Selection of fine art for your home or office can play an important role in the movement of positive energy through your space. In the practice of feng shui we call this energy chi (qi). For example, you can walk into a room and feel that you don’t want to linger there and yet other rooms may be inviting with a feeling of warmth or calm. Feng shui is the balancing of these negative and positive energies. And every year it is different.
2016 is the year of the yang fire monkey. Areas that use a touch of red decor are the Northwest and Southwest. You can accomplish this in an original painting or print, particularly if your walls are neutral. Use a red frame around a favorite piece of art. In the northwest the power of the negative hostility star is reduced through the use of triangular shapes (that suggest fire) and the colors, red, peach, orange. The southwest is the sector of wealth, a very positive attribute that should be enhanced. The use of red, rose, lilac along with symbols of wealth will increase the positive energy in this area.
Every year just before the Chinese New Year, I gather up my wall art, sculptures, throws, pillows- anything that I have used for decor in the last year- and spread it out on my dining room table. I clean it all and deep clean the areas in my house where they were placed. Then I put away some items and bring others out of storage (dust them off) to use for the new year. Just the upheaval alone that this creates will change the energy in your home. When you start to place items according to the feng shui of the new year, you will feel the freshness room by room. It’s like spring cleaning a little ahead of time. The results are uplifting and set the tone for a happy, healthy and productive year ahead.
