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

Feng Shui Uses for Jade

Guest User May 26, 2021

I get a lot of questions about natural crystals and feng shui, and a lot of our Mindful Design students have been very interested in this topic too!

One of my favorite stones is jade. Jade has the power to protect, and in Asia jade is considered to be a living stone. It’s from the earth and it has this luminous quality, so it really connects heaven and earth. The color of jade, green, is also connected to the liver, healing, longevity, and the wood element.

One thing you may not know is that not all feng shui is for your home. You can also feng shui your body by wearing auspicious objects and powerful talismans. I have a jade bangle that I love to wear. A piece of jade jewelry is said to help to clear the meridians of the body. If you wear a jade bracelet on your left hand, it is said to be closer to your heart and can protect you.

If you want to get a piece of jade jewelry, please do, and if you have one be sure to wear it! It’s a living thing and shouldn’t be kept in a box at the back of your closet. It has its own energy, so you want to take it out, wear it, and let it breathe.

Do you have any jade jewelry that you like to wear? Or any jade that’s been sitting in a drawer or box that you’re feeling inspired to take out?

by Anjie Cho

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

Q&A Sunday: The Best Feng Shui Colors for a Kitchen

Guest User March 7, 2021

What are the best colors for a kitchen?

The short answer is: it depends! I encourage you to go back and read my philosophy on color. The most important thing to take into account is what colors you are drawn to, and how they make you feel.

I do have some ideas to share as a starting point, if you’d like some guidance. One principle of feng shui that can guide you in choosing colors is the five elements system. Knowing that your kitchen is a room where you might spend a lot of time, this can give you some ideas about how you want to welcome colors into this part of your home.

The five elements are earth, metal, water, wood, and fire. I recommend reading the descriptions of each below, and seeing if anything resonates with you. Then, think about how you can bring colors into your kitchen with intention. You can do this through the food you cook and eat, your dishes, a new coat of paint, or even something as simple as napkins.

Here are the colors associated with each of the five elements, and what qualities they can bring into your home:

Earth: Brown, yellow, and neutrals

Earth element is great for nourishment, stability, and growth. This makes it a supportive element if you’re struggling with anxiety or if you want to focus on self care.

Metal: White, metallics

Metal is thought of as one of the more ideal colors for a kitchen because it’s related to cleanliness and purity, which is important for the food we earth. We want clean, healthy, pure food with vibrant life energy.

Water: Black and dark midnight blue

Water can help to support wisdom and flexibility. It strengthens our ability to go with the flow and to be less rigid. It can also represent our social connections to other people.

Wood: Green, teal, blue

Wood represents vitality and healing. It’s a great color if you need a healthy boost of qi. Wood is also connected to kindness and open-heartedness.

Fire: Red

Fire symbolizes how you show up in the world. It’s your vitality and passion for things, and how people see you. Fire is a great element to work with if you would like to be more visible.

Maybe one of the qualities of the five elements spoke to you, and you can find a way to bring this into your kitchen. It doesn’t have to be a big change—you can try out something small like a napkin or a mug. As you introduce a color, work with the intention of bringing in the quality of that element that you want to invite.

by Anjie Cho