When following ancient feng shui practices to create a harmonious living environment, it's important to remember that lighting is also important. Although many people focus on reducing clutter and creating good energy flow within their home, they forget that light is an important source of positive energy. When used properly, light can make you feel happier, with a more positive outlook on life. When used incorrectly, it can make your house seem dark, depressing and even unpleasant. Here are some tips you can use to apply good feng shui principles to your home lighting techniques.
Avoid Shadows
When your home lighting is not properly configured, unpleasant dark shadows can result. Not only do these shadows make it difficult to read or work within the home, but they can also create areas where negative energy tends to gather. Using a light bulb that is overly bright or too harsh for its surroundings can be one source of shadows. Instead, try using a bulb that gives off a softer light, thus reducing the appearance of shadows. You can also install light shades to create a softer and more harmonious look that will help to reduce shadowy areas.
Lampshade Considerations
Paper and cloth lampshades are both preferable to plastic, because they are made from natural materials. You could choose a metal lamp shade, but these are usually best reserved for active rooms where higher energy levels are desired. You can also use colored lampshades to help create just the right mood. For example, using pink lampshades in the bedroom is a good way to help attract more romance into your life. In your home office, a purple lampshade can help to increase your level of wealth and success. In the living room or family room, a red lampshade can help you increase your level of fame.
When choosing a lampshade, it's generally best to select one that has soft curves instead of sharp angles. Angular lampshades are more likely to create an uneven distribution of light, thus increasing the possibility of shadows. Sharp edges of any kind can also be detrimental to the flow of positive energy within a room.
Choosing the Perfect Lamp
When choosing lamps for your home, there are some special feng shui considerations to keep in mind. For example, if you want to increase the flow of energy within a room, try hanging a chandelier with red crystals. If you want to increase your level of creativity, try placing a metal lamp topped with a white shade in the west corner of one of your rooms. If you have an irregularly shaped room, you can place a lamp in one of the corners to smooth out the flow of energy. You can even use light in a positive fashion outdoors, such as in your garden area. By placing a pole light beside your garden, you'll be helping to channel positive Earth energy to where your garden needs it most. You'll probably be surprised just how harmonious your home will seem when you start to use light in a more thoughtful fashion.
Targeting “do it yourselfers,” Jessica Ackerman writes regularly for WallDecorandHomeAccents.com, offering simple illustrations of flower wall sculptures and metal wall crosses.