Small Space - Balancing Your Apartment or Studio Feng Shui
Living in a dorm, apartment, or studio should not curb your Feng Shui expression. In fact, organizing a small space is exactly the same as larger spaces because it revolves around the use of balance, which every-sized space is capable of. You use the basic principle of balance and start by determining the borders of the space.
The key elements in Feng shui are wood, metal, earth, fire, and water. The unique interation of all these elements combined, produces a desirable outcome (but only if the elements are mixed properly). You can analyze your room just by looking at it and it’s really very easy.
Group everything in your room into one of the element categories. Because the goal is to seek balance, if you notice your room has too much of a certain element, add a different element. For example, too much wood is fixed by adding fire or metal elements.
Too much fire means you need more earth. Too much earth is counterbalanced with wood and metal. Too much metal is balanced by fire or water and too much water means you should bring in some earth or wood. These items could include a candle, picture, plant, etc. Get creative for goodness sakes and just enjoy Feng Shui living!
One of the critically vital parts of Feng Shui, revolves around Chi, which is the energy flowing in a room. In order for a room to feel properly balanced, the Chi needs to be able to flow easily.
Clutter, oversized furniture, or just a bad layout can ruin a room’s Chi and make it feel very uncomfortable to be in. In the same ways your Chi can get stuck in cluttered spaces, a Chi which flows too fast is also a problem.
Fast-flowing Chi is caused by furniture lining one wall, just as slow-flowing Chi is caused by placing furniture in the middle of a room. Both feel unbalanced so be sure to consider the flowing energy when placing furniture in a room.
Along with energy, clutter plays a huge role in Feng Shui, especially in small areas. By ridding a space of clutter, the look will be more calm and the Chi flow will also improve.
As far as furniture goes, choose pieces that have rounded edges and place them in positions that provide a good pathway through the room. Another way to further balance a room is by using light weight and small furniture. Additional lighting helps small spaces appear larger so be sure to open up those blinds as well! The more natural light the better!
An obvious way for a room to appear bigger is if mirrors are put up. Before you start tacking them up be sure you’re aware of what the mirrors reflect. Mirrors are a very easy way to pull negative
Chi into a room. In addition to mirrors, color is another fabulous way to enlarge a space. If paint isn’t in your budget, or permitted in your living space, no worries, you can also spice up a room with lamps, pilliows, and pictures. When doing this, be sure you keep the five elements of Feng Shui in mind in order to keep a balanced space.
Good balance and harmony in a home relaxes and calms the occupants within in. Small changes in a small space can turn a room around into something totally new and amazing!
Have fun and relax while you learn the feng shui life.