[CEO World Magazine – July 18, 2021]

Feng Shui is a system of laws considered to govern spatial arrangement and orientation about the flow of energy (chi), and whose favorable or unfavorable effects are taken into account when sitting and designing buildings. Feng shui uses five elements that according to the Chinese practice have to all be present in order for the space to be balanced. The elements it uses are water, earth, fire, wood, and metal.

The role of each element in humans’ lives

Water is wavy, so its shape is curvy. Earth is flat so the best shape that represents its quality would be square. For fire, Chinese people used the triangle basically because this is what fire looks when it’s burning. Metals are depicted as circular and spherical, while wood is supposed to be rectangular and columnar, perhaps because the share of the tree trunks when we look at them from far away are rectangular and wood is related to trees.

In terms of seasons, water is linked to winter, fire to summer, wood to spring, metal to autumn, and earth to transitions between the seasons. The colors that best describe each element also, differ. Fire is, of course, red. Surprisingly, the water is not blue. Water is black and blue together with green is the color of the wood. Earth is supposed to have a yellow color, while for metals we save the white and metallic colors.

In feng shui, things become interesting when we start to address each element to a certain quality and its role in life. Water, for example, is linked to career and its quality is supposed to be downward, flowing, and shifting. For some reason, wood is upward and expansive while it symbolizes vitality; the area that this element affects is family and wealth.

Earth is grounded, stable, and self-caring and is strictly associated with health knowledge and partnerships. Fire is described as passionate, illuminating, and brilliant and it mainly has to do with fame. Metals represent efficiency, beauty, and precision, and are related to children and people who can be helpful.

Introduce the five elements to decorate your space

So how are these translated in terms of décor? Where do we meet each one of them in the house? As mentioned before, the earth is related to nourishment and care. Apart from yellow, brown and orange are also, very ”earthy.” Objects that are heavy are a perfect match to point out the element of earth. A solid desk gives a perfect example of this element. Rugs in colors and shapes of the associated element are also appropriate. If you want to add the water element you can get a water fountain or art with images of water.

Dark blue and black will underline the wisdom that is hidden behind water. Wood can be found in natural wooden surfaces such as floors and furniture but it can equally be found in small trees that are suitable for the interior of a house or an apartment. Natural solutions are excellent to bring out the symbolism of growth and vitality.

Metals deal with joy and can be reached in light fixtures and metal objects in white, gray, and metallic colors. Again, fire is linked to light, so lamps are perfect to add some fire to your place. If you have the luxury to maintain a fireplace in your house it is even better, the atmosphere will be warmer and inspire passion and excitement.

The rooms in the house and their role in the space

The entry is the first thing people see when they come to your home. It, therefore, represents your image to the outer world. It is important to be clean and tidy as well as visible to others. Moving in we usually come across the living room which is where people gather and spend time together. Plants will make the environment warm and seats should be facing to encourage communication. In addition, you can avoid putting the backs of the chairs to face doors.

The kitchen has to do with nutrition. Suitable nutrition is important for good health, so the element of the earth should be abundant in this room. It is also very crucial to keep a tidy fridge and throw away any expired items.

The bathroom is another vital part of the house. Bathrooms are often connected to drains and Chinese people believe that the toilet seat and the door should be closed to avoid money flowing away from you. Last but not least, we have the bedroom. The bedroom is the representation of yourself. Make sure the area underneath the bed is not used for storage.