As fireplaces fall into disuse and especially now that the NYTimes has pronounced even working fireplaces “over,” what are we to do with the gaping black spaces in our living rooms?
In Feng Shui a vacant hearth is considered empty – a cold, negative Yin condition that needs to be balanced with Yang vitality.
It’s good practice to fill an empty hearth with something attractive and lively to keep Chi energy moving and prevent it from feeling that it’s reached a dead end.
For example,
This striking display of porcelain draws attention, especially during daylight hours.
Here’s my personal favorite, though, especially since I designed it myself 🙂
The holiday lights and round golden tray bring a soft, non-threatening Yang energy into the hearth, warming up this living room all year ’round.
It ends up creating the comforting feel of a working fireplace, minus the toxicity.
Fill your empty fireplace with something that’s beautiful to look at, since it is always a focal point in a room.
What solutions have you come up with for your non-working fireplace? Please share them in the Comments.
(photo by Elliot Brown/Creative Commons)
I like the lights! Great idea!
It’s such an ornate fireplace, I really wanted to draw attention to it as a focal point of the room. Glad you like it!
Hi, this is a great post (as usual) Ann! First I would like to say, why would we let the NY Times tell us what to do? 😉 We know better than that.
I agree that a non working fireplace should not be neglected and forgotten, and I think your idea with the holiday lights is gorgeous! I would also balance it out with light. I’ve seen fake logs that are tea-light holders, and my grandmother (rest in peace grandma) used to have a set of fake logs that had a light inside which made them look like they were actually burning. There’s many choices out there, we just have to use our creativity. 🙂
~Nigaya