Throughout The Pandemic, Designing A Space Became A Form Of Self Care

Guest User August 18, 2021

Anjie Cho was featured on Lonny

In February of last year, people were working at their offices for eight hours a day, commuting, and squeezing in happy hour sometime between it all.

Then the pandemic hit and those fleeting moments at home became constant. The commute was cut down to 30-second walks downstairs, the office now a dusty desk in some forgotten corner, happy hour within the confines of the kitchen. Home became everything, literally.

It's understandable that after being cooped up for so long, people started to see their space from a different perspective — and in turn, how important their physical environment really was.

“A lot of people think that their home is just where they hang their hat,” Feng Shui teacher and designer Anjie Cho explains. “But, in fact, your home is a symbol for you. It represents you, and you're interdependent and interconnected to your home environment.”

So, as people reckoned with this new reality, they turned to interior design — hoping to create more functional, comfortable, and restorative spaces to live in. In fact, while many industries struggled to gain footing during the pandemic, design studios saw an unusual surge.

.…read full article

If you’d like to learn more about feng shui, check out Mindful Design Feng Shui School at: www.mindfuldesignschool.com

Q&A Sunday: What to Expect from a Feng Shui Consultation, Part 1

Guest User August 15, 2021

How does a feng shui consultation work?

I often get asked about how a feng shui consultation usually works. One thing to remember is that a feng shui consultant is not necessarily an architect or interior designer, although they could be both. I’m also an architect, for example! Many people assume that feng shui consultations include design, and it might if your consultant has those qualifications and skills - but that’s not always the case.

Another thing to know is that every practitioner is different, and there are also dozens of feng shui schools that are all equally correct. Think about how many types of bread recipes there are. Just because there are many doesn’t mean that one is right or wrong, but it also depends on the experience and the skillfulness of the person making the bread, and the taste and needs of the person who’s going to eat the bread.

That said, I’ll share a bit about what I do and what I teach my students at Mindful Design Feng Shui School. In general, the client first reaches out, and then we ask for a floor plan of the home. This is one of the most important pieces of information to provide to a consultant, because it’s a map of your home, and it represents you. Even if the consultant is coming in person to your home, we still would really like to see the floor plan. Sometimes if a client really has a stumbling block to providing the floor plan, you can hire someone (sometimes the consultant) to do it. However, there’s a lot of information that can be conveyed through a floor plan created by the client. Also, the energy and effort you put into the floor plan will reflect upon how accurate your feng shui consultation is.

Next, I usually ask for three wishes the client wants to work with. I also have an optional intake form to get more information. We’ll also need your address, either to know how get there if we’re going in person, or to look up details of your home’s location online. If your consultant is using astrology, they’ll also need your birth date. Not all consultants use astrology, so it depends who you work with.

I start working before the meeting. I lay the bagua on the client’s home, and I consider any red flags in the floor plan, as well as what is coming up for the client. Next, one of the most important things I do before meeting with a client is a meditation to make sure that I’m not coming in with my own energy, but instead I’m a conduit for what is required for the client. I do this because I don’t want to go into the consultation with my own baggage and my own ego. By doing a meditation beforehand, I open myself to what it is a client needs.

Finally, I actually meet with the client! For more about what the actual meeting looks like, stay tuned for part 2 next week!

by Anjie Cho

If you’d like to learn more about feng shui, check out Mindful Design Feng Shui School at: www.mindfuldesignschool.com

5 Ways to Add More Relaxation to Your Home

Anjie Cho August 11, 2021

After a day jam-packed with full-speed busyness, (and let’s face it, for most of us that’s pretty much a normal day), slipping your shoes off and melting into your favorite, comfy spot at home is likely high on your evening to-do list. That is, until you get home and that transition from ‘doing’ to ‘unwinding’ isn’t as smooth as you’d hoped. Don’t give up. Try these five simple steps to convert your home into a more serene, relaxing sanctuary.

Dedicate a space.

There are areas of your home that are ideal for work and for play. Set aside a space dedicated to relaxing, too. It doesn’t have to be an entire room. Create a nook or corner dedicated to relaxation. Folding screens can help differentiate the space from the rest of the room. If a good book is your ideal way to unwind, add comfortable seating, a shelf of books or a small table to hold your current reads, and proper lighting to the space. If music or movies are more your style, design your space accordingly.

Get organized

It’s hard to relax amidst clutter. Set-aside some time to organize and properly store your stuff. Look for storage solutions that complement your personal style. Look for baskets, bins and other containers that work as décor accents, as well as functional pieces.

Light matters

Sunlight is a natural pick-me-up, but too much can be more stimulating than calming. Use light filtering shades for some privacy, as well as to create a softer, more tranquil effect. In the evening, use dimmer lights and candles to create a spa-like ambiance. As an added bonus, use a lavender scented candle to help promote relaxation.

Colors count

Bright colors energize; soft, earth-toned shades soothe. If you’re looking to add more peacefulness to your home, incorporate tranquil blues, greens, and neutrals like gray, tans and white into your sanctuary spaces. Keep this in mind when you’re looking for accessories, too. Whether that peaceful space is a nook or whole room, stick with serene hues for your furniture, pillows, rugs and other accents.

Unplug

Your dedicated downtime space should be free of high-tech distraction. Learn to leave the phone, tablet and laptop aside. That reading nook we talked about above should be device-free to eliminate the urge to check your email just one more time or to count how many likes your last Instagram post garnered.

Above all else, make your space yours. The best way to relax and unwind is to create a space that you feel most comfortable in.

by Anjie Cho