Feng shui decorating creates an environment which allows positive energy, or chi, to flow in a specific area creating a feeling of harmony. This form of decorating accomplishes this by using and balancing thefive elements of water, fire, earth, metal and wood. While the water element certainly makes us think of bathrooms, the bathroom is perhaps the biggest challenge when using Feng shui decorating inspirations. This is because Feng Shui follows the belief that the bathroom area of the house is a problem area that flushes away joy and prosperity, therefore allowing health, financial and emotional problems to take over.
Feng shui gives us guidelines on how to decorate in a positive manner that instills Chi and retains the positive attributes of our relationships, finances and health. The first step of using Feng shui decorating is to get rid of all clutter in your bathroom. The point of this process is to get rid of the old negative energy and to start anew. Once this is done, you can begin the actual decorating process.
When choosing a color scheme for the bathroom, remember that the colors that you select will reflect the value of the elements.
• Fire- Red and Orange
• Water- Blue and Black
• Earth- Brown and Yellow
• Wood- Blue and Green
• Metal- White and grey
Feng shui decorating prefers light colors that you would find in an aquarium or a stream, such as pale blues and creams. These colors will help create a feeling of harmony and will introduce the water element of Feng Shui decorating to your bathroom. Using red is advised if your bathroom is located in the center of the house. The color red represents the fire element and fights the loss of wealth. This detail can also be accomplished by adding a candle to the décor.
The metal element can be brought forth by adding a mirror to the bath décor. Some experts recommend using two mirrors for the ultimate feng shui decorating results. You can introduce the wood element into your decorating by arranging a bamboo plant or other plants around the bathroom. These items yield best results when they are facing a mirror. A bowl of floral potpourri, fresh flowers or somewhat large pebbles satisfy the earth element, which helps to control and balance out the water element’s presence. Proper illumination helps to increase the effects of all the elements. For this reason, be sure to add an extra lighting fixture if necessary.
Feng shui decorating faces a big challenge when the bathroom is situated in an improper are of the house. The areas that are considered to be improper, by the rules of Feng shui decorating, are next to the main entrance of the home, in the center of the house and above either the main entrance or kitchen. The main entrance is where all opportunities flow into the home. If there is a bathroom near it, the bathroom will negate any possibilities of Chi. There are several things that you can do to get the best results of Feng shui decorating and to fight off the negative effects of having a bath next to the main entrance.
• Always close the bathroom door.
• Keep the toilet lid down.
• Keep any open drains closed when they are not in use.
• Put an earth related product in each corner of the bath.
• Be sure to use two mirrors instead of one and to have the bamboo reflect off of one or both of them.
• Open the windows whenever possible.
• Use gold colored towels to attract wealth and plenty.
The art of Feng shui decorating can bring much joy, happiness and opportunity to your bath décor. If you need some additional help, you can use a Bagua diagram, which can be found online. Feng shui can be used in multiple areas of the home. However, it is important to be sure to learn about how to use the theme before you start because each room has its own set of rules. Most important of all, once your decorating is complete, be sure to light a candle, put on some soft music and take a warm bath to help bring all of the elements together and bring harmony to yourself.