Making sure your open space functions well

Making a home that has proper Feng Shui flow makes for calm, steady day-to-day living.

And that is a great way to go about life, but it’s important to make sure that your space still has all the essential utilities and functions.

For some, design needs to be balanced with function, but it’s also worth factoring in flow and Feng Shui in its own right as well.

So, with that in mind, let’s look at some key features that you need in any living space, how to make sure that they don’t hinder Feng Shui, and in a few cases how they can help.

Storage

Bulky cupboards and extruding shelves can very easily get in the way of flow if not properly placed and managed.

In order to avoid any disruption in a room’s flow, make sure that any and all storage items in a space are factored into furniture layout.

Even if they aren’t moveable, work the layout around them to ensure that there is good and proper flow around a space.

Think about how shelving, cupboards and drawers can enhance flow and work into an open space without sticking out too much.

Heating

This can be a tricky one as working around a radiator specifically can be difficult as-is.

As Feng Shui flows best in an open-plan living space, there is the additional challenge of getting a radiator that is powerful enough to heat up the space.

There are solutions out there that produce both high-output and slim profile radiators that won’t draw attention—and flow—away from a space.

If you’re not in the market for a new unit, its disruption can be dampened by having it match the wall in colour and focusing the flow through your front entryway, away from the unit.

One thing we advise against is trying to hide the radiator by placing plants under it or pictures around it to draw attention away, as this could have the opposite effect.

Lighting

Lighting is another crucial factor to consider, as open spaces tend to be larger and more spacious than the average room.

As a result, while natural light will take priority as it is vital for proper chi flow, you’ll need to think about where light sources will go after dark.

If you’re going to have lamps, make sure they are properly aligned in order to avoid a choppy look with light crossing over.

Similarly, if light is coming from a roof-hung bulb, it’s crucial to ensure that the light isn’t overly harsh.

“Where focus goes, energy flows” is a saying that you’ll need no introduction to, taking this sort of approach with your light will help ensure it nicely aligns with Feng Shui.

Noise

As we’ve already mentioned, open spaces, due to their natural lack of clutter, can be a bit harder to fully light.

Similarly, in some rooms (particularly those with higher up roofs) you could be faced with an echo.

An echo can make a space feel empty and sparse, not calm and vast.

Striking the right balance of soft furnishing can be tricky but we have in the past covered how to choose the right sofa for Feng Shui as well as 7 types of furniture that boost Feng Shui.

Getting that furniture into a space will effectively combat echoey open spaces.

Leisure

Whether it is watching television or deciding on the correct place to do some yoga in a living space, ultimately, a room needs to function as a leisure space. 

With that in mind, you need to focus your Feng Shui design around your own life and factor in the energy that you will be bringing into a room.

While there are principles to work around, there is a lot more to Feng Shui than a black and white, right or wrong layout.

When designing a space, be sure to consider how you will interact with it daily to avoid any shuffling of furniture (which could block chi) in order to carry out day to day activities.

For proper Feng Shui, Everything should work together

Everything covered here should be looked at as part of a holistic room design that properly circulates flow around in a way that works with your daily life

And while this covers the essentials, we are only scratching the surface with so much more to consider like paint and the balance of plants.

Hopefully though, this has helped you factor in how Feg Shui can properly work in-line with and even compliment the core functions of a room.