Inspiration + Colour + Placement = Balance
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Feng Shui – Managing Stairs
This is a very practical post and people often forget that Feng Shui practice is not just about interior design but is also about common sense. Steps or stairs are often at the entrance to your house or apartment and they say a lot for a first impression and also about how you feel entering a home. This is where your personal Chi energy comes in to play. As you go up the stairs, do you feel there is enough space, are the steps cracked or broken, are they too high to step up on to? This initial feeling says so
The Hot August Sun
“It’s a sure sign of summer if the chair gets up when you do” – Walter Winchell. It is mid-August and the sun is frying, the sea is warm and even the seagulls are quiet. We get up early to swim in the morning heat and before the tourists arrive to put themselves on dial 6 to slow bake. There is a group of regulars and we bob our heads to each other in recognition. We say hello to the ancient, leathered-skin French ladies in bikinis, the Italian family that brings a suitcase of towels, food, umbrellas to set up for
Feng Shui – The Colour Red
"My mother warned me to avoid things coloured red", said Claes Oldenburg, Swedish-born American pop sculptor. I am with his mother. It is a powerful primary colour that can't be missed. Traditional Feng Shui practice loves this colour as it is represents money, transformation and good luck. An ancient colour worn for celebrations, it is on many country flags and emblems, and is all about fire and passion. It is not a cool or restful colour and is guaranteed to active and add energy. Personally, I can't wear bright red for long but I love a cherry pink coat in the
Tea for Two
Having a summer cold isn't great and a cup of tea in the afternoon soothes the throat. George Gissing said “The mere chink of cups and saucers tunes the mind to happy repose.” It does have a sense of ritual, a black Ceylon tea from the hills, in a lovely cup, can slow down the moment. How often have we seen a moment of crisis where the solution is supposed to be a cup of tea. Unfortunately, it is not but worth trying. And then Eleanor Roosevelt said, "A woman is like a tea bag: you never know how strong she
C’est La Vie!
It is life covers so many situations. At the moment we happily say this swimming in the Mediterranean aqua sea with the sun and sand at our doorstop. Other times, when another crazy person visits our apartment wanting a 19th century Parisian style building but with a 21st century car park, we say the same. Other friends are struggling with finances, some have work doubling up due to re-organisational schpeak, divorces are happening at the same time, others are changing their lives to something more positive, and we continue to have our face to the future whilst being in the present.
Feng Shui – Helpful People & Travel
"We are all here on earth to help others; what on earth the others are here for I don't know", (W. H. Auden). The Helpful People & Travel sector is diagonally opposite the Wealth sector on the Bagua Map, and the two go hand in hand. Helpful people are friends, associates, your bank manager, real estate agent, carer, doctor and anyone else who makes your life easier and happier. The Wealth sector is often supported by helpful people if we think about those who help us make things happen. This sector is often left inactive as most people focus on the
Bastille Day!
We have celebrated local events and days in every country. Thaipasam in Malaysia, 4th July in New York and Bastille day in France. It is a lesson in history and culture and adds to our knowledge and experience. Five French friends are coming for dinner. One will bring his own homemade bread and canapés, another will bring his own gateau and we will provide smoke duck salad and four varieties of cheeses - a French passion! Happy whatever and wherever you are.
What to Do About the Bathroom?
For those who know about Feng Shui or have been following my posts, this is the most contentious room in the living space of a house or apartment. It is all about the Water element and we need to recall that Chinese toilets were less than desirable. Fast forward to now and we treat bathrooms like spas for relaxing in and spending time there. You will recall that where the bathroom is placed in the Bagua map, tells you the colours and elements to manage. The bathroom has the most water and drains in a living place, other than the kitchen.
