Smoke and Mirrors
Feng Shui vs Interior Design
The ancient Chinese art of feng shui and western interior design are twodiametrically opposed systems of aesthetics; one mystical, the other artistic. However, there are many practical common sense elements that hold true for both, which is to create a peaceful and tranquil environment for the person living within.
They use the same elements of aesthetics but explain them in different ways. Where feng shui focuses on the flow of chi, (energy), through a room, interior design focuses on the ease of flow of people and things. Feng shui mirrors are used to reflect bad magic while an interior designer uses them to reflect light and make a room look bigger, both to the same effect.
One principle regarding feng shui furniture arrangement tells that you should leave space for the energy to flow since by wrongly placing a lot of chairs, tables, and furniture in a room you may interrupt or block the chi flow. In this example, the feng shui master would tell you that the coffee table needs to be at least three feet from the sofa. The interior designer would tell you the same but for the practical reason that it needs to fit in the space and maximize the dimensions of the room without impeding movement, and ultimately let you sit down comfortably without banging your knees.
Feng shui does have a great flexibility built into it that allows it to co-exist harmoniously with the practicalities of design. When having a new office done in Singapore, one business owner was told by the feng shui master that the door was in totally the wrong place and would have to be moved or the money would flow out. When it was pointed out that they couldn't move the door because of the lease agreement he suggested a mirror instead, facing the door.
The art of feng shui and Western interior design are both based on stating the obvious. Common sense tells us that some colours go well together, some do not; water features calm the senses; mirrors increase light and space; and keeping space between the sofa and the coffee table allows you to sit and relax comfortably.
Whether you believe it helps the chi flow freely or whether you do it so you can sit on the sofa without breaking your legs, it will still look the same. Either way, masters in either discipline stand to make a lot of money out of our lack of faith in our own good taste and understanding of physics.
