Feng Shui
It seems only natural to pair feng shui — the ancient Asian art of placement — with green design, as both pay attention to more than just making a space look great. Both feng shui and green design also look at the foundation of design, so that the feeling of a room comes from something deeper than what colors or furnishings are trendy.
Feng shui is largely concerned with the flow of ch’i, or energy, throughout a space. Ch’i can be blocked by clutter, or by poorly-placed furniture, or by a lack of proper ventilation. But perhaps more importantly, feng shui gets the ch’i moving so that the energy — or life force — flows more freely through the lives of the people living in the space.
It also considers the four elements: wood, fire, water and air, and strives for the correct balance. These elements are represented by various colors or substances.
The place to start blending feng shui with green design is in looking at the flow of energy. Feng shui consultant and advisor for the Sheffield School of Interior Design Jennifer Ellen Frank says that creating a healthy and peaceful flow will benefit the nervous system and promote clarity.
“Environments that are visually appealing and physically comfortable create positive energy and a sense of balance, and are more likely to make you happy, creative and productive,” she says.
Clearing the ch’i is also helped by clearing the air. Frank reommends getting a ventilation system with a Hepa filter, which removes dust, dirt and pollutants from the environment, and she recommends using a low- or zero- VOC paint.
Leaving electrical appliances plugged in uses energy, so green designers advise unplugging anything electrical when they’re not in use. Frank advises the same thing, saying the sitting close to electricity can affect one’s vision, hearing, emotions and immune system.
One of the most basic, and most effective, things to do is to get rid of clutter around the home. “Clutter attracts stagnant energy, and the combination of grime, dirt and clutter automatically blocks the flow of energy,” Frank says.
Unblocking the ch’i can go a long way toward promoting the flow in terms of finances, health, and relationships.
“It is important to remember that in business you should take into account the triple bottom line: the earth, humans, making money. Financial performance is no longer the only measure of a company’s success, but environmental and social performance is a significant part of the equation,” she says.
One place where green design and feng shui meet is in the use of plants.
Frank recommends bringing a healthy plant into the home or office. “Plants are natural filters that inhale the toxins and carbons in our environment and exhale oxygen, creating a healthy space in which to live or work,” she says. In feng shui, plants represent the wood element which promotes wealth, so if a space is lacking in the wood element, a plant can provide the necessary elemental balance.
Request a free Sheffield School catalog describing our interior design and wedding and event planning distance education courses.
Subscribe to the Sheffield Designer newsletter and receive updates when there are new design articles on this website.
Back to Sheffield Designer Monthly
