Use feng shui to make your home interiors work for you 

January is as good a time as any to figure out how to make our homes and rooms work more harmoniously

Decluttering is one of the main aspects of feng shui (storage by Orthex from €22 at www.wayfair.ie).

The decorations are down, stowed away for another year, and real trees, dried out and droopy, have been dispatched for some virtuous mulching, leaving the home looking bare, even a bit gloomy.

Hang on, though; it’s just two weeks to Chinese New Year when all the feng shui buffs swing into action and start contemplating how to maximise good fortune in their lives for the year ahead.

It just so happens 2023 is the Year of the Rabbit which is why I’m taking particular interest as I was born in a rabbit year, so I’ve been investigating what I need to do to optimise the function and feel of my own bunny hutch.

Space clearing is a typical feng shui practice using incense and essential oils to start the year with a clean slate.

Admittedly, I love this kind of thing, and while I appreciate some find it all a bit woo-woo, there’s something about the principles of placement of things in the home that makes the space more user-friendly and calm.

The biggest stumbling block for us here in the west, however, is how these home organisation philosophies which originate in the east reference homes which are designed quite differently to ours.

But someone who has trained in feng shui and integrates it into her work as an interior designer here in Ireland is Edel Cleary, author of A Place to Call Home and facilitator of feng shui online courses.

Edel Cleary, interior designer and feng shui practitioner.

As the culmination of her practice, the book allows readers to familiarise themselves with the principles of feng shui and how to incorporate it into any interior design scheme.

“I began applying feng shui in my design project work in college while I was studying both disciplines, which was a great way to understand the many and varied ways feng shui may be integrated into good interior design,” Edel explains.

If you’ve never attempted to apply feng shui principles at home, she has some suggestions for the post-Christmas period.

“When we take down the decorations, our homes can feel a little lifeless,” she says. “All the yang energy of the lights and bright colours invigorate us. Look at this as an opportunity to do some space-clearing which clears away any energy we are now ready to release, to make room for whatever new blessings you wish to invite into your life and business for the coming year.”

Focusing on the entrance to the home is a typical practice in feng shui as it impacts on how we feel about facing out into the world and how we feel about coming home, according to Edel. “I invite my clients to stand back and try to be objective here,” she says, “asking themselves what small changes could they make to allow this space to feel more uplifting and welcoming.

Changing up ornaments and pictures can give a fresh look to a room as we head into the New Year (Queen 3-D art print, €65 at Next.ie).

Removing clutter, leaves, dead plants and cobwebs, outside and in, is how she suggests starting. “Consider adding a new doormat and some fresh seasonal planting to uplift the energy,” she says. “Keep it well-lit at night and the number or name of the house clearly visible.”

The use of aromatherapy is another layer Edel adds to her interior design and feng shui approach, and she suggests cleaning the front door with fresh water infused with a few drops of pure orange essential oil.

“This is not only, uplifting, cheering and immune supportive,” she says, “but also orange is associated with inviting in good luck and food fortune especially at the New Year.”

When moving on to the rest of the home and looking at each area from a feng shui perspective and how it relates to each area of your life, Edel asks, “Does it still reflect you and how you are moving forward. If not, make some small changes. 

"Clear something out or add in an image or some colour to support your hopes and dreams for the New Year.”

A Place to Call Home by interior designer and feng shui practitioner, Edel Cleary, €27, at www.fengshuidesign.ie.

But if dealing with the home beyond the front door area is a bit intimidating, Edel’s online courses at www.fengshuidesign.ie include a free monthly, hour-long session drawing on a different topic from her book, making recommendations, and finishing with a Q&A.

“I started doing these free webinars during the Covid lockdowns to offer some support and connection and people really loved them, so we continued from there. Post-Covid, with people working from home permanently or in a hybrid situation, or even transitioning back to the workplace, feng shui can offer invaluable guidance on maintaining a work life balance for the year ahead.”

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