Catherine

There is no better example of the metal and water relationship than big cities with harbours. Think of Manhattan, Sydney, Hong Kong, Singapore and others. They shout glamour, style, action, business and then the alternative of water whispers, boats, the sea and calm. There is a reason why these cities draw tourists and habitants from all over the world. It is an attractive combination and perfect photo opportunity for most people. Feng Shui practitioners understand why. The Metal Element This element is the key one for the sectors of Creativity and Children, Helpful People and Travel. Metal is all

"When life gives you Monday, dip it in glitter and sparkle all day" said Ella Woodward. We all love and need something shiny at some stage in our life. Faery lights, sequins, candles, anything to shine a light in a corner. It was a grey Monday with the sky throwing buckets of water at your feet. It was necessary to go out and passing by, a shiny thing caught my eye, three copper kitchen tins beckoning with the words of sugar, coffee and tea. Everything comforting except for chocolate.

The first Feng Shui class I attended left me reeling. Aside from the principles, why would you paint anything cherry red, purple and black? It was overwhelming if taken literally. First things first, original Feng Shui focuses less on colour than the modern Form school. The old Feng Shui methodology is attached to Chinese architecture and way of living. Modern Form school Feng Shui focuses on the 21st century and different styles of space and design. Colour is also recognised as an important part as there is a colour synergy attached to how we now psychologically perceive colour. This

It was a dark and stormy night, actually, it was a grey and dreary day but I have always wanted to use that line. It was also a sleepy Sunday morning with no real reason to get up other than to get going. Walking along the main shopping street, suddenly a sunny cake appeared! Yes, a bucket of sugar with zero nutrition but I couldn't resist taking a photo as it raised the spirits. Then a happy golden retriever bounded along, the sun started to come out, a blackbird sang and all the cliches in the world made sense.

This is a question that comes up often. How to Feng Shui a place or rental space on a budget, how to follow the principles without renovating or making dramatic changes. With the Form School, the modern Feng Shui practice, there is a focus on practicality and most importantly, intent. For example, ask yourself what wealth or prosperity means? For some it is purely money, for others it is abundance in friends, good food and health. Many wealthy people, such as Steve Jobs (Apple), have died from health issues inspite of having millions. So if $50 is a lot

Wandering around a brocante/flea market on a cold January morning is like viewing a social history of people's lives. It is also a chance to wonder, who decided to design or make that in the first place and then, who actually bought it! The old saying of one person's rubbish is another person's treasure is true. It led to thinking about how our 'stuff' is our history and so important. Having moved several countries and cities, we have what we call our 'travelling furniture'. Remnants of different places and cultures we have lived in and experienced, wrapped up in

Yes it is the 7th January but if you didn't manage to declutter, decamp or just declare, you have Chinese New Year coming up on the 10th February. I am presenting again to nine French people this week on what to do for the new year in Feng Shui. It is an interesting cultural take on presenting the new Feng Shui practice, based on old Chinese philosophy for French apartments and houses which have different architectural nuances. East meets West and then France! We will focus on decluttering, attracting new energy and understanding the Wood element with the Bagua

Noel Coward said that, "bed is the perfect climate". He is correct, I concur! Other than the living room and sofa, the bed is the other place where we spend most of our lives. It is the place to go to when the world is too much. How many of us have hidden under the bedcovers when life seems to just get in the way? And then there is the matter of quality of sleep. Apparently, we should have a room temperature at 18.3C or 60-68F degrees for a decent night's rest and that is the goal. Buy a

John Steinbeck said, "What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness". It was a freezing weekend of powdered snow, pine trees, wood chalets and everything ski-related! Not our natural environment but we were there for a friend's birthday. Surrounded by wood walls, ornaments and decor, the open fire, spa and sleigh beds offered the comfort needed against the outdoors. We were at least 4 kgs heavier with clothing, wrapped up to face the wind chill. Happily returning to warmth and sunshine, Camus says it all, “In the depth of winter, I