by llenore | Jan 12, 2024 | Ba-Gua, Beauty, Blog, Chinese New Year, Clutter, Color, Feng Shui, Good Life, Interior Design, Linda Lenore, Reflect You
To have a clean slate to work with when setting your goals, we need to get rid of last year’s energy. Clutter is a good example of things from the past holding us back. That’s why the first step is to declutter, thus creating an organized environment in which to set our intentions. It raises the vitality.
Next we are going to locate an area we deal the “wealth area” of our homes.
The Ba-Gua
Step 2: Create a Westernized Wealth Corner (45 minutes)
Guided by the ancient wisdom of the Ba-Gua map, our journey gracefully leads us to the wealth corner of your home, a pivotal point associated with the beckoning of financial prosperity in Feng Shui.
In this segment, we introduce a touch of Western luxury by embracing the opulent gleam of gold accents. Gold, synonymous with opulence and abundance in Western design, is now strategically incorporated as a potent symbol for prosperity. Elevate this space with the warm glow of carefully chosen gold-framed mirrors, metallic decor, or a chic vase adorned with fresh flowers.
A couple other colors associated with wealth are green and purple. If gold isn’t your style, find items in either or both of these colors. It could be you include a green houseplant or an orchid with a purple flower. Then you’d have both green and purple. A Lucky Bamboo is also a possibility, especially if you find yourself challenged keeping plants alive. Lucky Bamboo can live in areas of low light and do not like direct light, so it’s perfect for those interior bathrooms.
These additions not only enhance the visual aesthetics of your wealth corner but also act as beacons attracting positive financial energy. In a mere 45 minutes, you have transformed this area into a stylish haven radiating prosperity and elegance – a tangible reflection of your aspirations for the Chinese New Year.
#WealthCornerGlamour #LuxuryWithPurpose
Next Stop: Red and Gold Accents in Modern Style
Red Envelopes, Ingots, Firecrackers, & Peach Blossoms for Health, Wealth, Love, Joy, & Good Luck!
Step 3: Red and Gold Accents in Modern Style (20 minutes)
As our journey unfolds, we shift our focus to infusing the vibrant hues of red and gold into your decor, but with a contemporary and modern twist.
Instead of traditional lanterns, you might consider sleek red and gold throw pillows, table runners, or candles. Red is considered the most auspicious color, that is why it is used in as many ways as possible throughout the Lunar New Year, whether it’s in clothing, decor for the home, or the symbolic Red Envelopes given this time of year.
These accents seamlessly integrate with the existing framework of contemporary Western design, infusing your living space with an aura of auspicious energy. The fusion of tradition and modern style achieved in this segment results in a unique, stylish, and meaningful ambiance. In just 20 minutes, you have not only created a visual harmony that resonates with the spirit of the Chinese New Year, but you have also successfully blended elements that complement your Western design sensibilities.
This intentional blending ensures that your home becomes a testament to the seamless integration of diverse cultures, adding depth and character to your living space.
#ModernAuspiciousness #StylishHarmony
Next Stop: Furniture Arrangement for Harmony
by llenore | Jan 11, 2024 | Balance, Beauty, Blog, Calm, Chinese New Year, Clutter, Feng Shui, Interior Design, Mindfulness, Optimistic, Order, Sacred Space, Self Care, SelfCare, Spiritual
Happy New Year
How’s your New Year going? Have you accomplished the goals you set or stuck to your resolutions? If not, you have another opportunity to make headway by preparing for the upcoming Chinese New Year.
As the Lunar New Year approaches, there is a profound opportunity to seamlessly weave together the tapestry of cultural richness and modern elegance within the sanctuaries of our homes. This transformative series, carefully curated by me, a Feng Shui master, is designed specifically for the dynamic and busy professional women of today.
Together, let’s embark on a journey that skillfully merges Western interior design ideas with timeless Asian customs, introducing not only a sense of calm and beauty but also infusing a touch of the sacred into every corner of your home.
What makes this guide particularly appealing is that each tip is meticulously crafted to be effortlessly incorporated into your routine – whether you do a little each day or take a half day here and there to implement them – each suggestion can be allocated to an hour or less, depending on how much time you have, how much needs to be done, or how much focus into the details you want to spend time wise.
Marie Kondo’s Book: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up
Step 1: Declutter Your Space with a Purposeful Twist (30 minutes – maybe a couple times a week if you have several areas of focus)
Our journey commences with a deep dive into the transformative power of mindful decluttering, drawing inspiration from the minimalist philosophy of the renowned Marie Kondo. Beyond the mere act of tidying, this process is an intentional and purposeful endeavor.
