Wednesday, April 27, 2011

The Cure For Locked Houses





Cube House modern
modern spaces design by San Francisco architect John Maniscalco Architecture

 This is a phenomenal design element that incorporates something that is more popular in Chinese design. In my opinion this is beyond amazing. Read: Lust worthy, for sure. Allow me to explain. You see these beautifully wood panes move to OPEN the interior square area. Translate:Trigram quadrant!!!

I know it  is so uber-exciting I can barely contain myself.  Deep breathe, here goes: In every house plan you have nine equal areas. In the middle of those are the "heart" of the house. In the course of a reading or consultation you will map the energies of a house and this specific area IS where all the magic happens!!! This is where you learn the character and identity of a house. If it is WSWS, or reversed, or even worse, gasp, LOCKED!!! Oh no, there, I said it. It is true. Houses can and WILL experience locked periods and often their owners have to go to great lengths to remedy the situation.


THIS lovely square that you see in the picture actually PREVENTS a LOCK from occurring. This is because those beautiful panes fully open, allowing the chi of the square to interact with the chi of the house- thus preventing said lock from ever taking place. That is right. Outside air is always perfectly balanced, its only the interiors that have character traits that we identify and remedy or enhance. Once the chi is captured when the roof is attached is when the possibility for a lock occurs. Not, however in houses with courtyards. You can commonly find these in my hometown in the French Quarter, for instance.  This however proves endless possibilities. To view more of these amazing pictures please visit this site where I found this gem; 
http://www.houzz.com/photos/127487/Cube-House-modern--san-francisco

Home Office Feng Shui

Lorraine Vale traditional home office


With the recent trend of more and more people working from home, and stay at home moms (SAHM) are adding to this ever increasing group it is important to give some attention to the new staple in homes: the office. That is right, you need to set your self up for success when you work at home and that means putting feng shui to work for you in this room.

I realize not every home office is going to be palatial, we would all like more space, but start by making the most of what you have. First make sure that your back is NOT to the door. You are the head of your office, the CEO. As such your desk should be the focal point and have the prime location of the room. Typically, this means so people walk into the room toward you in full view. This is important because you don't want to be caught off guard or surprised. This position will allow you to work in a comfortable, focused, yet relaxed manner. Translation: Efficient!!!

Comfort should be next. I don't mean lounging comfort, I do mean get a good chair that suits your particular needs. There are tons of options on the market today so get what works for you. You are going to be spending a lot of time in it and a uncomfortable chair will slow your efficiency, and progress.This could lead to financial difficulty.

Lighting is important. I had a client once you got awful headaches in the afternoon, everyday. She had a big beautiful wall of glass that over looked the water. The reflection from the water increased the brightness of the sun and gave her the headaches. She called me for a consultation not realizing she only need window coverings. Once she installed these the headaches ceased immediately.  Make sure you have sufficient lighting at the right height and angle, while eliminating excess, unnecessary lighting from windows or over head.

Make sure the office space you are creating is neat and tidy. I like to place a plant or two in these spaces to brighten it up and keep the air from getting stale. Another welcome addition can be a motivational poster as well as a vision board. These are great tools to focus on when your mind needs to clear momentarily. Pictures of family are always welcome and it just makes the space feels warm and inviting to surround yourself with the smiling faces of your loved ones.

Resources are something no home office should be without. Even aside from the personal growth aspect it is important to keep reading material of personal interest and work related handy and in reach for easy reference.

Don't let your desk pile up with stacks of things to go through and address. Conquer these morale zappers as they occur so they don't get the best of you. If these aren't eliminated regularly these will slowly creep up and take over the desk and overwhelm you. It also brings about stagnant energy and causes you to become sluggish and behind. Remember, "as within, so without." Meaning if you are working in an area that is clutter free and well organized, you will internalize that so emotionally you will breeze through your work day.

Make It A Lucky Day!!!
Sherry