I went for a wow factor with the custom banquette in this breakfast room.

Its been awhile since my last post, I’ve been working on several exciting design jobs and haven’t had time for much else! But I wanted to share some of my current “Works in Progress” with you, and give a few Feng Shui tips and design sources that you can hopefully use for your own home. 

Right now I will focus on the Dining Rooms of the homes I am renovating. Here are three dining rooms in progress (these are not completed spaces, so please excuse the unfinished photos) but I want to point out some of the Feng Shui design decisions that are going into each one:

Dining Room 1: Brooklyn Loft

This home is a gut renovation, removing all sheetrock on the walls and ceiling, and returning the loft to its original state. However, its important to add some glamour as well!

 Based on the Feng Shui analysis of this apartment, the dining room needed EARTH element, to enhance joy and socializing. One form of Earth element is crystal, so the chandelier is also acting as a Feng Shui remedy and enhancing the good energy of the space. The antique French chandelier was found on 1st Dibs. Antique French Victorian doors were found at Eron Johnson Antiques, and are used here as closet doors.

Dining Room 2: Central Park Views

This mid-town apartment is flooded with light and has gorgeous views of the park, but the “dining room” isn’t really a room. It is more of a pass through area between the living room and kitchen. In order to give it presence and drama as its own space, I painted the wall a deep metallic copper color, achieved by starting with a base coat of Benjamin Moore “Penny” topped with a coat of Modern Master’s “Copper” metallic paint. The end result is a powerful focal point in the home. 

Based on the Feng Shui analysis of this apartment, the dining room needed METAL element to support wealth. So the metallic wall color, along with an overhead light and sconces with metal accents (from Lamps Plus) help draw abundance into the space.

Dining Room 3: Retro Catskills Cottage

I gave this breakfast nook a mod makeover with a swanky custom banquette and Jetsons-like dining table. The antique mirror and deco sconces are the clients own. The paint is a tiffany-blue shade from Behr Paint. The table is from Suite NY and the ceiling fan from Lumens.

The Feng Shui reading of this house showed that the room needed WATER and METAL. The blue wall (for water) and gold banquette (for metal) represent these two elements beautifully!

I promise to blog more often, and welcome any of your thoughts or inspirations on dining room design.

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This is a budget friendly kitchen makeover that I just completed for a client in NYC. Her little kitchen was cramped, the cabinets were failing apart, and the layout was not user-friendly. Read on for some tips to help you love your kitchen.

Here is the kitchen “before.” The first thing I did was seal up a pocket door that joined the kitchen to another room (seen in the above picture, on the right side). That other room had another access, so the pocket door was redundant. By doing that, we gained valuable wall space in the kitchen – a spot where we eventually placed the stove.

 The stove had been right next to the refrigerator, which did not create a functional work triangle. (You can barely see it on the left side of the above photo.) It was an uncomfortable place to cook, and was not good Feng Shui. TIP: avoid placing the stove near the refrigerator, based on Feng Shui, the “fire” of the oven clashes with the “water” of the refrigerator and can lead to conflict in relationships.

Using budget-friendly IKEA kitchen cabinets, I choose a charcoal gray lacquer for the lowers, with bright white lacquer for the uppers. TIP: Using a dark lower cabinet and a light upper cabinet makes the space feel brighter and larger. One frosted glass door cabinet above the sink gives the room more depth.

     We tore out the old tile floors and laid new hardwood floors, then stained all the floors in the apartment black. TIP: Continuing the wood floors from the living room into the kitchen helps to visually expand the space.

In addition to new white corian countertops, I was able to create a small custom bar with a piece of corian cut with a rounded edge and mounted on the wall. With a chrome pendant fixture above, it’s a great place for morning coffee.

 Since the cabinets were store bought, they came in a standard size that left about 10” of unused space between the cabinets and the ceiling. TIP: Rather than loading the area above the cabinets with baskets and storage items which would only make the kitchen feel cluttered, I opted to line the walls above the cabinets with mirrors. That little bit of reflection almost feels like a transom window, and allows the light to bounce around this windowless room.

 The Feng Shui analysis of this apartment showed that the kitchen needed FIRE element to support strong relationships. TIP: An easy way to bring in Fire is the color red, so I chose an exciting red tile backsplash from Porcelanosa. It adds warmth to the room, and its rippled texture is a nice contrast to the glossy cabinets. 

So, there you have it, a warm, exciting little kitchen that’s easy to love.  And the timing isn’t bad either.  This client will have a little extra romance in her kitchen for Valentine’s Day!

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 Welcome to the powerful year of the Dragon!

In Chinese astrology, the Dragon is considered a benevolent creature that brings luck. Dragons symbolize success and happiness, and those born in a Dragon year can be quite uninhibited and free-spirited, trusting that everything will work out for them.  Which it often does. On the opposite side, their free spirit can make them unpredictable, and sometimes a bit quick to anger.  But in general, they are quite generous and enthusiastic.

