Inspiration + Colour + Placement = Balance
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Christmas is Around the Corner
Christmas for me, offers mixed emotions, poignant memories of childhood and a sense of having lost something and then there are the decorations. A traditional winter Christmas needs lights, colour, magic and a touch of snow. A Southern hemisphere Christmas is all about the beach, summer holidays, a sense of a fizz in the air. Both make sense at each time of the year.
Berlin Renovation
When we moved to Berlin we bought a lovely renovated apartment in a classic old German mansion near stunning lakes. It was beautiful, spacious but lonely. I had worked from home the last couple of years and that was a whole new experience - if you don't have an office to go to, you need to be outside with noise, people, activity and life. After over two years, we decided to move to a more active area. We assumed that we would end up in a similar apartment with high ceilings and classical features within a German style apartment Hof. I
Feng Shui Expert – Clear Englebert
Clear Englebert - I couldn't practise Feng Shui if I didn't believe in it, and I wouldn't believe in it if I hadn't seen it work. Clear is a well known Feng Shui practitioner whose focus is on demystifying Feng Shui principles through the Form school practice. For more information go to his website, http://fungshway.com which provides a range of advice and knowledge. Clear is also available for global consultation. Welcome Clear, it is great to be able to interview you after all these years! I remember that I picked up your book, Feng Shui Demystified, in a Malaysian bookstore and have followed your advice
Christmas Lights!
It is Narnia again and I am five years old when the Christmas lights go up in the winter darkness. I wish they kept them up for the whole of winter to make some sense of the cold and to offer a hint of magic. I am still searching in the back of old wardrobes!
French Renovation – The Lounge
The lounge is the last part of the tiny French apartment that we needed to decorate. It had the kitchen to one side and a lovely restored stone wall on the other. A key focus was to take advantage of the natural light from the two windows overlooking a traditional French square. We needed to ensure that the colours connected while managing Feng Shui principles. There was a corner in the Relationship sector that needed 'extending' using the practice of a small mirror stating that this wall extended. I love the combination of French and Asian decor mixed with modern touches.
Gold Water
I sat on a bench on a French beach and watched an autumn sun rise. As it met the horizon, the sea turned in to liquid gold. It is a peaceful sensation where you are warm enough but recognise the soft melancholy cold of winter around the corner. But at that moment, all was right with the world.
Career Sector – the Finale
We have reached the final area of the Bagua Map - the Career Sector. This area is often the front door and it is where we align the Bagua Map. The natural inclination is to add diplomas and work awards, depending on the room it is in. It can also be about your path in life and even if retired, perhaps you volunteer or support others. Our career sector in Berlin was in the bathroom and it is a good area but it is important to balance with lots of metal and dark stone. Colour and Element The key element
French Renovation – the Kitchen
Ah, the kitchen, the heart of the home or as in Frejus, one side of the living area! It was a key attraction to buying the one-bedroom shoebox in France. It was a simple strip of cupboards and according to the Feng Shui map it was in the Family, Health area and also in the corner for the Wealth sector which needed balancing. It was Small We have had big kitchens and small ones, classic enclosed and open planned kitchens. This was a strip. Some key rules for small kitchens from my experience: Keep it simple - stick with the 60%,
