Feng Shui Practical case study: Balancing the Ch'i in a small Room
Updated: Aug 22, 2021
After I moved in - see the previous blogpost - it was time to start working on the Bagua map and the areas where I needed some enhancements. I started to realize that the Bagua and the natural materials in my new home were actually matching up - I even have the Li Gua (element fire) in an area that has a fireplace. Maybe that's why I felt good energy in this place as soon as I saw it.
But one of the challenges I had was with the 2nd bedroom area, where I have now chosen to use it as my multimedia/meditation/guest/office room. That room has barely any natural lighting coming through the window (very Yin), so it looks like it's always nighttime there. And so, I decided to honor that Yin energy in the room and use it for activities that are predominantly better suited in a Yin space - like an office and guest room. You need to concentrate when you are working, so unless I need some creative energy type of work, that's where I work from now.
But the room still needed some balance, as every room must have both Yin and Yang energies.
This room also falls into 2 areas in the Bagua: the "knowledge and self-cultivation" and "health and family" areas so I wanted to bring elements to enhance them. And on a less positive note, the Wealth area is missing in this part of the layout (luckily I have an extension Wealth area on my lower floor).
So taking all of that into consideration, I decided to bring in a wallpaper (it's a peel and stick so it's really a vinyl one - not paper) to put me in connection with Nature, since there won't be many plants surviving in this low light environment (therefore the trees you see). An image of a forest also enhances the Xun (Wealth Gua), so that was a winner for me. Plus, wallpaper with a big pattern - especially with a perspective - will make your room look bigger.
And this one brings the color green inside (which is the best for the Health Gua) - but since it's still a Yin color, I ended up getting a wallpaper that has scenery of a forest during fall - this way you can see some green, as well as orange and yellow colors, and it seems that there are some sun rays coming in between the leaves. Are you feeling the life energy there?
The orange and yellow are Yang colors so this way I could get that energy into the room. I also worked with opposite colors when I introduced a purple element on one of the sofa modules to bring some Xun energy (Wealth). Purple is an opposite color of green in the color wheel and although purple gets associated with the fire element, it is also the Xun (wealth) color, so it works really well, and I wanted this room to be playful so instead of making the sofa all in the same color, I used a yellow module as well - again playing with Yin and Yang. I also added some metal elements like this side table in black metal, by Karim Rashid for BoConcept, which I love. I have a couple more pieces from the Ottawa collection, that I've been collecting through the years, like my desk chair - which curiously it is also inspired on a leaf shape.
As for the lighting, I kept the lights in a warm tone (when I moved it was a bright white light), and I introduced an LED light cube so that I can choose the light color for the room. So I can have Yang energy when I have people socializing in that room - I also Dj as a hobby and it's where I keep my equipment now - or more Yin when I am working or meditating. Occasionally I bring my laptop here and work either from the sofa, or the desk. Sometimes I also bring a solar lantern that I have for outdoor/indoor use for when I am meditating.
I love these solar lanterns (I got a duo with the sun and the moon) and I can charge them outside during the day and bring them inside later, or leave them outside. I'm loving getting more sustainable things and solar-powered objects are becoming such a big trend. There were also other details taken into consideration like a mirror, and some crystals to bring in the water element. It is good to have the 5 elements in a room, as some will help to support the main element or reducing when there's something that is overpowering in a room.
So in a small room, (my friends call this the little room), I managed to bring the 5 elements, as well as balance the Yin and Yang, and this is one of the ways you can work with Feng Shui. Although it is a small room, I think it became one of the most versatile areas that I have at home. As you can tell, every decision I made had an intention and a foundation behind it and I was able to do it even by reusing some of my own pieces while adding some new items, on a budget. My friend just did a photoshoot here for her brand "Bodysuitsme" (check them out - they have a July promotion), and it looked amazing!
Marcia is an Inside Architect. She works balancing all the elements in a room according to your intentions while using her architectural knowledge and her interior design/furniture retail experience. Find out more about how you can book her to work with you to enhance your space (and body) towards a balanced life.