Feng Shui from the front door onward
One always makes resolutions for the New Year, some which are kept, and most not. But the beginning of the New Year is a great time to consider making changes to your home. Your entry hall is critical - let me explain why.
Creating energy for a home should always begin at the point of entry, or front door. It is this point, according to the ancient Feng Shui principles, where all energies come in and out of your home. Even the placement of the home is important for considerations of prosperity and health. A good front door is considered like a mouth of chi energy.
A good front door should open in and not into a cramped area. If your entry hall lacks space or a source of light, it can be remedied with the addition of a mirror and a light above the door. These interventions can mitigate any of the home's shortcomings.
Depending on the direction of your door, the color should be painted specifically to improve the flow of chi. The color of your main door should be as follows:
• South: Red
• North: Dark blue or black
• East and Southeast: Natural wood color
• West and Northwest: Ochre or yellow
• Southwest and Northeast: White
The concept of the foyer in this photograph was to reinforce the proximity to the water, since it is an oceanfront home, and to also reinforce positivity and good energies.
The five elements in Feng Shui are Fire, Earth, Water, Metal and Wood. Colors, emotions and effects represent each of these elements. Fire is usually represented by red, orange, yellow and purple. Earth colors are beige, rust and yellow. Water is shown as blue, green and black. Metals are represented by gray, white and black. Finally, wood is symbolized by brown and green.
In this foyer, the color selections were bold, surprising the visitor and inducing a smile. The deep royal blue evokes the element of water, and exudes tranquillity, freshness and peace. Water, as represented by the blue color, is also an ancient symbol of wealth. Even the ceiling was painted in the blue to simulate being underwater, as if one were diving or snorkeling.
The watercolor painting of the koi fish further reinforces the water theme. The chandelier above casts light to illuminate the space and is also evocative of marine life, such as jellyfish and man-o-wars.
The red console is a functional piece of furniture at the home's entry hall. The red color is a Feng Shui favorite as it symbolizes passion, courage and things to do with romance. The color red in the Chinese culture represents luck. In India, it is the preferred color for weddings, and in the United States it is a color synonymous with sexiness … think sports cars, lipstick and Valentine's chocolate boxes.
Your decorating schemes needn't adhere to these Feng Shui principles only. These principles are only meant as guidelines when designing and decorating. Your personal preferences should always come into play and consideration. You can choose to intermix any of these colors into your color schemes for the benefits mentioned above.
• Joseph Pubillones is the owner of Joseph Pubillones Interiors, an award-winning interior design firm based in Palm Beach, Florida.
© 2015, Creators Syndicate