Feng Shui Interior Design
May 12, 2010
- Image by tjtrewin via Flickr
Feng Shui Interior Design
Translated to English, Feng Shui roughly means
wind-water.
Feng Shui is essentially the art of arranging objects
to achieve harmony in the surrounding environment.
Not only is Feng Shui used in interior design, it is
used in choosing a place to live, a burial spot and
agricultural planning.
It is highly believed that Feng Shui has an effect on
health, wealth and personal relationships. Feng Shui
is a traditional Chinese practice.
Early Feng Shui interior design relied on astronomy to
find the symmetry between humans and the universe.
The early Chinese often used the celestial poles
determined by the pole stars to determine the north
and south. Feng Shui instruments dating back to 278
and 209 BC have been unearthed from tombs.
As practiced today, the goal of Feng Shui is to
situate the human designed environment on spots with
good qi.
Spots are determined by an axis in time. Feng Shui
teaches that areas that are not suitable for human
settlement should be left in their natural state.
Qi, pronounced Chi, literally means air. In Fung Shui,
Qi is the flow of energy and may be based on a form of
solar energy.
Polarity in feng shui is known as ying and yang.
This is the absolute balance between two entities. It
is the good and the bad, the living and the dead, and
is one of the key principals behind Feng Shui interior
design.
Most Westerners knew nothing about Feng Shui until
1972 when Richard Nixon visited The People’s Republic
of China.
New Age by western entrepreneurs then reinvented Feng
Shui. Feng Shui now speaks to the profound role of
magic, mystery and order in American life.
Extreme Looking But Simple Bathroom Makeovers
May 12, 2010
- Image by alachia via Flickr
Extreme-Looking But Simple Bathroom Makeovers
The bathroom is one of the most private rooms in the house. Sometimes we tend to overlook the importance of making the bathroom a relaxing and rejuvenating place. There seem to be no need to revamp the drab bathroom, after all, this is where we do our private business. But the bathroom could serve as your oasis. You can give have an extreme-looking but simple bathroom makeover tips.
Creating a great bathroom would start in a great plan. You could start listing the things that you would need replace or repair. This would be your guide when shopping for furniture, fixtures or any accessories. Getting and installing new items are also great to get a new feel in the room. When doing bathroom remodelling, it is best to start when the furniture and everything is complete.
Once you have the list, you could start going over it again to identify if they fall into your budget. If they don’t, then you would like to have a more affordable alternative. There are many options, you could look around different furniture shops. You could also look for online stores that have good recommendations.
Aside from the plan and materials, you would need to determine the personal style you will be using for the bathroom. This style would help you pick the color theme that you would like to have in your bath. If you are trendy and up for a dramatic change, then you could go for bright colors. Dark colors are great for those who do not want to change the color frequently. There are different color tones to choose from. You could always look for color inspirations in architecture or design magazines.
There are different ways on changing your bathroom’s color themes. You could repaint it or even retile it. You do not have to remove the old tiles, some would put the new tiles over it. You could change the wall papers or other wall treatments.
Another simple makeover tip for your bathroom, would be getting coordinating finishes or fixtures. If you decided to change the faucet from chrome to bass or an antique nickel finishing, then you would have to carry it on for the rest of the bath. Aside from the knobs and faucets, you could also change the drawer pulls, tower bars, and showerhead.
Accessories, like bath mats, shower curtains and other functional equipment like tooth brush holders and soap dishes should also match. Getting additional storage areas like baskets and hanging cabinets, could also be in coordinating finishes. Aside from giving your bathroom an elegant and timeless look, it could also de-clutter and organize your bathroom and your essentials.
Changing the lights could also provide a thespian effect. Some homeowners, find it natural to get fluorescent lighting for the bathroom. However, softer and halogen lights are ideal if you want to get natural lighting effect. You could even add a light in the mirror to create a different effect. If you have a window in the bathroom, then you could position the mirror opposite the window. This would create an illusion that the room has a wider space.
Redecorating can be a very difficult job, especially if you are doing it for the first time. So get the necessary decorating help. You could get a professional to help you or if that is too much, you could consult different magazines for tips and inspiration. There are a lot of designs which can give your bathroom a simple or elaborate look. Extreme bathroom makeover does not have to be too extreme, after all, all you need is a place where you can enjoy your private time.
