How to Merge Feng Shui with Oriental Home Decor

Oriental home décor seeks to simplify, enhance a sense of space, and provide a connection to nature. By including natural furnishing in your Oriental home décor you begin the work of designing a home. Once you've selected your basic pieces for a room using the natural elements, then work to direct chi energy to producing the Yin meditative qualities or Yang energetic qualities that best support a room's purpose. To provide a sense of space, leave broad areas open. Bring the outdoors inside as much as possible. Keep clutter and decoration to a minimum. Buy Oriental artwork as a main wall decoration focal point. [see photograph 1] Buy rock, clay or wood supports. Buy cotton and other natural fabrics.

Use Five Element Natural Furnishing in Oriental Home Décor

Natural Tree Element Furnishings [see photograph 2]

Natural Tree Element furnishings are made from wood and bamboo. They are often covered with green cotton fabric. Natural finishes enhance the wood and bring out the wood grain. Flooring is typically wood, cork or bamboo. Decorate with bonsai plants, tall thin plants or objects, and sculptures made of wood. Shape space and lighting with paper partitions.

Natural Soil Element Furnishings [see photograph 3]

Natural Soil Element furnishings include clay objects and plants that grow in soil. Soil Element furnishings are square, upright, and covered with yellow or brown cotton fabrics. Soil element flooring includes clay tiles. Soil furnishings are typically low and flat.

Natural Water Element Furnishings [see photograph 4]

Natural Water Element furnishings include water fountains, vases for floating arrangements, irregularly shaped artwork or furniture, black and white stones or furniture, and flowing pathways. Glass windows should allow views of gardens whenever possible. Flooring and sculptures in black are water element furnishings.

Natural Fire Element Furnishings

Natural fire element furnishings are provided in bright reds and oranges. Include a fire place or candles. Fire element furnishings are geometric and colorful.

Natural Metal Element Furnishings

Natural metal element furnishings uses steel as furniture supports and white or gray fabrics. Or it decorates with gold, silver or bronze decorations. Metal element furnishings are round or domed.

Direct Chi Flow to Enhance Yin Meditative Qualities

Yin Meditative rooms include your bedroom, places you read, watch television, concentrate or work, create art, or create or listen to music. Use them for older people. Yin energies are strongest in the northern half of your home. They are naturally darker. Use Metal element furnishing in the northern part of your home. [see photograph 5]

If the chi energy level in the room is too low, add natural fire element objects. Add a red vase, or vase of red flowers. Use copper and brass. If your kitchen happens to be on the northern side of the house, displaying copper pots is a great way to liven it up.

If the room is on the northwest or northeast part of your home and the chi energy level too lively, add natural soil elements to calm the room down. Brighter yellows and browns and matte textures will calm these areas.

Block chi flow coming from outside by narrowing paths, panels, conversation groupings of furniture and fluttery household plants.

Direct Chi Flow to Enhance Yang Energetic Qualities.

Yang energetic rooms include your kitchen, laundry, places where you do housework, children's rooms, places to do exercise, and where you work on projects. Yang energetic rooms are typically on the southern side of your home and decorate with natural water element furnishing-blacks and blues and wavy contours.

If the chi energy level in the room is too energetic, add sea salt or charcoal in a dish. Also, grow ivy or create floating arrangements.

If the chi energy level in the room is too calm, or on the southwest or southeast part of your home, add natural tree element furnishings like tall potted trees and running water fountains.

Open the pathways through the areas on the southern side to facilitate entertaining, exercise, cleaning, and promote a cheery attitude.

[1] Practical Feng Shui by Simon Brown

[2] Creating Japanese Gardens from Ortho Books

[3] New House Book by Terence Conran