66 Days to Spring!
I have had enough of grey, windy, drenched January days. I need some blue skies, greenery and a sense of life in the air. Flowers in the apartment help as they remind us that somewhere, there is sunshine.
Feng Shui – The Lounge
The lounge or living room is a central meeting area for the whole house or apartment. It should showcase your taste and style while being welcoming and inviting. With Feng Shui principles, it has the same focus. Our apartment moves in to our lounge quickly so different areas have been 'zoned' with furniture, lights and colour to match the Bagua map. With this kind of apartment space, it is important to ensure the centre is uncluttered and has warm tones that match the earth element. We have a wool earth-coloured rug under a glass (water) and metal coffee table.
Berlin Renovation – The Lounge
The lounge, the living room - whatever it is called, is the central meeting place of the house. It is an area to express your style. This lounge space has a lovely light and blends in to an open kitchen area. It is small but works with the way we live. Colour First The Berlin lounge area was cluttered and tired looking - see this photo! We decided to completely renovate and strip the area of all clutter. We used the 60/30/10% ratios and chose the colours of 60% white with blue and cafe latte tones to offer a
Vitamin Sea
My connection to the sea is more than just a holiday; it soothes, calms and offers a metaphysical bond. The benefits of negative ions and salt water are all documented but it is the magnetic horizon, petrol green and aquamarine hues against a sharp blue sky that draw me back time and time again.
Feng Shui – The Spare Room
As stated in my post regarding our Berlin Renovation, having a second bedroom or spare room is an area we think we need but sometimes I wonder, when you consider how often it gets used. The first rule is that the room needs to be used; otherwise, the energy for that space becomes stagnant. I did think of using it as an office but I liked the open area of the lounge and dining table. However; I had an area where I can put my laptop and office equipment away. We also had a wardrobe in there which meant
Berlin Renovation – The Second Bedroom
It is strange the tradition of having another bedroom, when if you tally up the amount of times it is used, it may not be needed! However, we had a bed and furniture to put somewhere. Our second bedroom is also in the Feng Shui sector of travel and helpful people and we wanted to incorporate the metal elements and colours of grey and silver. Key decorating tips: Don't be afraid of large furniture in a small space, if the room is small, it is small - so make it have a presence Try to add a wow factor
Christmas Thoughts
I read somewhere that lonely people say they miss a hug or touch, a tactile moment. This is all we need.
Berlin Renovation – The Bathroom
Someone once told me, if you can't afford to renovate the bathroom and kitchen, don't buy the place. These two rooms are the most costly to change as they involve electricity, plumbing and other labour costs. When considering renovating the bathroom, look around to see what you can live with or keep to reduce the budget. Unfortunately, our Berlin bathroom was strangely laid out, had poor cabinets and a classic European tiny bath/shower unit. We decided to renovate the whole lot. Budget Some key advice we received was to reduce the number of tiles where we could, try
Christmas Lights
Mary Angelou said, 'You can tell a lot about a person by the way they handle three things: a rainy day, lost luggage and tangled Christmas lights'.
Feng Shui the Bathroom
The bathroom is one of the big three rooms; kitchen, bathroom and bedroom. It is interesting that in Feng Shui, this room is seen as one to manage due to water and drainage being aligned with loss of energy and wealth. In Western culture, it is seen as a spa of relaxation and calm. As with the kitchen, first see where it is placed on the Bagua Map as that will help with choosing colours and elements. Don't forget to consider the complimentary elements as well which will help balance the chi energy. My mentor, Clear Englebert, has an