Question: I am a single 45 year old woman and want to bring love into my life. Are there any feng shui and design recommendations you can give me. I feel kind of lost.

–E.W. Los Angeles, CA

CJ: Thank-you for your question. First of all, congratulations for paying attention to this very important area of the home. Not only is it the place where we connect to our partners, it is also the place where we rest, relax and reconnect to ourselves. If you want to bring love into your life, start by thinking in the number two. For example, make sure to place two bedside tables of equal height on each side of the bed. The symbology is giving equal sides to the relationship that you intend to manifest. Include two of your favorite table lamps. Also choose a color for the wall that is soothing and relaxing and evokes a sense of peace. Stay away from extreme colors on the walls like bright red or cold blue. Make your bedroom romantic and inviting by adding some warm colors, for example, in your duvet, or in your pillows and/or draperies. Choose soft and luscious items (earth friendly please) like eco-silk and/or organic cotton. Before you begin, sit down for 15 minutes and visualize your dream space. What would it look it? What would your future partner like? Feel into that and then begin to create it. Most importantly, have fun.

Got a feng shui or design question. Just ask.

Question: Is it better to have a round table or a square table in the dining room?

LS –Portland, OR

Cheryl: It really depends. My personal preference is a square or rectangular dining room table (no sharp corners please) which suggest an anchor or a destination spot. That translates to, ‘let’s stay here for awhile’ which encourages healthy eating habits and fun social gatherings.

A round or oval dining room table on the other hand suggests movement and not too much staying power. However, there are exceptions. For example, a round table would be a better fit in a small square dining room because it balances out an already square room and creates more space. Too much of one shape in a room just doesn’t feel right.

In either case, make the dining room table a beautiful spot to visit. You might add a beautiful bowl of fruit, some candles, flowers and other items that encourage you to hang out for a good while. Eating in our culture has become a fast paced activity and a return to a slower pace, enjoying our food, company and therefore, ensuring proper digestion is always better.

Got a design challenge that you just can’t figure out? Just, ‘Ask Cheryl.’

Question: Today I wanted to rearrange my living room. It’s a big room, however, gets almost no sun light and I wondered, “What do I do first?” I’ve also always wanted to know what a red front door means.

–Beth from somewhere

CJ: Here is my answer. That, my dear is a very big question in a few short sentences. Thank-you for asking. My advise to you is to first get in touch with what activities you are going to do in that room. For example, will a TV be in there? Or maybe it will be a place for you and your friends to gather around a coffee table surrounded by comfy pillows and good conversation. Take a few minutes and some deep relaxing breaths to gather your thoughts and feelings about how you would like the space to look. Remember, it can be anything you want it to be. It’s your space. That’s the first step. Because (as you mentioned), it gets little natural light, consider a brighter happy color on the wall. Also, when considering wall art, you might include images of the sun and places of nature, thereby bringing nature indoors.

Regarding your question about the meaning of a red front door, in Feng Shui, a red door symbolizes the mouth of the home. It is the entry point in which abundance and opportunities find us. When we paint our doors red or a bright color that stands out, the idea is that positive energy will be drawn to us. The front door is also considered the threshold of the home in which we cross over from the external world into the sacred space of our private lives. It is an important area to consider.

Have fun decorating and let me know how it goes.

Got a Feng Shui or design question? Ask here.

Question: I love your blog and I have a decorating question that’s not quite ‘eco-related’, but I’d love your opinion. I’m moving into a very small apartment and want to repaint the walls. The carpets are a medium gray color. What do you recommend for the walls that would help to ‘open up’ the space? Most of my furniture is oak and fabrics are browns. What color do you recommend for the walls that would make the gray and browns more alive?

Clarice –Brattleboro, VT

CJ: Here’s my answer. Without really seeing the space and just going on what you’ve told me, I’d go with a color (like the one shown at left which is Benjamin Moore’s Sea Breeze) that is a light blue or green, with an airy feeling that will definitely make the browns and the oranges (in your oak furniture and fabrics) pop. It will also blend nicely with the medium gray which, lucky for you, is a neutral color anyway. Benjamin Moore offers a low VOC (volatile organic compound), paint line, called Aura that is earth friendly and goes on the wall beautifully. The colors are fabulous (!) and the bonus is that your local paint store (that carries Ben Moore) can match any color to the Aura line. That way there will be no icky smells, safe for you and the environment. Have fun painting and let me know how it turns out.

Got a color or design question? Just ‘Ask Cheryl.’

Question: We have a couch. It’s almost 30 years old and only 9 of them were ever made. Meaning it used to be a designer piece but after 15 years of kids, it looks like it’s ready for the dump. But, rather than toss this out, I’d like to be eco-chic and recover the piece. It has great bones and is super comfy. What do you recommend for recovering? I need something beautiful, durable, affordable and earth friendly. I’m having trouble finding materials to fit those requirements. Oh, and it also needs to be re-stuffed. What innards do you suggest for re-upholstering furniture.
Thanks!

R.S. –Portland, OR

Cheryl: Here is my answer. It’s a wonderful thing to take a sofa you’ve treasured for many years and give it a face lift. Your personal energy as well as the energy in your space will be enhanced and, in my experience, that change can be very powerful. Thank-you for doing this with a concern for the environment. Lucky for us, there are many eco-chic options available on the market. Currently, beautiful fabrics like hemp, flax, wool, organic cotton and other recycled materials are now being used in reupholstery work. None of these fabrics contain any artificial fire retardant chemicals (an added bonus!) that in the past have been known to cause cancer. Wool, for example has a natural fire retardant and is easy to clean. My favorite place to buy organic textiles right now is Indika. They produce everything locally in Montana and the fabric choices are 100% organic, beautiful and vast. As far as the innards of your sofa, just check in with your local reupholstery shop and asked them what they are using. Most of them keep it local (which is green in itself) and will offer a sustainable option without any icky chemicals added. Good luck and keep me posted!