Today, March 22, is World Water Day (did you know that Milwaukee is 1 of 40 cities nation-wide to celebrate?). This day is for bringing more awareness to the importance of water in our lives (obviously for drinking, growing food & in the manufacturing process) and how we can effectively conserve to help ensure that fresh water is always plentiful. (Click here for what Miller-Coors is doing). But DeAnna, you say, how in the heck does this apply to my SPACE? Easy. Incorporating ALL of the five (5) elements into your design scheme will help create a calm & balanced space in which everyone feels comfortable.
***The five elements are: WATER, EARTH, METAL, FIRE and WOOD.***
WHAT? OK, we've all been in rooms where there's been an over-abundance of a particular element. Example: a room with wood paneling, wood tables & shelving, maybe some plants and the primary color is green...Get the idea? As you picture this, now add a fireplace and/or candles (FIRE), a WATER fountain or pictures of water scenes/lighthouses, METAL sconces or artwork, and finally, a round (METAL) or square (EARTH) area rug. Can you picture the difference?
So, here are some tips on incorporating WATER into your space:
- Use the color blue, black or purple-blue. Get flowers, pillows or a throw to add a splash of color that can easily be changed out
- Add a small table-top fountain or aquarium. In Feng Shui, place the fountain in the Abundance (far left corner from doorway looking in to the room), Life Journey (entryway wall, center quadrant-think of a Chinese restaurant & placement of aquarium at the front door!) or the Family Life Area (left wall, center quadrant from doorway looking in to the room).
- WATER animals (frogs, dolphins, turtles, whales, fish...) can be used as well to add more "flow" into your space
- WATER scenes (river, lake, waterfall) also help. If a follower of Feng Shui, make sure the current of the WATER flows INTO the room & not away/out. You want the energy to flow TO you!
- Free-flowing, organic shapes can also be used to represent WATER flowing/current. Think swags for window treatment or a throw tossed over a chair.
***In Feng Shui, the WATER element corresponds to the Wealth/Abundance of the family. If you have a leaky, running faucet, it's akin to your finances go "down the drain". This is part of the reason of why bathrooms & kitchens are so important in Feng Shui.***
To think more along the lines of conserving water, you can:
- Change out kitchen/bathroom fixtures to low-flow, energy efficient and/or automatic temperature & on/off (faucet can't be left running). TOTO, Kohler, Delta & Moen are just some of the fixture companies that offer a variety of water conserving styles. (Kohler is a WaterSense award winner for the past 3 years!).
- Get an Energy Star rated water heater.
- Use a rain barrel to capture rain water to use to water your lawn and/or garden. These are fairly easy to install and can be purchased at HomeDepot, Lowes and Menards.
- Fix leaky faucets, plumbing and appliances. (Put dye tablets or food coloring in your toilet tank and wait to see if the color appears in the bowl (without flushing). If it does, you have a leak!)
- Water your houseplants with water saved from washing your fruits and vegetables, waiting for the water to warm up, or even when you clean your fish tank!
These are just some of the things that you can do to help conserve a little bit of water in your space!
Happy World Water Day!!
***Make sure to check out the Bante Design youtube channel for video minis on Feng Shui for the Office & Feng Shui for Cubicles***
Did you enjoy this article? Click the "Subscribe" button on my Examinerpage to receive updates on new articles I post. For more design or Feng Shui tips and advice, follow me on Twitter at @bantedesign and @deannaradaj.
Comments