I love a home makeover show. It’s fun to see what the designers will come up with and decide if it’s going to have a positive or negative impact on the energy of the space.
After having spent so much time indoors over the winter, the idea of a spring makeover is very appealing. Here are some simple ways to give your home a makeover and improve it’s energy with very little financial outlay.
If it’s dark, make it light
The move towards much flatter paint finishes means that areas of the home that don’t get direct light can be quite dark and shadowy. Full spectrum daylight bulbs mimic the effect of normal daylight so if you want to create the effect of having an extra window, this is just the way to do it.
You can also try adding a new lamp placed in front of a mirror or use a chandelier to get the light reflecting around the space.
Feng Shui benefit: Fresh energy is damaged by dark spaces so you will immediately start to benefit from stronger “chi”. Not only will your home feel better, but you can expect to experience a boost in other areas of your life too.
Change colours
When we decorate, we are often inspired by the colour trends of that time. If you’ve done any decorating in the last few years, the chances are that you will have some shade of grey within your home somewhere!
Changing a room colour involves a degree of upheaval that few of us relish but you can change the energy of your space by changing any large expanse of colour. Usually its walls, ceiling or floors that count.
If you don’t fancy decorating, perhaps you could add a rug of a different colour. This is an easier way to bring in a “pop” of colour with less effort than it would take to spend the weekend decorating.
Just as easily, you could introduce a large-scale colourful artwork or print on the wall or add some brighter throws to the sofas.
Feng Shui Benefit: Colours are used to balance the energy of a space in Feng Shui. By adding a different colour you are changing the dynamic in that room.
Introduce live plants or flowers
I love houseplants but have to confess that after a while, I stop noticing the ones I have. Introducing more plants to a room (or even moving around the ones you have) will change the energy of a space. Maybe you’ve had a plant sitting in a corner of the living room years and you no longer notice it. Moving it to another room in the house will give that space a boost of energy, while also gaining you extra space in the living room.
At this time of year, spring bulbs and flowers are really cheap. Introducing these into the house is a good way of reminding yourself that there will be better weather coming soon!
Feng Shui Benefit:Plants stimulate the energy so they can benefit your home. They have the added benefit of absorbing negative energy. (It’s best to avoid really spiky plants though unless you know you need fire energy in a room.)
Rethink your furniture layout
We get very used to furniture positioned in a certain way but rethinking how you use a room can be a fun way to get out of a rut. For example, could you move your living room furniture around, or swap the position of your dining table or desk? If you consider some simple Feng Shui principles at the same time, the change around will mean that you make your home more workable too:
- Make sure that the doorway to the room isn’t blocked by furniture.
- Ensure that the seats that you and family members use most often are against a solid wall. (This is valid for sofas and desk chairs etc. )
- Make it easy to walk through the room. Not only is it irritating to have to navigate furniture but it stops the energy flowing too.
- Get rid of anything you no longer use. The more space you have, the more room there is for good energy to enter.
- Always try to have an attractive or restful “view” when you are trying to relax. You don’t want to look at piles of paperwork or out of a window at a boring fence.
Feng Shui Benefit: Allowing energy into a room and letting it flow helps create a comfortable space. Being able to relax in your home promotes a feeling of well-being.
Try sleeping in a different direction
The position of the bed can be a deeply entrenched habit but this option is worth a try if you find that you don’t sleep well or you have very vivid dreams.
Try moving the head of your bed to another solid wall, out of line with the door. This might feel like a hassle to do but it’s worth remembering that a good night’s sleep makes a huge difference to our health and well-being.
Feng Shui Benefit:In Feng Shui the direction you face as you sit up in bed in the morning relates to the energy you absorb. If you face supportive energy, then things are easier and you have more potential to withstand life’s challenges. (The direction that suits you relates to your year of birth.) Trying out different directions could improve things if you currently don’t sleep well. *
So for the cost of some full spectrum daylight light bulbs, some paint and a few additional plants, you can give the chi of your home a boost!
*If you would like some help with your supportive directions before you start your move around please email me at maria@dynamicspaces.co.uk