Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese practice that studies the influence of space on our well-being, believing that the way we arrange objects and furniture has an impact on our balance. Literally, Feng Shui means ‘wind-sea’ and uses the five Chinese elements (water, fire, earth, wood and metal) so that Chi, the vital energy, flows harmoniously.

In practice, Feng Shui is achieved through decoration and interior design, using certain materials and objects, but also with a dose of common sense. It can be applied at home or at work with the aim of transforming negative energies into positive ones. According to Chinese tradition, good Feng Shui is a sign of wealth and prosperity, while bad Feng Shui can be synonymous with various misfortunes.

Discover some principles that you can easily apply in your home:

Live with less, get rid of old and unnecessary things, broken or useless objects, leave ample space for energy to circulate. In short, tidy up and organise.

Air out your home, allow air to circulate and light to enter, as this is a great way to have good energy. So don’t underestimate the simple gesture of opening your windows.

Incorporate elements that refer to nature, such as plants and fountains, into your décor to create a more harmonious environment. Use objects made from materials that represent the five elements. For example, mirrors and crystals (water), candles (fire), ceramic vases (earth), bells (metal) and wooden furniture.

All colours have meaning, so their use should be appropriate for each room: soft colours, such as blue or light green for bedrooms; white, which conveys peace and tranquillity, should be used in the kitchen and bathroom, but in excess it can cause anxiety, so it must always be balanced with other colours. Similarly, black should not be excessive or predominant. The use of strong colours such as red should be limited to a few accents.

In the bedroom, choose beds with headboards, but do not place furniture or shelves above the bed. The bed should occupy a central position in the room, with the headboard against the wall, and should not be under the window or with its back to the door.

According to Feng Shui, the bathroom stores the bad energy in your home: therefore, keep the toilet lid down (open means financial loss), choose drains with a ‘up and down’ system and always keep the door closed to prevent bad energy from circulating in the rest of the house.

The living room should be designed to be a welcoming and comfortable area. Therefore, sofas should not have their backs to the entrance door. Choose a layout that allows for fluid communication, such as a U or L shape. Cosiness can be achieved through the use of curtains, cushions, rugs, and pouffes.

Avoid furniture with sharp edges, clutter and dirt. Do not keep dry or wilted plants in your home.

Feng Shui also considers that there are ‘cures’, that is, ways to strengthen chi that help to correct structural problems in our environments, softening shas, negative elements. Thus, shiny objects (such as faceted crystals or lights), sounds (wind chimes, music, bells), heavy objects (sculptures, stones), moving energy (water fountains, windmills, weather vanes) are examples of these ‘cures’ that can compensate for other energy flaws.