Valentine Decor

A little Valentine Decorating Inspiration:

Decor with heart!



Images via Tumblr



I love Valentines day!

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Good Chi, Bad Chi

What does the chi in your home say about you and your family? Have you ever walked into a room and felt instantly comfortable?...or the opposite, uneasy? You were feeling the energy in that space. In Chinese culture and the ancient practice of Feng Shui (pronounced Fung shway) it is called Chi or qi (pronounced chee), it describes "the natural energy of the universe". New Age describes it as "subtle energy". I won't go into a complex explanation of Quantum Mechanics, but basically that theory is that everything contains vibrational energy at the atomic level. Whatever you call it, it's undeniable, and real.

I recently walked into a client's house that we just finished building some time ago. It's absolutely beautiful, it has granite counter tops, hammered copper sinks, hand scraped hickory floors, and rough honed beam ceilings, just to mention a few of it's high end amenities. There was no expense spared with furnishing it either, but the feeling that I got when I walked in was not what I had expected. The energy felt stagnant, I felt uneasy, and at first I was puzzled. Well, there is a simple explanation, my client had not fully moved in yet, it didn't have the feeling or presence of "life" or "spirit". There are no clothes in the closet, and no food in the refrigerator. But, above and beyond that, there are no personal effects that make a home cozy, no pictures, books, magazines, etc. It doesn't reflect his interests or passions yet. In essence, my client's energy is not present. The house will remain a shell until he is ready to "live" in the space and make it his. We are now finishing up with the accessory phase, and as an Interior Designer I have my limitations. I can accessorize a room, but it is up to the client to bring a sense of self, and ownership into their surroundings. As a family lives in a home their energy permeates it, good or bad, happy or sad, whatever the case maybe, and it gives an impression to all who enters.

The flow of energy(chi) in a room can be interrupted by the way the furniture is arranged, which can be easily fixed. If there is clutter, Feng Shui describes that as blocked Chi. What are the vibes (vibrational energy) like in your home? If you have a feeling that something isn't right, it probably isn't. A design professional with experience in this area can help diagnose the problem, and put you on the right track.

What makes a house a home?

There was a time in my life, shortly after my divorce when I leased a house. It was a beautiful house on a beautiful lot overlooking a golf course. Every night the sunsets were spectacular. I knew that I should be happy, yet I wasn't. It wasn't the house, it was me. No amount of decorating can make your house a "home" if you don't have inner peace. Unfortunately I moved before I was at peace with myself, so I was never able to enjoy the beauty that, that house had to offer. So, what I've been thinking is, what makes a home a "home"? Is it the house and the items inside, or the people within that home. A home is where we feel most comfortable, our "comfort zone". We look forward, at the end of long trip, to coming home, sleeping in our own beds, and being in familiar surroundings. Yet there are those of us, who don't feel like their homes are inviting enough to have guests over. That seems like a paradox, although we are comfortable, we fear what others think. Is my carpet clean enough? Will people think that my house is acceptable? We want approval from others that what we have is good enough. If your home is good enough for you, than it should be good enough for others. If there are things that would make you more comfortable in your surroundings than change them. My point is, don't decorate your home for other's approval. Do what truly makes you happy. Your home should reflect you and your family. If you are happy, your home will reflect that.