Dining Room Feng Shui
Can you arrange your dining room to promote health, happiness, longevity and wealth? If you follow the principles of Feng Shui, you can. Feng Shui is the ancient Chinese tradition based on the life force of chi (pronounced chee). Chi is the energy that moves through our bodies, a life force, if you will. Feng shui is arranging our surroundings to promote the flow of chi around us. It’s been practiced for thousands of years in China, and there are companies that specialize in Feng Shui, and if you look closely at the suggestions...
• Make sure the dining room is free of distractions to strengthen family and health. This means clutter. Too much of it is distracting, pare down the accessories if necessary, or place them in groups of three or five for a better display. It’s not necessary to fill all bare surfaces, sometimes less is more.
• Choose an oval or round dining room table rather than a square or rectangle. Sharp corners tend to break up the chi and inhibit flow and rounded tables stimulate conversation.
• The host or hostess is usually seated at the head of the table for a reason; they should never sit with their back to the door. It is best for them to face the door, to prevent unexpected surprises.
• Chandeliers are not just elegant in the dining room, but a chandelier over the table is considered beneficial to the family relationship. Having exposed beams in the dining room can be oppressive to the occupants and cause depression. They can be painted to disguise them if they are necessities.
• Too much furniture in the dining room can inhibit the flow of chi and cause digestive issues.
• Mirrors in the dining room reflect energy to and from other parts of the house. Mirrors that reflect the food being served can promote wealth, as in the abundance of food. Don't place mirrors low on the wall. You will be cutting off the head of your tallest family member or guest.
• Candles can be used as decorative or accent lighting, but they cannot be used as the main lighting source, as it will inhibit guests from seeing their food.
• Always have an even number of chairs at the dining room table; anyone occupying the odd chair will feel left out.
• Dining rooms that can be seen from the front door can cause a loss of wealth, if your dining room is visible immediately upon entering the front door, consider adding a decorative screen.
• Do not have a clock in the dining room, the focus should be on family and dining, not the passage of time.
• Don’t have paintings or photographs of deceased family members in the dining room, it strains family relationships and can cause digestion issues.
• Display the good china and silver, since the dining room is considered the wealth room, it is wise to display it. If you keep your good china in a china cabinet, make sure it has a glass door and consider a mirrored back to make it look doubled.
While you may write off some suggestions, think twice, they make good design sense, and since Feng Shui has been followed for thousands of years, there just might be something to it. And don't forget that we have many pieces at Avery Lane that can help you get your Feng Shui off to a perfect start. Stop in and say hi!
