HOME INTERIOR DESIGN-LIVING ROOM DESIGN

Elke of International Feng Shui shares more feng shui tips with P4D readers!

In feng shui the main entrance is very important and is known as the "chi mouth" which translates as the entrance of chi (energy) into the property. The main door is like the mouth of the structure and is generally defined as the door that is most frequently used to enter the home or building. Here are some tips in the form of feng shui no-no's to help the flow of good chi into your home.

No-no #1- Steep straight stairs to/from the main door.

I can imagine in the property developers mind that this was a good idea based on maximizing living square footage based on limited land availability, but from a feng shui perspective this is known as "Pulling Nose Sha Chi". The effects of the steep decline from the main door created by the stairs are that all the chi inside the home will eventually drain out. Additionally the garage is located under the living quarters. This is also to be avoided if you seek good feng shui as unstable energy is generated from the in and out entrance right under the home.

No-no #2- Having a drain directly outside the main door.
is known as a "chi puncture" problem. In this situation chi will not be able to accumulate in front of the door. Chi accumulation is associated to prosperity. In feng shui it is believed that a feature like this drains wealth from the house.

No-no #3 - A pole, tree or lamp post directly across from the main door.
Now standing in the main entrance to your home look out from the inside and in from the outside. For good feng shui you want to see a clear open path in both directions. Nothing should create an obstacle to the entrance of your home. The worst example is if there is a light post or telephone pole directly opposite your main door. Likewise, if there is a column inside the home that is visible directly across from the main door looking in. This feature is always avoided as it is detrimental to any occupants of the building. This photo from Istock Photo perfectly demonstrates a blocked main door with a tree.

Dear Annie,
I have a cream-background wallpaper in the dining room and have painted the trim with the same [cream]: Benjamin Moore Mystic Beige 2162-60. I painted the wall below the chair rail a deep red (Ralph Lauren's Nobleman VM74), which picks up color in the wallpaper and drapes.


The wallpaper is old, probably vintage 1967 from the year the house was built, but it's in great shape and my family all voted to keep it. I'm painting everything else around in an attempt to rejuvenate the room. The living room, visible in the cream molding photo, is painted Benjamin Moore Atrium white with bright white trim.


What do I do with the ceiling and the crown molding? They are both a bright white and it looks odd. Should I paint the crown the same creamy trim color and the ceiling white? Both the cream? All the rest of the ceilings, crown and trim in adjoining rooms are bright white. Thanks for the tips and I love the blog.
-Dale Glass, Potomac, MD


Dear Dale: Wallpaper is back in a big way - especially in dining rooms - so your question is quite timely.

The short, easy answer is CREAM: go with your instincts and paint the crown moulding the Mystic Beige in the semi-gloss finish, and paint the ceiling the same color in a flat finish.

But that's not a very bossy answer, is it? Tasteful, yes. Imaginative, not hardly.

Here's why I couldn't let go of your question. If you and your family are bold enough to keep wallpaper from 1967, I think you should set it off a bit more. The deep red wainscoting is perfectly nice, but paired with the wallpaper - and the alluded-to drapes - I'm getting an 80's vibe.


I don't think the wallpaper is kitschy enough go the ironic route...by, say, painting the wall below the chair rail an outrageous contrasty color like hot pink, or a bronze metallic. Judging from the sliver of living room we glimpse in one of your photographs, that's not how you roll anyway.

So a better route would be to channel our inner Brits and ask ourselves, WWF&BD? (What Would Farrow & Ball Do?)

What if we painted all of the trim a greyish blue (Oval Room Blue #85) and the wall below the chair rail a greenish grey (Pigeon #25)? Neither color would match the wallpaper exactly; these are intentionally more muted.


So what would happen? I'll tell you what would happen. Interesting but elegant gorgeousness, that's what would happen. (And you could keep the ceiling cream.)

I know you just finished washing the cranberry paint out of your brushes, but if the wallpaper survives another year, maybe you'll be ready for a new approach next Thanksgiving.

(Some people are weird that way, repainting their rooms all the time. No one *I* know, but I'm pretty sure I read it somewhere...)

The '80s living room photo is from Maria Killam's fantastic blog, Colour Me Happy.

Modern minimalist living design pictures in this blog are very good to be references in building a new house, especially in designing comfortable living rooms. The pictures show the living room design which is full of red atmosphere.

An ever-popular topic in the house and home category, Design Ideas for Home Decorating shows readers how to transform an ordinary house into a beautiful home. A brand new title from the best-selling Design Ideas series, this book features hundreds of gorgeous photographs showcase the work of many of today's leading designers. Savvy tips and advice include examples of basic design concepts and how to apply them to every room in the house. Topics include working with space; furniture arrangement; creating a color scheme; and finding a personal style.

These are the exterior house design pictures that can give you inspiration in building a new house.

Architectural Home Designer 9.0 is all-in-one Home Design software and includes: Home Design, Remodeling, Decks & Landscaping, Interior Design, Site Planning & Estimating. It leverages the same professional quality from Chief Architect making it the most powerful and easy to use home design software. Quickly place and arrange walls, windows, doors, and cabinets. Choose colors, place furniture, create decks and landscaping. Powerful building tools like standard CAD tools, automatic roof generation, dormers, stairs, framing, foundations, and Plan Check make it easy. Choose from a Library of more than 3,600 plants and 7,000 items including windows, doors, lighting, furniture, interior/exterior fixtures, cabinets, and more. HOME DESIGN Choose from thousands of styles, colors, wallpaper, flooring, and materials. Move a wall, change a color, add a room, redesign a kitchen, create your own cabinets, and estimate costs before you build.

REMODELING Experiment and create models and virtual tours. Arrange walls, windows, doors, decks, and automatically generate 3D models to visualize at any angle. Powerful building and remodeling tools include automatic roof generation, foundations, stairs, and more. INTERIOR DESIGN Choose or import thousands of items to customize your design. Point-and-click to change wall colors, flooring styles, countertops, and more. Choose from name-brand colors and materials or create your own. DECKS & LANDSCAPING Over 1,500 botanically accurate flowers, trees, and shrubs. Create gardens, pathways, hills, valleys, ponds, and more for your outdoor living area. Powerful deck tools allow you to design, visualize, estimate, and build your outdoor living project. SITE PLANNING & ESTIMATING Design your lot and plans with easy terrain tools. Identify your costs and materials for your next project before you begin. Design in 2D or 3D. Add, resize, and automatically dimension your plans.