As you delicately sift through your possessions, envision not only the reclamation of physical space but also the dispelling of any lingering negative energy. By consciously parting ways with items that no longer serve you, you are engaging in more than a decluttering exercise; you are creating room for the infusion of positive vibes.
This intentional approach serves as the foundational step toward crafting a serene and sacred home where each corner resonates with the vibrant energy of joy and purpose. Imagine a space that not only looks tidy but feels revitalized – a perfect initiation into the auspicious Chinese New Year.
#DeclutterForCalm #SacredSpaceRevival
Next Stop: Create a Westernized Wealth Corner
by llenore | Oct 25, 2023 | Beauty, Better Life, Blog, Color, Feng Shui, Good Life, Healing Hearts, Health, Interior Design, Journaling, Linda Lenore, Mind's Eye, Optimistic, Scary Times, Self Care, Spiritual, Visions - visioning - Vision Boards, Wellness, You are the LIGHT
Here’s what I did
The Artist’s Way – The book that started my journaling journey!
- I started to read empowering books and magazines. (This was long before any electronic readers were available. Coaches, especially Mindset Coaches, were very rare and not in my immediate SOI – Sphere of Influence.
- I came across Julia Cameron’s book, The Artists Way. It talked about journaling and doing “Morning Pages.” This worked for me. I started to be more optimistic. I was “dumping” the negative thoughts and worries onto a hand-written page. After about a week of this I couldn’t handle the negative writing and started writing about how I wanted to be well, walk again, and be able to do all the activities I loved.
- I had learned about Feng Shui about 10 years before. In Feng Shui we learned about the interconnectedness of the home and the body. Since the diagnosis was unknown, all I could do was look at what had been visible – in and on my body – and what my symptoms were.
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- The rash was on the skin and the skin is the outside of the house. I knew the paint on my house was peeling in places. I had someone come and fix it.
Area where the sheetrock was torn because the doorframe had been removed to move the washer & dryer out of the laundry room.
- My knees wouldn’t bend. Those are the “joints.” I had someone fix the joints where the sheetrock seams were located, which had been broken when the previous owner tore out the door in order to remove the washer and dryer from the laundry room. (The reason those joints had not been fixed before I bought the house was because I had bought the home “as is” out of desperation during the divorce.)
- I continued the process by changing my thoughts from “symptoms” and “poor me” to my desired outcomes! I saw myself wearing beautiful shoes again and having the ability to dress up, go out of the house, and enjoy the beauty of life. I wanted to see the sunlight from outside, to wear bright colors, and dance. Then in my mind’s eye I saw a stained-glass window with all the colors of the rainbow. I saw where it had to go in the house.
Before photo of living room when we started the remodeling. – Living room sheet rock removal 4-27-05
- From that point on my mind was on a creative journey. I wrote daily about visions I saw for the house. The visions looked at every part of the home, finding what was wrong or broken or didn’t work for me. These visions included ways to change it, making it beautiful.
Years before I was guided to name my company, A Beautiful Center of Light. During this time the real birthing of my company into a material form occurred. This process showed all the things I needed to change in my home and what to do.
I didn’t know how I was going to pay for any of the work. I didn’t know how this was going to heal my body.
But… the process healed my body! And the money came to do the work on the house.
The multi-colored stained-glass window placed in the living room where I saw it in my Mind’s Eye years before!
They still don’t know what I had or what caused my illness. It really doesn’t matter now. What does matter is I learned how our home is an extension of us. We are connected to it and it to us.
I continued to journal for many years and then stopped. When I went back to reading my journals, I decided I wasn’t going to do any more writing like that. It was so negative and depressing. I tossed the journals because I never wanted anyone to see how far down the dark hole I had gone. They contained an energy I needed to release from my body at that time, not keep to remember or share.
Closeup – Multi-colored Stained glass window
Journaling has helped many people and may be exactly what you need and want to do. It definitely did help me. But the journals themselves were not something I wanted to keep in my space once I was healed.
If you’d like to learn more about the connection between our body and our home, I’ve written an eBook on this called, HOME: A Reflection of SELF! Check my website for a free copy of it or contact me to receive it.
I think you will find the information fascinating and helpful!
by llenore | Oct 19, 2023 | Feng Shui, Health, Interior Design, Linda Lenore, Self Care
Get help – It takes a village
Now we’ll focus on a few things for you!
- Get help – lots of it! I was fortunate to have my daughter & son-in-love living with us at the time. We all had our chores or ways we helped. My son did the yard and cooking. My daughter took care of Hilory’s business and the house. I did my business and took Hilory to appointments. It takes a “village” to take care of someone just like it takes a “village to raise a child!” Create your tribe or village!
- Find something you love and are passionate about that you can do during this time. This ONE THING I think saved me physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually in this situation.
