Raymond Peynet is a famous French illustrator and known for his poignant drawings of lovers. There is a tender element that strikes you when you view his work. This lovely statue is in a central area in Antibes outside a tiny museum in his memory. With so much going on, we need to remind ourselves of kindness, compassion and unconditional love.
Human nature is like water. It takes the shape of its container - Wallace Stevens. In Feng Shui, Water is the word for Shui and is seen as a yin energy that flows, representing emotion, wisdom and offering life and often needing to be contained. Within a positive partnership, Water needs Wood to grow and Water is created from Metal. In a negative partnership, Water puts out Fire and Earth drains Water. While this is the general cycle, there are times where you may wish to weaken the Fire or Earth elements in your space. Let's check out the Bagua
It’s Complicated. Feng Shui is based on our Chi, our life energy and how we interact with our environment. Like me, you will end up reading so much that is confusing. There is the original ancient compass method including your personal birth calculation and other aspects, but they are wrapped up in Old Chinese culture, lifestyle and architecture. We will follow the modern Black Hat Method. Using the 5 elements and colour map, an interior space can be created that sings to you. I am so lucky to have found my mentor, Clear Englebert, and you can find a
Follow my blog with Bloglovin “The home should be the treasure chest of living.” Le Corbusier. We lived in an amazing city, Berlin, with its truly international, diverse history, architecture and challenging bureaucracy. We had a lovely apartment that felt as if it was in a treehouse and it had a gentle but fun energy. The colours were perfect with soft hues of sky blue, cafe latte and cream. But our hearts need to be near the sea in all seasons and I have a strong connection with the French culture. The South of France is an escape from
What on earth is the Earth element? In Feng Shui, it is all about grounding, stabilising and nourishing the inner core of your space. In the 5 elements life cycle, when balanced, Earth is made from Fire and it is where Wood and life grow, it also creates and polishes Metal. If in a negative cycle, Earth can be weakened by too much Wood, depleting it of energy, and Water can muddy Earth. In the Bagua map, it is the key element for the Inner Knowledge and Relationships sectors. It is also the key element for the centre of
Let's talk about jewel colours - ruby, amethyst, aquamarine, emerald, sapphire, citrine and topaz. They add style and drama, often lacking in neutral tones, and in the right amount, can offer warmth and a deluxe hotel feel. These tones that are on trend at the moment, can be seen from the living room to the bedroom, offering elegance and making a real statement. If you choose to use one or more of these, you need to ask yourself, how much? Do you go big and bold or just accent? It does require planning and careful selection of colour and
There is one word that starts a New York conversation - 'storage'. It is still the city I have lived in that really gets it and has come up with a range of wardrobe, packing and lock-up solutions. Other cities need it as well as many of us live in smaller spaces whilst living in a shopping world that entices us with stuff. There is a reason that tiny houses are popular and books on minimalism are constantly being highlighted. Check out the Container Store, Bed, Bath & Beyond and Home Depot in the USA or if you are
Let it go! We are a society that loves our stuff, possessions and things. It is like a sugar fix. I buy something and for a short time, it makes me happy. Having moved countries, cities and apartments over the last 15 years, it is the people, community and connections that make a place. Being a lover of marketing and packaging, I can be enticed but over the years, de-cluttering has become a practice. It started in New York with a lack of space and where square metres cost money. All of us had storage units full of furniture
A young friend was missing her home. She was only in Berlin for a year and wasn't allowed to paint, knock a nail in the wall or make any apartment changes. She said she was feeling depressed wondering what she could do and it wasn't a particularly attractive space with a tiny separate kitchen and bathroom and a room for dining, living and sleeping. Always a challenge. I once lived for eight months in a shabby - not chic, small French apartment and understood how our living space impacts on our feelings. First Steps We discussed her taste, colours
I had a depressed colleague who's office coffee mug stated - 'I am just a step away from madness'! I didn't have to comment but another colleague did, and also pointed out that her office art print was Dali's melting pocket watch! Images are powerful sub-conscious statements in the Feng Shui world. While I am not advocating lots of pictures and notes with positive affirmations, each to their own, but a bit much at times, look around and check out what your 'stuff'' is stating. What message are you sending to others and your inner self? A previous post talks