Colour yourself lucky
Colours can enhance one’s personal well-being and/or improve the feng shui of your house or office. With the right colours, you can tap into the strongest energy for good fortune.
IN 2014 (or Jia Wood Horse year), the most influential colour is green, said feng shui expert Kenny Hoo.
This colour of the year is said to garner positive qi (or energy) for good luck.
The colour experts at Dulux – a brand of AkzoNobel– research centre in the Netherlands, chose teal (bluish green) as the colour for 2014. In Mandarin, this colour is called sui ya ser (or the colour of Mandarin duck), said Hoo, who further explained that the experts’ colour analysis “matched 100%” with the colours of feng shui analysis.
We can reap the benefits of using colours. To create good qi, Hoo said, wear green clothes or use products that are green in colour. It is also a good colour for your house or product packaging or branding, added Hoo, who is the feng shui ambassador for Dulux Malaysia. He shared about colour feng shui tips for 2014 at a Chinese New Year luncheon hosted by Dulux in Kuala Lumpur recently.
This year, the Wood element is very strong and casts a global influence. According to him, this element signifies “growth”, so stagnancy can be ruled out.
Wood also represents charity and caring for others. So, this year, many people will get involved in charity work or forge partnerships. There will also be activities to care for the environment. Overall, 2014 will be a more peaceful year compared to last year.
Lucky shades
Individuals born from Feb 4 to May 4 should use more Metal and Earth colours like white and silver, yellow and brown, said Hoo.
For those whose birthdays fall between May 5 and Aug 7, use more blue to enhance your qi.
Those born between Aug 8 and Nov 7 should incorporate more green.
These individuals are very lucky this year because the Wood element is very strong.
“When the Wood Horse year takes effect from Feb 4, you will feel energised. Everything will fall into place. Even money will come your way easily,” quipped Hoo.
The lucky colour for those born from Nov 8 to Feb 3 is red.
Like a colourful food platter that is appetising and healthy, colours can be combined to create “functional effects” for good feng shui.
Dulux has a unique colour chart based on the birth date and month of a person. Hoo said the chart gives the colour combinations to enhance one’s love life, health, finances, or relationship with the noble person.
Ideal hues for homes
Use teal or green in the North sector of the house, suggested Hoo. Add a bit of other colours, such as red or purple (even in the bedroom) to enhance luck or positive feng shui effects. Or consider different tones of green.
If you and your spouse share the lucky colour red, avoid excessive use of red in the bedroom. Red is known to provoke aggression and result in quarrels.
Hoo said the No.9 star in the North is associated with celebratory events associated with career, money luck, offspring, marriage and love life. This star has “multiplefunction qi”.
In the North-East sector, repaint the wall blue to enhance one’s money luck.
“You may even work less yet gain more (money),” said Hoo.
In the South-East sector (occupied by the No.3 or quarrelsome star), use red or purple to reduce the negative impact of the star.
In the South sector, paint the wall yellow or place a yellow lamp (and switch it on for 24 hours) to create money luck.
Hoo said: “Feng shui is a success booster, not magic. It helps us to create the qi (for good luck) and noble person(s) coming to help us so that we do the right thing at the right time.”
The kitchen is a Fire-related sector. Try not to paint it blue as this colour is related to Water (element) and will clash with the Fire element. Choose warm colours like red or orange combined with green.
The dining hall should sport vibrant colours. Red or apple-green colours are suitable for this area as they are said to promote dynamism, boost appetite and promote conversation. Avoid black and white because, in such a setting, family members may end up only sitting and eating there, but not talking to one another.
The bathroom is Water-related. Take care not to paint it red or you may feel hot even after showering!
In the East sector, put the company’s group photo to create positive qi to attract noble persons.
For plants, select wisely and do not put them in the bedroom or the hall. Don’t place the plant known as “mother-in-law tongue” or lidah jin – scientific name, Sansevieria trifasciiata – at home as it could give rise to a lot of quarrels, said Hoo. The plant has long and sharp yellowgreen leaves. However, the money plant or big leafy plants can be placed in the wealth sector at 45° at the corner of the main door.
This year, the scholastic star will be located in the centre of the house. Use more green in this sec- tor to enhance the academic results of children. Place four stalks of bamboo in a vase or display four Chinese brushes or pens if you want the family to be smarter!
For the office, display photographs of award-winning events or trophies to help attract more noble persons (like clients who approach you for projects). Or repaint this area with different tones of red.
In 2014, avoid putting anything greenish in the South-East sector. Instead, put something red or purple.
On paintings with water or fountain (which some people believe symbolise money), Hoo advised against hanging such paintings behind your seat.
“Water ‘flowing’ on your head is bad for health. Hang such paintings facing your table instead,” he advised.
“In the house, such water-based paintings should not face the main door or money will flow out.”
Some people toy with the idea of putting paintings with fierce creatures, such as snakes or tigers, which can be intimidating to the staff. Such a move is not advisable. Avoid fearsome animal paintings. Also those born under the Monkey zodiac should avoid hanging a painting of a Tiger as both signs clash.
The Horse year, Hoo said, is also a “love (peach) blossom” year. Married couples will have babies, and restaurants will fare well (from businesses of celebratory events).
“You can select and display energetic horse statues but not those of a weak horse,” he said.
Ups and downs
On this year’s forecast, Hoo said that the first six months will be a bit challenging. It is a time to restructure or plan one’s business for a better future. 2014 is a year of many changes, ups and downs. The key word for 2014 is gui which stands for nobility. The word also means expensive and precious. In his feng shui talk, Hoo used the word to convey the message gui tor yit tean – Mandarin for everything will be a bit more expensive.
“Prices will soar and put us offbalance with its ups and downs. We need to work with good partners (or noblemen). After the third quarter of the year, everything will be all right.”
He said it is a good year for the stock market as there will be opportunities and excitement.
The Horse Year is also a good year for marriage and conceiving babies.
Babies born this year (6.03am on Feb 4, 2014, to 11.57am on Feb 4, 2015) will grow up to be successful persons.