Environmental psychology is founded on an idea that our surroundings affect our feelings, but, although it sounds pretty modern, it isn’t a product of the 21st century. In fact, an ancient Chinese philosophy of Feng Shui is a type environmental psychology that can also help us gain wealth and be successful. Out of all five Feng Shui elements, the one that really stands out is water because it symbolizes renewal and money flow, and a room where this element is extremely present is the bathroom. Here’s how to play on that card.
Declutter
Clutter is our number one enemy according to Feng Shui. So, the first thing you should do when redecorating your bathroom is look around and see what you don’t use and simply remove it from the picture. Also, remove any unsightly items and leave only the things you feel comfortable looking at, e.g. a woven basket with towels and scented candles.
Feng Shui is a philosophy that relies on nature, so natural light is imperative.
Balance the elements
Although water is the omnipresent element in the bathroom you shouldn’t ignore the other four (earth, wood, metal and fire). Since bathrooms are usually very small, you may have to make some compromises not to overcrowd the space. You can do that with colors. Painting the bathroom in earthy shades will definitely bring in the element of earth, wooden vanity will represent wood, and a metal mirror frame is self-explanatory. A pair of bright red wool runner rugs can symbolize fire. If you don’t feel like painting, just hang an artwork that includes all four elements.
Introduce crystals
The bathroom shouldn’t be an empty sterile room with no decorative elements whatsoever. If you want to introduce decorative pieces and at the same time get some points on the Feng Shui side, you can use crystals which have a very important role in this ancient practice. Crystals are believed to restore balance and enhance energy. If you hang a Feng Shui crystal about 9 inches from the center of the ceiling the chi will flow upwards, and not down the drains. You can also use a crystal tree.
Painting the bathroom in earthy shades will definitely bring in the element of earth, wooden vanity will represent wood, and a metal mirror frame is self-explanatory.
Enhance the energy with mirrors
Mirrors help energy circulate, so it can’t hurt having more than one. However, if you position them in a way they reflect the dirty energy (in the bathroom that is the toilet where the energy goes down the drain), you will have a whole lot of bad energy flowing around. Position one large mirror so that you don’t see your entire body while sitting on the toilet, and place a couple more that will reflect a light source, window or plant.
Invite the sunlight and air in
Feng Shui is a philosophy that relies on nature, so natural light is imperative. If you don’t have a bathroom window, you should try installing skylights or – in the worst case – go with the full-spectrum light bulbs that imitate natural light. Also, it is important to keep the air clean. Therefore, put the toilet seat down, open the door whenever you finish with the shower, install a fan, use an air-purifier and add air-purifying plants.
The bathroom shouldn’t be an empty sterile room with no decorative elements whatsoever.
Change the floor plan
Changing the floor plan should be your priority when talking about complete bathroom renovations. Poorly placed pipes, toilet seat and other fixtures can seriously affect the energy of the bathroom. That’s why you should make sure that the toilet is not the first thing you see when you enter the room. Also, try to keep the piping layout as simple as possible.
By applying these tips when redecorating you will not only enhance the positive energy in your bathroom, but you will also make it more pleasant to the eye, and therefore more fashion forward.