin, the feminine twin. The classic black and white symbol shows white with a piece of black and black with white. Each balances the other and with either element missing, neither can exist without imploding.   Yin - What is It? Yin black symbolises the cool, calm silence of the moon and stars

In Feng Shui practice, a rice bowl symbolises abundance and prosperity in life, career and of course, money. They are not just for serving dishes. Singing bowls are brass bowls tuned to a note which can be used to clear out old energy and being a singer, I have a lovely one in a rich tone which I happily use when moving in or out of a home. In Asia, you will often see a wealth bowl in a house full of items that symbolise money including faux jewels. I am not a fan of this kind of Feng

There is a song chorus that says, 'you'll always find people in the kitchen at parties.' The kitchen is a key hub for us and we are upgrading a French kitchen. We have had several styles in the past and most have had Feng Shui applied with the right colours and placement. We have had a country kitchen with blue bench tops, black and white smart ones with chic surfaces and now our current Berlin kitchen, all cafe latte and soft buttermilk. Our French kitchen was a kind of renovation with a sort of kitchen put in with bits

When selling your stuff there is a reality check first - remember that your stuff either hasn't been used, has been in storage or is just not going to fit in your next place. Another factor to consider is you are not going to get what you paid for it. This is hard when people offer you ridiculous prices for really nice pieces. I really struggle with this when I am offered 3 euros for a tray that even had the original price tag of 24 euros on it! You just have to let go. This is our final

It is a long farewell between now and December as we leave Berlin and the breath of autumn at our backs adds a melancholy air. As we dismantled our Berlin apartment, sold off furniture and started to pack up loved pieces, it is hard to write about interior design and Feng Shui. The morning sun has a sepia tinge and there is a sudden desire for blue skies and brighter days. Interior design stores are full of natural earth tones and textures in response to our Covid cocooning and need for comfort. Even Zara Home's store displays have a

We are starting to downsize as we head towards moving to our French home. It isn't easy to let go of furniture and things with memories that have been loved. We are trying to be level-headed but it wasn't easy seeing our lovely Chinese altar table go to a friend. The only positive point is that she is overjoyed to buy a 'real piece of furniture' and not IKEA. We are going to sell at a stall again which means repeating the mantra - 'If you are not using it, loving it, then let it go.' You have to

We were hot and bothered in Berlin as the days went by with little change in the heat and with two fans struggling to move the air. Even the cats were flat out on the floorboards. On the other side of the world, friends were complaining about the cold. It is then you realise that Northern European housing is built to keep the heat in and Australian housing is built to keep the heat out. Our key focus was how to stay cool and comfortable when it is hot in the city and we didn't have air conditioning. There

No matter what space we have lived in, there is an element of Asian style included, especially when we lived in Penang. As a Feng Shui practitioner, it matches with natural elements and form to create a sense of balance and harmony. At one stage, we bought as much as we could down to candles, place mats and cushions. I had soft, billowing sequinned curtains which suited the hot, humid Malaysian climate. Dark, wooden slatted furniture was popular on the hard white tiles. We have less of this look as we have bought pieces in Switzerland, France and New