simple shui | 7 ways to shui a mood makeover!
winter is a season of silence in the northern hemisphere – the earth resting in her own field of stillness. and while proof of life is preening to burst forth in only a few weeks, it’s easy to become susceptible to the short day, dark sky drag. so, until the crescendo of spring is here, we are obliged to mimic her welcoming warmth and vibrant overtures. if your mood could use a makeover, here are 7 simple shui considerations to brighten your surroundings so happiness and delight are in plain sight.
move the furniture into a new arrangement. we see situations, experiences, and strategies from different angles when we are in new environments – so when you could use a fresh download, re-arrange a room and use your space to call the muses to your doorstep!
switch out photos with recent snapshots. we all hoard photos on our phones, am i right? in the spirit of less screen time, consider sending those selfies off to be developed and create a smile trail through your space. put them in frames, develop them as magnets, or cover a linen board with all your favorite faces. also, take note of where frames are hung or stacked. if the gang is commencing along the floor or slung too low, it has a tendency to take our perspective with it. re-hang a few pieces at eye level or higher, and you’ll upgrade those low notes into something better.
paint. who says you need to cover all 4 walls in fresh lacquer? you get the same bang for your brush by painting something small – like the inside of a bookcase, the fireplace, a few cabinets, or a small nook. bold colors suggest fluidity and movement, a gorgeous salvation from winter’s gray-wash oblivion. mix things up with flowy patterns and cheery palettes, and our home becomes a collage of visual charisma.
bring in a new texture. personally, i LOVE linens in unexpected spaces – a kantha quilt as a tablecloth; a wool rug folded at the foot of your bed; or a fabric mural hung to dial a wall up to dazzle!
add greens. it’s all about the living chi, and plants suggest upward mobility – a distinct characteristic that hauls our energy with it. and plants also refresh the respiration in a space, an unfussy way to literally change the air around us. don’t have a green thumb? when you move the furniture around, make a window with a view the focal point of a room. reconnecting with raw beauty, even in small doses, opens the veins of our space to high octane energy. we are all habitually connected to our environments, and the metaphors mingling here instruct how we feel.
have one amazing thing in every room. people hear this and immediately dismiss it because they don’t feel “creative enough” to pull off a show-stopping statement. i am here to tell you – creativity dwells in all of us. the real challenge is trusting your one-of-a-kind ideas before looking back and doubting yourself. for instance, do you LOVE wallpaper but you’re too nervous to make that commitment? buy a panel, frame it, and hang it in the room that inspired it! consider an animal bust or a flock of birds for a showstopper wall. instead of having one pot of flowers on the table, consider hoarding a few to make the room feel slightly over the top! you are an original, which means so are your ideas!
accessorize to reinforce your resolutions. our homes are the narratives of our dreams – so, tell me, is yours inspiring or distracting you? think of your space as a canvas to tell a more interesting story – what is your story missing? what story are you tired of? what element would make your story more captivating? think about the dialogue you want happening around you and then enjoy the whimsy pulling it together! you’ll know you have it right when you never want to leave! xo
