Let’s f*ck with some Feng Shui
If you’re reading this, you’re probably looking to revamp your space, moving in with your partner, or your girlfriend finally told you that a foldable chair and TV in your living room just aren’t enough.
As a designer in practice, amateur interior decorator in fantasy, and an absolute whore for home decor, I’ve got some good opinions. Not to mention, having moved every 2 years growing up (military kid), I’ve proudly decorated my room over and over again making me unofficially certified - woohoo!
But truthfully, after some very kind feedback on IG, friendly decorating requests from family friends, and questions about the interior decor of my new LA home, I thought I’d share how to design a space you’ll love living in.
Welcome to my home.
Cute right? When my boyfriend and I moved into our new place in LA, I was excited to have lots of real estate to work with. He gave me full freedom to decorate as the “designated interior decorator,” and I had no plans to fall short of expectation.
Now, let’s begin with some background knowledge.
AKA “The Vibe”
What is feng shui? By definition, it’s a “system of laws considered to govern spatial arrangement and orientation in relation to the flow of energy, and whose favorable or unfavorable effects are taken into account when siting and designing buildings.”
I use the term feng shui lightly in place of “ vibe,” but feng shui is more passionately about the flow of energy in space. That said, when I began brainstorming what kind of space I (ahem, I mean we) wanted, we started with inspiration pictures.
During my ideation phase, I found that the spaces I loved had a feng shui that blended modern minimalist and spunky creative. This reflected in the often neutral color walls and furniture, while letting shapes and arrangements add flairs of personality and color.
I admired statement furniture, unusual lamps, and patterned rugs that spoke loudly and filled the space without taking up much room. I liked the combination of natural colors like white, brown, and black with pops of deep, bold colors like dark blue, orange, green, purple and pink. I also enjoyed seemingly random arrangements of mismatching frames on the wall and unhung artwork lazily propped against a wall. Horizontally stacked books, random table lamps, and eclectic kitchy finds sitting on tables also added personality to the rooms in a way that caught my eye.
We’ll go into more depth about specific furniture, placement, and decor you can use to elevate your living space. But first, some important tips.
Overarching Tips
First, use what you have. You don’t need to buy a ton of new things or outrageously expensive items. I can name five solid furniture pieces I lugged from the streets for free and repurposed. Although I needed and wanted new items, I found ways to repurpose things I already owned for my home, too. The things you’ve collected throughout your life probably say something about you, and you’ll need this to make your home…
Personal. Second, personalize your space. Avoid making your home a copy-paste image out of an IKEA magazine. If there’s one thing I wanted to avoid, it was making the living room look like a home section or dorm idea from Target. Impersonal posters and cliche signs should be used sparingly, if at all. Find ways to “hit home” harder.
Third, think colors. Color theory is a huge part of interior design. Use hues, values, intensity, and temperature to harmonize colors. To keep it simple, I’d recommend you think about colors that make you feel happy and calm. Colors do evoke emotions. Red, black, and gray are linked to negative emotions while the happiest and most inviting colors are warm, light shades of orange, yellow, purple, and pink. Blues and greens are also “nature” colors linked to calm, positive emotions. Typically, 60% of a room should be a dominant color, 30% should be secondary color(s), and 10% should be accent colors.
Fourth, what atmosphere do you want to create? The space you make will vary by your style and preferences. Do you want the minimalist, Japanese-inspired decor? Or a modern, contemporary aesthetic with impractically-shaped night stands? Or an antique, “old money” feel with gold ornate picture frames? Figuring that out can be a process, but finding some inspiration will help you build a vision.
Fifth, your style and home can evolve constantly. It’s okay to change your setup overtime. I used to like things I don’t like now. My current living room has even changed since moving in 8 months ago, and my boyfriend wonders why I keep switching out the books for plants and lamps for candlesticks. Haha…
Lastly, do not listen to everything I say. My opinions are just opinions. If you love my home, pay closer attention, but you shouldn’t feel dissuaded from including your personal preferences. You have to live in your home, not me. The larger point is that rather than making impersonal decor decisions, you should make intentional ones. Make your choices because this piece means something or you really f*king like that piece. You’ll end up liking things more when they have personal value anyway.
