Feng shui and color

As an interior designer, I often see rooms that clients want to decorate in their favorite colors and usually it relates directly to their personality. Energetic people like warm colors, analytical people tend to like neutrals and dreamers prefer cool color schemes. As I began to explore feng shui, color schemes took on a whole new meaning to me. Now I realize those choices were not made haphazardly, those colors really spoke to my clients and fed their energy. Every color gives off a certain energy and harnessing that energy is the very eccence of feng shui. Feng shui uses the five elements as a basis of balancing energies. Each of these elements has an associated color. These colors work in harmony with each other to create an overall balance in your interior.

Here is a brief description:

Black or blue - Water energy
These colors support inner work: concentration, contemplation, mediatation and creativity. Blue can slow the heart and breathing rate and lower blood pressure. It can be used to create calm and privacy.

Green - Wood energy
Inspires growth, action anddecision-making. It can also motivate internal change.

Red - Fire energy
Supports life energy. It does the opposite of water energy. It increases the heart rate, respiration and blood pressure. It promotes activity and can alleviate depression. Besides being the color of blood (our life source) if is also the color of passion and love.

Yellow - Earth energy
It clarifies and elevates the mental state. It creates a sense of stability, focus and nurturing.

White and metallics - Metal energy
They represent purity, carefulness and focus.

Take a look around your home to see what elements are represented and which are missing. Sometimes adding just a touch of the complimentary color (or element) in your home is all that is needed to find your perfect balance of energy.

In next month's feng shui feature article, we will be focusing on feng shui enhancements for 2010.