FENG SHUI HOME RENOVATION

A Home Renovation with Feng Shui is possibly the most exciting and challenging of all Feng Shui applications, although the difficulty often varies depending on the extent of the renovation.
Some renovations may be cosmetic– changing colors, perhaps flooring, adding some new furniture– while other renovations are much more planned-out, restructured endeavors, sometimes involving adding the addition of an upper floor (full or partial), or a room extension and addition (especially for master bedrooms). So, how can you use Feng Shui to make the best out of your home renovation?

Here 3 things to be specially mindful when you are getting ready to start such task:

1. Doing all your inspections ahead of time will save you money and any bad surprises.
Whether is a residence or a commercial, if you are in the process of buying a building that you intend to renovate it is especially important for you to run full, standard inspections before you buy it, and having a Feng Shui inspection can be very useful too. If you are buying a building that will end up being a tear-down rather than a fixer-upper you may unexpectedly find yourself in case #2 below rather than in case #3, and being stuck in a situation that you could have avoided if you had done some prep work ahead of time. In today’s investment world this little investigation can save you a lot of money now and save you from some real bad Feng Shui later on.

2. The entire energy of the house can or cannot change based on the size of the remodeling.
The energy of any building is established at the time of construction and it requires a significant structural renovation to change it. This often involves the full removal (or the majority) of the total roof, internal ceiling, and/or a portion of the building. This can be good news or bad news. For instance, if your building had bad energy (and you’d know this if you had lived there for a while), changing it could be a good thing. But if the building was good to you, then you want to be careful before tearing everything apart because this drastic update can change the building’s essence. Unfortunately there is no cookie-cutter approach of how to anticipate the results other than having a Master Consultant do an analysis for you. So if you are set to take on a drastic renovation, having a professional Feng Shui consultant advise on it would be your best bet and, in the long run, the most convenient one too.

Last week I consulted on a house built in 1943 in San Diego whose energy, albeit a bit old, was rather nice and supportive to the owners. The owners, who are currently renting, expressed a desire to eventually buy the place. They also shared how they intended to upgrade the place, which was indeed needed because it didn’t quite fit a modern 2015 lifestyle. However, after running an analysis we figured out that in changing the energy from 1943 to 2015 it would turn the house from one of being “good for health, relationships, and success,” to one of being “bad for health, relationships, and success.” This is an exception to how a “new house” wouldn’t necessarily mean a “better house.”
So what should the owner do? My suggestion was to work the upgrades into the house in such a way that it didn’t change the energy of the building, or, if it did, it would only be partial and in a limited number of secondary rooms related to the occupant’s life, like closets or bathrooms. I am assisting them and their architects with this phase.

3. Colors, materials, and furniture layout improve a room’s energy, but do not change its core.
Let’s say that in the course of the Feng Shui consultation you have been advised to use certain colors, materials, or were advised to change the furniture layout of a space. In the course of the room’s renovation it is the perfect time to introduce such changes. Since you are not tearing up walls, this is basically a “low-impact renovation” and the best way to do an upgrade on the energy of the house. (But it wouldn’t change its essence like the example in #2 would.) Still, having a Feng Shui consultation will positively affect this type of renovation and help you create a fresh look, by also learning where your best “power areas” are and how to maximize them. You may find my book, Feng Shui for Architecture, How to Design, Build, and Remodel to Create a Healthy and Serene Home, very useful for this, especially if you are doing it entirely on your own. (See https://www.fengshuiarch.com/feng_shui_book.html  )

You can also learn more about Feng Shui by attending our Advanced Feng Shui for Architecture, Interior Design and Landscape Certification Program Online. This class is specially designed for architects, designers and other professional in the field who’d like to provide their clients with this service. Go here for more information or to attend one of our introductory session.

I wish you the best of luck with all your renovating endeavors and please let me know if there is anything I can assist you with the Feng Shui aspect at 310 860 8989 or dr.simona@fengshuiarch.com 

For more Feng Shui Classes and Courses, please visit our Feng Shui Training Center Here.

For personalized Feng Shui Consultations for your house or business, find more information here.