Feng Shui and 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 Feng 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.

A Summary of Modern Interior Design

Modern interior design has come into its own and the distinct look can turn your home into a masterpiece of aesthetic beauty without compromising practicality or function. Modern interior design often refers to mid-century design. Many people mistake modern interior design with contemporary interior design.

In fact, many interior designers borrow elements of 1960’s and 1970’s interior design. But this doesn’t mean your house will be decorated with garish wallpaper and upholstery.

The basics of modern interior design utilize new materials and techniques. The most common installations include metal, blown-glass and concrete. Metal is typically used for accents and fixtures. Many people think that the metal decor just adds coldness to the room, but what it is used for is to enhance the warmth of the nearby items. The metal, glass and concrete create a simplistic design for the modern home.

Blown glass can add a distinctive look to your home. Pieces can be one of a kind and can add warmth and depth as well as color. The pieces can make your modern interior design look stand out. Blown glass can be used in places such as light fixtures, or as creative artistic sculptures. Colored blown glass can fit into any decorating theme so a piece can last through every decorating whim you may have.

Decorative concrete can be finished numerous ways and can add any number of effects. They are used in floors, countertops and furniture. Many homeowners are not aware just how versatile concrete can be in decorating a modern homes interior design.

What is Interior Design?

Interior design is the design of aspects of environmental psychology, architecture and product design.
A person who designs interiors as part of their job is an interior designer. Interior design is the creative practice that redefines the interior of a structure using decor.

There are many aspects and areas of interior design, and a person going to school to learn interior design can specialize in any one of them, the types are only limited by the imagination, willingness, and bank account.
With an open mind you can open yourself to a whole new world.
Interior design can improve quality of life as well as work surroundings. Many businesses that open hire an interior designer in order to make their business more aesthetically pleasing to both employees as well as clients.

Restaurants also use specialized interior designers in order to draw the customer in and make them think they are hungry. Interior design can also be used to make life easier for the elderly and the disabled by incorporating user-friendly aspects into the home or environment.

Interior design elements can be drawn from anywhere and anything. Many people choose an interior design based on region, religion, or simply on their personal taste.

While choosing an interior designer to decorate your home, you will be losing the personal aspect of having a home that feels like your own. There are numerous books and classes available on interior design, so you can familiarize yourself with the aspects of interior design and have a home you can be proud of.