I needed to create handouts for an interior design class I was teaching. What happened after about the 7th day was mind-blowing! I realized I needed to write a book. I allowed spirit to take over and I was its muse. Words poured out of me easily. The handouts became the book, The Gift of the Red Envelope. I wrote for all but 2 days of the 42 days of radiation (I took Good Friday and Easter off).
Think positive thoughts!
3. I was so connected to spirit I couldn’t have a negative thought!
This is one of the most important things I can share with you!!!
Only be around positive people! People who believe miracle happen! People who hold good thoughts!
That’s when I learned, “We can’t afford the luxury of any negative thoughts!” That’s when I realized I had followed the plan that was set in motion for me to provide me with the SELFCARE TOOLS I needed to make it through this horrific time.
These were SCARY TIMES! I had numerous “talks” with my Creator on many levels. My emotions were all over the map – from anger, begging, fear, to hope, etc.
- My question to you would be –
Follow Your Soul! It knows
If you are in the mist of scary times, what could you give all your energy and focus – to give your body, mind, and spirit – to create?
I think that is one of the greatest SELFCARE tools you can have.
- Another tip –
Help them find a dream 20 years out to focus on where you both are doing something together! It could be seeing a child (or grandchild) graduate or get married. It might be traveling on a long-desired vacation. Maybe it’s buying a dream home, car, or airplane.
If they can get deeply emotionally attached to the dream or desire, their brain starts figuring out how they are going to be able to do it, shifting any negative thoughts.
- Use Feng Shui. Find the corresponding location of the health issue in the home.
Ba-Gua
I’ve often felt helpless during a loved ones’ health challenge. It can be devastating. I’ve found if I change or clean up an area of the house that correlates to the affected area of the person’s body, it shifts the energy for me, the person, and the home.
For instance, with Hilory and his throat cancer, I cleared the boxes that were blocking the hallway because the hallway is associated with the “throat” of the home.
I’ve written an eBook on this called, HOME: A Reflection of SELF! Check my website for a free copy of it.
A few examples are: 1) the doors represent the mouth, and the windows represent the eyes, 2) bone issues could be the wood studs or framing of the home, 3) even the various systems like heating and plumbing represent things like our arteries and lungs.
Change it, fix it, beautify it! Find something that needs to be done with the home in the associated area of the body. In the process, you’ll shift any negative energy in the person’s body while improving your home’s energy.
#SelfCare #Self-care #BodyMindSpiritHealth #HealBodyMindSpirit #TheHealingDesigner
by llenore | Aug 21, 2023 | Ba-Gua, Beauty, Clutter, Color, Feng Shui, Feng Shui Schools, Health, Interior Design, Linda Lenore, Reflect You, Self Care, Wellness, You are the LIGHT
For almost a decade grey has been a “go to” color trend creating a host of less than desirable energy – unless you are selling your house.
Charcoal grey kitchen
Then it might be just what you want since a recent Zillow survey states it might actually increase the sale price of your home. Let me explain more why you don’t want to use it.
One of the ways we create grey is by mixing black and white together. In Feng Shui, black equates to water and white equates to metal. Mixed together, they make grey; mixed together the elements of water will rust metal thus reducing the vitality of the space.
Every color has a vibration. Depending on what you want in your life, you may want to either paint specific colors or bring in area rugs or throw pillows with those colors to enhance the energy of your space.
For instance, if you want more energy, red is a great color. If you want more soothing energy, light blues might be a better choice.
Seafood green bedroom
Need a spark of creativity, yellow and orange are great stimulator colors. Green, especially in the sea foam or light moss range, gives a room the feeling it is connected to nature and is a restful color.
Paint is a rather low cost way to give your home a vibrational lift, yet it can also be more permanent than the addition of a rug or pillows. I’m a DIYer, so I do my own painting, but that’s not for everyone. Furniture needs to be moved; trim needs to be taped; flaws in the walls need to be fixed. Maybe changing out the drapes would be a quicker and easier way to jazz up the place to see if you even like the color long term.
As an additional note, all white rooms are out. The addition of bright colors to a white room is in. Also, adding wood in warm hues brings a nice contrast and earthiness to otherwise bland rooms.
Those are some current thoughts on ousting grey from the color choices and taking a risk on some tried and true design tips with color splashes!
As far as Feng Shui is concerned, most of the common sense parts of Feng Shui relate to the science of Color Psychology. This is a science I have studied for nearly 40 years starting in my early days in design school.
by llenore | Jun 28, 2023 | Balance, Beauty, Blog, Feng Shui, Good Life, Interior Design, Linda Lenore, Order, Uncategorized
WHY SHOULD I CONSIDER USING FENG SHUI?
