SEEK FENG SHUI ADVICE
RESHNI RATNAM
COVID-19 has seen an increase in buyers seeking advice from Feng Shui experts to create more mindfulness and wellness in their homes.
Feng Shui and home styling expert Dee Burgess, of Balancing Energies Feng Shui, says since Covid, people are spending more time in their homes and things may not be running as smoothly in different aspects of their life.
“People are starting to understand the importance of good energy flow and how it can affect how you feel when living or working in a home,” says Ms Burgess, an accredited Brisbane Feng Shui and Chinese astrology consultant.
With several of her clients either buying land, an existing home, building their dream home and renovating, she says “if you get the Feng Shui right, it can be a life changer”.
Developer Porter Davis Homes works with many clients looking to incorporate Feng Shui practices in their new homes.
One of their designs includes a Feng Shui-designed kitchen as part of the floorplan.
Interior designer Inaya Bongo, from Porter Davis, helps create productive and positive environments in new homes.
For Coco Republic interior designer
Lauren Barakat, she agrees that with everyone working and spending more time at home during the past year, people are becoming more conscious of their environments and looking to live in spaces that are harmonious and support their busy lives.
“There is more of a focus on mental health and wellbeing and Feng Shui is a great way to incorporate wellness in your home,” says Ms Barakat.
“Feng Shui is about the relationship between yourself and your environment, clients seek Feng Shui as a way to create more harmony and positive energy in their life through their home space. Using Feng Shui adjustments along with design aesthetics, we can assess areas of the home that are feeling out of balance or dull and reset the flow of Qi (life force energy in Chinese) throughout the home.”
The five elements in Feng Shui (earth, metal, wood, water and fire) are represented through colour, shape and material and can be used to balance the home.
Feng Shui is mostly used in Chinese culture however it is becoming more popular in western cultures as people are more conscious of their environments and interested in exploring ways to invite balance and harmony into their lives, says Ms Barakat.
“A developer or homeowner will request our services when styling a home or display suite for sale to ensure the arrangement and selections of furnishings highlight the best qualities of a space and appeal to buyers,” she says. “Properties with good Feng Shui have a sense of ease and balance, this ambience helps buyers immediately connect to the space.
“During the planning phase, we can be asked to give feedback on floorplan layouts and finishes selection prior to build.”