June 2007: Page 25 Contents
25www.SANDIEGOPREMIER.net home design guesthouses CABINET REFACING DON'TREPLACE... REFACE! You can save thousands of dollars in remodeling costs & time. Call for a FREE In-Home Estimate: 800.300.3997 LOCAL PHONE: 858.549.2000 LICENSE # 411549/838590 TM ...Your organization and cabinet solution TM TM Another popular decorating tool is to follow the ancient Chinese practice of feng shui. The purpose of feng shui is to arrange your space to achieve harmony with the environment. While true feng shui is an incredibly complicated practice requiring consultations with trained professions, some of which are located right here in San Diego, there are some practices any of us can easily incorporate. If you are building your guesthouse from the ground up there are some important things to remember in creating a feng shui environment. According to Jackie Craven, author of The Stress-Free Home, the lot should be square or rectangular and level. As water is an important element of feng shui ocean views are of course extremely desirable. Avoid obstructions near the entry way and keep your landscaping neatly trimmed. The placement of doors and hallways is very important as it influences the flow of chi. Chi is the Chinese concept that there is energy constantly flowing everywhere and this energy directly influences our health and happiness. If it cannot flow freely it throws off the balance of the elements and thereby you. Doors placed directly across from each other are a good way to make sure your chi can flow easily through the space. This also applies to decorating your guesthouse as clutter is the enemy. One way to reduce this is to look at the objects in your room, if they don't serve a purpose or have a positive memory associated with them they should go. Feng Shui literally means "the way of wind and water" so elements from the earth are especially important. Living plants and flowing water help to remind us it is the balance of those elements that give us life. Sharp corners are considered "Poison Arrows" or Shar chi, places of negative energy. While of course corners are unavoidable you can soften them and release some of the negative energy by putting plants or water fountains in those areas. The door is considered the mouth where your chi enters so when setting up your guest's bedroom have the bed in a place where the door can be seen. Even applying a few of these principles can encourage good chi for your guests. So when you have expected, or sometimes unexpected visitors, no matter what your decorating style there are many options to create a most relaxing guesthouse that might even lure you away from the main home from time to time. sdp
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