Best Way to Feng Shui Your Home Using Color and Pattern

The colors you choose will potentially have the greatest influence on the way you feel when you are in your living room. Feng shui offers three ways to help you decide on the best colors.

Patterns

By placing a patterned rug in this living room you are creating a balance of yin and yang as there is a mixture of both random designs and repeated elements.

Firstly, determine which direction your living room faces. Next, choose your color scheme. These colors will bring out the best of the chi energy in that part of your home, making the room feel in harmony with your natural environment.

Secondly, work out what type of energy was present the year you were born and look up the colors associated with it. The colors here will work directly on your deepest chi energy field. If you live with someone else find a color that is in harmony with both of you.

Thirdly, think about what aspects of your life you would like to improve. Then to find the color that brings more of the appropriate energy into the room. You may find that there is a color common to all three approaches. Otherwise you will have to decide which has the greatest priority for you.

Patterns and special finishes

Another way of influencing the atmosphere of a room is to use patterns. One way you can achieve this is to use patterned wallpaper or to apply special paint finishes. In terms of yin and yang the simpler and more repetitive the pattern the more yang and stimulating the atmosphere, whereas an irregular pattern, such as that created by rag rolling, will create a more calming and yin environment.

In general a more yang pattern will also make a room feel smaller and is, therefore, better suited to a large room. It will also have a striking and dramatic effect and is most appropriate for rooms that are used for entertaining rather than for general family use.

A textured wallpaper will slow down the flow of chi energy and make the whole room feel relaxing, while a wallpaper with a sheen helps speed up chi energy, creating a more stimulating atmosphere.

Colors in the living room

Using the processes described above, make a list of colors that would be most helpful to you. Purchase sample pots of the colors. You can use brighter shades to create a dynamic, more yang atmosphere or paler hues to generate a calmer, more yin feeling.

Paint sample patches on the walls using the various colors and different shades so that you can observe them over time. Make the patches as large as possible because colors can look very different when they cover a large area. Once you have chosen your color scheme, prepare the room for decoration.

Applying wallpaper and special finishes

As wallpaper is much harder to change if you are not happy with it you should be careful before rushing into a decision. Try to get large samples and pin them up on your walls so that you can see which ones you like the most.

Once you are ready, prepare the walls. You may need to remove old wallpaper first. This task can be made easier by using a steam wallpaper stripper. Fill any cracks or holes with plaster and then put up the wallpaper being careful to avoid gaps, air bubbles or creases.