 WHAT THE DRAGON YEAR MEANS FOR THE WORLD

In the Chinese calendar, this is a “Water Dragon year” and it is represented by the elements Water sitting on Earth. In  the 5 Element Cycle which governs Feng Shui, Earth drains Water and creates an unbalanced relationship. This can create some weakness, though not nearly as much as we saw in 2010 and 2011.

International Issues

Global tensions will lessen somewhat. International conflicts may ratchet down from actual fighting  to angry words and trade embargos. While far from achieving world peace, it is a move in the right direction. Additionally, the economic stress that the world has endured will slowly improve throughout the year, though don’t expect a quick fix. Fire is the element that feeds the financial markets, and fire is not present this year.  Luckily, however, the worst years are behind us.

Political and Social Movements

These elements of Water and Earth can have a positive effect if applied to social changes. This combo can motivate people to form organizations that work to change the status quo and see real reforms. The Occupy Wall Street movement, for example, is an organization which could benefit from this year’s energy. And since it is an election year in the US, a third party presidential candidate could arise, with surprisingly strong support.

Environment

Looking at environmental issues, Water and Earth can clash, creating disasters such as tsunamis or earthquakes, which result in flooding (it is interesting to note that 5 of the largest earthquakes on record happened during Dragon years.) And while it happened days before the New Year, I couldn’t help but see the cruise ship disaster off the coast of Italy as a result of Water and Earth – a luxury ship hitting rock formations submerged in the ocean.  On a more positive note, strong water and earth can be beneficial to the growth of trees and forests, and we could see recovery of natural habitats and stronger environmental protections this year.

All in all, 2012 should be a very exciting year, and while it will contain its fair share of challenges, positive change will ultimately be the result. 

WHAT THE DRAGON YEAR MEANS FOR YOU

2012 Is Your Year to Speak Up

 One of the key features of the Water Dragon is that it strengthens your ability to communicate and speak strongly for what you believe. This is a great year to “find your voice” and boldly create the life you want.

 FENG SHUI TIPS FOR YOUR HOME AND BUSINESS THIS YEAR

Now let’s look at your space, and how Feng Shui can help you achieve your personal goals this year. Below are Nine Feng Shui Tips, corresponding to the eight compass directions, plus the center of the space. Where possible, try to use the suggested element for each area. But if that is impossible or impractical, use the color which corresponds to that element. 

(Note: If you have received a Feng Shui consultation from me in the past, please contact me for your personalized 2012 annual update. This will allow you to fully maximize the power of 2012 in your space!)�

EAST area:

Good for academics and romance. Also a good area to increase business.

Be careful of too much romantic attraction (possibly leading to extramarital trysts)

Enhance with FIRE element: candles, a lamp with a red shade, or colors red, purple, or hot pink in artwork, rugs and accessories.

SOUTHEAST area:

Weak for health this year with a possibility of accidents and obstacles. Avoid using this area if possible

If the Southeast of your house is where you sleep or work, or if it is your front door, be sure to apply the needed remedy. 

Remedy with METAL – ideally moving metal such as a clock with a swinging metal pendulum or a wind chime. Best colors are silver, white, gold and grey. 

 SOUTH area:

This area can be fantastic for romance and can even lead to marriage, but ONLY if you apply the needed remedy.

 Add WOOD element:  living plants or flowers, or the color green.

 SOUTHWEST area:

Stressful for family relationships.  Marriages can feel strained. There is also a possibility of theft, so take common sense precautions (sturdy locks, an alarm system, etc).

 Remedy with FIRE element to promote harmony (see East for recommendations.)

WEST area:

THE BEST LOCATION IN 2012. Make use of this part of your home, it is wonderful for wealth, fame, and breakthroughs of all kinds.

Enhance with EARTH element: items made of crystal, stone, marble or stone, or colors yellow, orange, tan or brown.

NORTHWEST area:

A difficult area for relationships, both personal and business. Be careful of minor accidents.

Remedy with WATER element: a water fountain, aquarium or images of water in artwork. Best colors are blue or black. 

 NORTH area:

Possible health issues this year. Be careful and make sure to apply the needed remedy to protect health.

 Remedy: METAL – ideally moving metal. See SW for suggestions.

 NORTHEAST area:

Good for romance, socializing, fame and wealth. A nice place for all activities.

 Enhance with FIRE element such as candles, or the color red.

 The above recommendations are general suggestions, and while they can certainly be useful, their effectiveness will be enormously enhanced once they are set in the context of the home or office’s individual Feng Shui reading.  I offer advanced consultations both in person, and online to help you take advantage of the great untapped energy in your space.

May the magnificent year of the Dragon uncover a newfound power within you, and may you achieve your greatest goals in the year ahead!

All the best,

Reiko

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