Making the Space
“I can’t wait to decorate,” I gleefully said for the fifth or sixth time before Brennan and I moved in together.
Whoever said presentation isn’t important was clearly not very fun (and probably needs to hire a decorator). Some fantastic home decor choices you can make to elevate your space include but are not limited to:
Cool Carpets
Funky Lamps
LED Signs
Harmonious Houseplants
Pictures & Posters
Floor Mirrors
Candles & Incense
Table Arrangements: Books, Vases, Ceramics & More
Vinyls & Record Players
Groovy Glassware
Throw & Floor Pillows
Boozy Bar Cart
Side Tables
Kooky Clocks
Important tips for choosing items is choosing things you’ll use, that you really like, and that makes sense for your space. Let’s talk about these 14 things that’ll bring your home to life.
Cool Carpets
My favorite floor combo is hard wood floors with a solid statement carpet. Right now, I’m all for Middle Eastern and Antoinette rugs. I actually used to dislike these when I was younger and thought they felt old, but now they’re my favorite kind. They’re truly timeless and feel like they have more depth.
I chose Urban Outfitter’s Pavo Digital Printed Chenile Rug for our living room, but I also like the Minerva Floral Digital Printed Rug, Rifle Paper Co. X Loloi Courtyard Rug, and Antoinette Floral Digital Print Rug! Super solid options at UO.
For our office, we were lucky enough to “inherit” an authentic Syrian rug from my boyfriend’s dad. I really love the color and pattern on this one too!
Rugs aren’t cheap, but a good one is worth it and can last a lifetime.
Funky Lamps
Another discovery made recently is how fun lamps can be. If you don’t have a lot of natural light, try adding more floor and table lamps to brighten things up or set the mood. My Mushroom Table Lamp from ilovehue is a dupe of the MOMA’s Nesso Table Lamp. You can find a variety of these sold on various home decor sites.
Some other decorative lamps I considered getting were this Paper Hanging Lamp, Honey & Ivy Table Lamp, and Kismas Glass Block Lamp. You can scatter these bad boys in random places on your coffee tables, night stands, and bookshelves.
As for floor lamps, you have my full support. I have the Stewart Shelf Floor Lamp in our bedroom, which doubles as a useful nightstand and lamp. Arching floor lamps like the Winston Arched Floor Lamp are great for filling negative space and providing overhead light.
LED Signs
Let me put you on Studio Aud. I’m insanely obsessed with their MUNI LED Light sign. I first came across this at Moody Goose Vintage in San Francisco, but when I saw it again at the West Coast Craft Fair, I took it as a sign from the universe. It’s not only great for warm mood lighting, but it reminds me of life in SF, even from southern California. Studio Aud has more options like their Bart Map, Golden Gate Bridge, and Sutro Tower LED.
If you love San Francisco, you’ll really love these.
LED signs can be graphics or even word signs. Amazon has options to make your own Custom Neon Sign to make things super customizable. But remember, these aren’t a need-to-have whatsoever, and some home decor setups, like a Japanese minimalist setup, might even look better without them.
Harmonious Houseplants
Unlike neon signs, houseplants will and can fit nicely into every home. I’m pro-living plants. If you’re worried about killing them, my recommendations are the ZZ Plant, Snake Plant, or Cast Iron Plant. These are some of the sturdiest plants that will thrive without tedious watering and specific lighting needs.
Another beautiful houseplant is the Heart Leaf Philodendron, which hangs beautifully and can add some verticality to your decor. I like placing these on bookshelves to make the whole display connect fluidly from shelf to shelf.
Oh, and don’t skip out on fun plant pots - colorful glazed pots will bring much-needed pops of color. My favorite pots that bring the room together are dark teal, burnt amber, and light pink. Pick colors that compliment other colors in the room!
Posters & Pictures
Decorating your wall can be daunting. What do I hang? How many is too much? Am I even allowed to nail something in the wall?
A few new methods I love when it comes to hanging things up is embracing mismatches an irregularity. Deviate from uniformity, and choose to mix frame sizes and colors. I like using a mix of light and dark brown frames and black and white frames. Different size frames also give you more flexibility with arranging them in a collage format. Add color to those walls!