Feng Shui includes many principles and suggestions, yet the main point is to create an environment that supports your daily life, health, aspirations or dreams, and lifestyle. Unfortunately the way I was taught Feng Shui nearly 40 years ago, it didn’t make sense to me nor was the essence of it boiled down to the main purpose or reason for doing it.
FUNCTION! BALANCE! ORDER! BEAUTY!
Heavy “weight” of the piano is balanced on the other side of the room with the cabinet – and a triangle with the large, dark coffee table distributes the weight of the pieces around the room.
Feng Shui is common sense. Make your home functional. Create rooms that feel balanced. Clear the clutter. Make it beautiful in your eyes – not your mom’s, neighbor’s, or friend’s eyes!!!
For years in my interior design and Feng Shui classes I told my students that using “Feng Shui” principles and objects is actually the last step.
FUNCTION!
First the home has to be FUNCTIONAL. If I told you to do something within your home, but in doing so it made it difficult to walk through your home or you couldn’t accomplish the necessary tasks within your home, you would be irritated with me. You might even send me “bad vibes” – intentionally or unintentionally. Use your common sense when doing anything in your home.
BALANCE!
Second, we want BALANCE in the home. There are many ways to create balance, especially when we use Feng Shui. But let’s talk about balance through the eyes of interior design.
Look at your room. Do you have all the furniture against one wall? Maybe distribute items around the room. Does one wall hold all the TALL pieces of furniture? Or maybe there are several “heavy” pieces on one wall or one side of the room. Again, move them around. Try to have some tall or big pieces on opposite sides or maybe even placed in a triangle within the room like they are in the picture above.
The same goes for low furniture, dark items, or any items that “command” attention. Balance the room in order to have pieces of furniture placed around the room, not just in one area or side. What about artwork? Is it all on one wall? Try to make arrangements that have about the same visual weight on opposite walls. This also applies to having equal weight on both sides of a piece of furniture.
Order & organization in the entry or mudroom
Have any accent colors distributed around the room. Having all the color just on a sofa or one wall throws the room out-of-balance. We want visual balance in heights, colors, accessories, and style within each room. When we add Feng Shui into the mix, we often will incorporate the Five Elements or Yin/Yang Theory.
ORDER!
Creating ORDER throughout the home brings a sense of peace into the space. CLUTTER is a big issue in many homes. Often it is because the function of the task doesn’t have the proper furniture or layout to complete the task easily. File cabinets, containers, lighting, seating, and other necessary tools are usually missing or not conveniently located to handle the situation.
Setting up a regular time schedule to work on decluttering and organizing is often a tool used to help. I block off the needed time for these tasks on my calendar. When doing the work, I set several short time segments back-to-back instead of one LONG time to accomplish things.
BEAUTY
As the phrase by Margaret Wolfe Hungerford in her 1878 novel, Molly Bawn, states: “BEAUTY is in the eye of the beholder.”
What do you consider beautiful? What style furniture do you like? Is it the comfort factor, sleek lines, or big & masculine? What colors do you like? What colors do you dislike? Do you like lots of objects on shelves and flat surfaces? Or are you a “less is more” kind of person?
This is a discovery process as we are constantly changing and growing. As we mature, are exposed to different cultures and lifestyles, and expand our consciousness in the world around us, our tastes and preferences evolve.
Creating a living room that is functional, beautiful and reflects your style is the goal in Feng Shui.
COMMON SENSE, STYLE, & REFLECTION OF YOU
The challenge with our lifestyle and way of thinking these days is we don’t use common sense. We are bombarded with advertisements and other people’s agendas to the point we often forget common sense. We have become brainwashed into thinking we “need” the latest product or device to make us happy and complete.
What’s your style? Do you even know? Many of the women I have worked with during my career as an interior designer have not a clue what style they like. They see a room display at a store or in a magazine and they try to mimic it in their home… but not quite! The cost, size (of the furniture or the room), color, or material doesn’t work for some reason. Hence, they are forced to change parts of the overall image. Bottomline, it just doesn’t work.
Why do you have the furniture you have in your home? Did you inherit it? Find it at a garage sale? Brought it from your college days? It was in your husband’s friend’s house, he didn’t want it, and told your husband to take it? These are just a few of the hundreds of “mistake” furniture my clients have had in their homes.
Ultimately with your home, using these common sense qualities of interior design – AND FENG SHUI – will improve your life. Yes, Feng Shui is the common sense aspect of interior design.
Make your home a reflection of who you are at your core essence. What are your values? What do you believe? What do you cherish? Where do you want your life journey to take you? How do you see yourself? Does your home reflect that image?
If you follow these principles, you’ll understand why considering and utilizing Feng Shui in your home will make you happier and help you achieve the life you desire.