The random arrangement method doesn’t just apply to picture frames either. You can do this with wall mirrors, wall hooks, and floating shelves too. Find balance in asymmetry.
More personality comes through when you use personal photos and posters of your favorite [insert here]. Try to limit random pictures that feel like fluff. Mix it up with favorite memories, band posters, or designs that someone would look at and say “well that’s fitting.” I hung some flyers I designed for my old band and a hangover cures poster my friend snacthed up from a fraternity. I love when there’s little stories or memories behind them.
Another display idea is positioning frames and mirrors against a wall - simple as that. You can sit it on a shelf or on the floor and let it lean effortlessly. This option definitely won’t leave a dent in your security deposit.
Floor Mirrors
Speaking of mirrors. The floor length mirror has got to be one of my favorite staple items that will absolutely improve your space. Not only will you use it to fit-check before a night out, but you’ll watch as it visually adds depth and length to your room.
With full length mirrors, the studier the better! Throw away (but don’t crack) that cheap skinny mirror that used to hang on the back of your door in college. Opt for wide-set mirrors with thicker frames. These can be found in a simple, modern, or antique style.
These floor mirrors look best just leaning against a wall, and it’s totally acceptable for them to cover parts of windows, overlap with posters, and even get tucked behind the a nightstand or bed. Use intersecting pieces to your creative advantage. While I have the Sweetscrispy Full Length Mirror, other alternatives include the Streamline Oversized Wide Arch Mirror, Wavy Floor Mirror, and the Antique Vintage Gold Mirror.
Candles & Incense
I’m a sucker for a nice candle. They’re not always cheap, but they make the house feel so cozy and smell aromatic af. I’m a big fan of the Smoky Cinnamon Candle from P.F. Candle Co.
However, if you want to switch up your candle-game, you can shake things up and try Goober Candles, Fruit Candles, or Wiggle Candlesticks. Candlesticks are fun for dinner parties and give you leighway for adorning candlestick holders like the Cut Glass Holder, Tutti Frutti Taper Holder, or a whole a** Ceramic Weylyn Candelabra. Honestly, I might get a candelabra.
Similarly, incense holders can similarly be found in super fun designs. Check out the Subtle Art Studios Tile Incense Holder or Maison Balzac Pebble Incense Holder. You just light one of these and let the smoky scent of lemongrass or smoked tobacco fill the house.
Table Arrangements: Books, Vases, Ceramics and More
One of my favorite things to put together in my house are table arrangements. It leaves ample room for uninterrupted and never-ending customization. You can also tweak these at anytime.
All of my table arrangements were made with random trinkets and collections I had lying around: vibrant flyers, pretty postcards, random matchboxes and lighters, fun coasters, and those incense holders and candles.
You can stack your favorite coffee table books and place freshly-cut flowers on your table to easily look spick and span. If you’re wondering what a “coffee table book” is, it’s a large, expensive, and illustrated book, usually only intended for casual reading and flipping through. And they look great on display.
I was lucky to find a handmade ceramic plate in the ‘For Free’ bin at Clay by the Bay, a pottery studio in SF. The pretty blue plate made for a helpful center piece to hold some candlesticks, matchboxes, and coasters we got in Madrid. Another favorite find is my speckled ceramic bowl handcrafted and sold by Egg Back Home. It makes for a great fruit bowl and adds a pretty pop of pink to the kitchen.
If there’s anytime to not care about functionality, and just enjoy things looking nice, this is it.
Vinyls & Record Players
They sound almost as good as they look! Vinyl records aren’t a collection built overnight, but having few records on fills the house with music in a way that bluetooth speakers just can’t. They don’t have to be expensive either; I have the Vinyl Record Player Wireless Turntable from Amazon. We use it for playing tunes while making dinner or lounging in the living room.
A fun way to display vinyl records could be hanging them using a record shelf wall mount, record box crate, or buying a whole turntable stand dedicated to your record player and the greatest hits of all time.
Groovy Glassware
Who says glassware or kitchenware needs to be stored away? Open kitchen shelves are one of my favorite styles that aren’t common enough. Although our house doesn’t have this, I like to put cute drinking glasses on bookshelves and our bar cart to double as decoration. I upgraded my glasses to these Vintage Blue Glass Wine Goblets from Candid Home!
Skip basic wine glasses and get some unique glasses with fun colors and designs!
Throw & Floor Pillows
“We have too many pillows,” Brennan exclaims for the millionth time. Agree to disagree.
Pillows are necessary for naps and propping your laptop up when working on the couch, so why not get nice ones? Getting the right pillows that complement each other is the key to making the perfect couch. I have a mix of pillows in various shades of the same color, some multi-colored patterned ones, and some solid velvet pillows. I really like having one of each rather than all matching pillows. It’s okay for them to stray away from the rest of the rooms decor, too. Add some diversity!
I prefer pillows with cute patterns and tend to avoid pillows with wording or graphics. Some of my recommendations are the Piped Velvet Throw Pillow, Sunset Soiree Pillow, Playground Pillow, Ellen Merchant Cottage Cotton, and Clr Shop Boxer Woven Throw Pillow.
Another pillow addition that’s less frequented is floor pillows!
If you like sitting on the ground, then get on this bandwagon and purchase the Ruthie Velvet Floor Pillows for extra “tush cush.” There are also more affordable replicas on Amazon. Plus, these double as chair cushions and meditation pillows!
Mine should be arriving any day now…
Side Tables
Tables, like any piece of furniture, can be found simple in design or more unconventional in design. In other words, you can get the four-legged table that’s sturdy or the uneven Zig Zag Drink Table with no drawers that cost more than my rent. I’m partially kidding. I think there’s a balance that can be struck between creative approaches to furniture and still being practical for use.
I like keeping the main furniture simple and functional (which often follows a more standard design) so I have more flexibility with changing up the surrounding decor and elevating using those pieces. I’m also a fan of wooden furniture; just a personal preference.
However, side tables, or night stands, can usually be more for show, because they’re used for minimal functions like placing a book, phone, or mug. MOMA’s Two Way Side Table has a bold and colorful design that’ll stand out in any room. Other interesting side tables include the Handmade Tile Cube, Freya Block-Print Ceramic Side Table, Soto Acrylic Round Side Table, and Huron Wood Night Stand.
Boozy Bar Carts
Even a bar cart as simple as mine, can be a significant enhancement to a living room or kitchen. The look and feel of dainty cocktail glasses and bottles reflecting off the light ends up creating an ornament of it’s own.
Consider getting a larger bar cart for more storage space and one with cabinets that close to look more tidy! We went with this because I mainly just store my weekly wines. Clink.
Kooky Clocks
Who uses clocks anymore? Yeah, I get it. It’s not really a need these days, thanks to our crazy tech gadgets.
However, wall clocks can be very useful for bedrooms and kitchens where you may not want to be looking at your phone right when you wake up or when you’re eating with company. They also add color, shape, and sometimes peculiarity to a space.
(No Brennan I’m not looking for reasons to spend more money.)
While I don’t have a clock yet, I know exactly the clock I’d buy if I was willing to spend $275 on something I didn’t need. The Cloudnola Texttime Wood Wall Flip Clock is a creative, text-time clock made of pretty bamboo, and it can be placed nicely with your wall decor. Someone buy this, and I’ll live vicariously through you.
Other clocks that caught my attention are the Author Clock, which creatively tells snippets of narrations while telling time and eccentrically-designed clocks like the Irregular Wall Clock, Word Desk Clock, and the Pat Kim Wall Clock.
Conclusion
Wow, did I cover everything? With all the fun new things in your home, there’s no chance you aren’t feeling inspired to refurbish and redesign your humble abode.
But try not to spend on everything at once (take it from someone who knows). Good things take time, and even I continue to evolve our feng shui through the months and seasons. Go at your own leisure and ideate, plan, and create your home with intention, strategy, creativity, and hopefully enjoyment.
I’m an adamant believer of investing in a good home, especially if you WFH or love hanging out or hosting at your place. Your home is just for you (…and whoever you live with) and it can create immense joy just to exist in on the day to day. Hopefully, I’ve equipped you with the tools you need to make your house a home.
Anyway, thanks for coming over!
Sincerely,
Hannah
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