Feng shui is an ancient Chinese system of arranging one’s dwelling to promote the flow of life energy (chi). The feng shui philosophy supposes that inhabitants derive much of their personal chi from their surroundings. If the energy flow within the environment is enhanced, it will create positive energy within the inhabitants. Home and office transformations based on feng shui principles are said to make occupants more productive, creative, happy, and healthy.

The ancient Chinese recognized five main types of chi energy, each of which served to inspire a different response in occupants of a space. These various types of chi forces are named: tree, fire, earth, metal, and water. Much of these life forces enter a room from the external world, depending on the position of the sun and a building’s windows and doors.  Chi can also be introduced into a room in the form of objects and colors. Occupants can, thus, manipulate a space to inspire a certain frame of mind they hope to achieve.

Below is a chart that shows the five chi energies, how they can be brought into an office space, and the corresponding states of mind they may induce in occupants. It also displays which energy each chi supports or bolsters. Altering an office area in accordance with some of these feng shui principles may enhance a worker’s sense of contentedness and creativity, and, thus, render him or her more productive.

Chi Addition Chart

	Exterior Source	Interior Color	Interior Object	Supports
Tree	Rising Sun - Enters through east	green, teal	wood, wicker, paper, bamboo	Fire
Fire	High Sun - Enters through south	red, orange, purple	fireplaces, candles	Soil
Earth/Soil	Sundown - Enters through southwest	brown, yellow	plaster, china, clay, bricks, ceramics, natural fibers	Metal
Metal	Sunset - Enters through west	white, metallic	metal, iron, silver, stainless steel	Water
Water	Night - Enters through north	blue, black	sinks, glass, aquariums, fountains	Tree

View an image version of this table to download or embed here.

Just as a person can choose to add different types of chi energy to a space, he or she can also cancel out or diminish various chi energies. When one starts to factor in diminishment, feng shui principals can get kind of complicated. For instance, bringing in too much water chi is going to destroy the effects of fire chi, and it’s going to calm the effects of a metal chi. The chart below illustrates which chi forces cancel out or diminish other chi forces.

Chi Depletion Chart

	Depletes	Diminishes
Tree	soil	water
Fire	metal	tree
Earth/Soil	water	fire
Metal	tree	soil
Water	fire	metal

View an image version of this table to download or embed here.

Here are some very basic ways to utilize feng shui principles in your office setting.

De-Clutter:

Clutter is the archenemy of feng shui because it physically blocks the flow of energy, which, thus, drains vital energy from inhabitants. Because organized surroundings promote clear thinking, every item in an office should have a place. At least 50% of the desk should be object free at all times.

Using a cabinet for storage will help to alleviate desk clutter. If an office contains a lot of papers and files that need work, it might be best to have a cabinet with doors that can be closed. An open view of uncompleted paperwork might impede workflow, as the stack will serve as a constant stressor hindering a worker’s productivity during the task at hand.

If completed work is easily organized, an open cabinet, such as the Brisa Pier Cabinet shown below, will work well, especially if the shelves contain some items attractive to the eye. According to feng shui principles, because the frame is made of metal, it will stimulate the life forces of strength and independence within the work area. The Brisa Cabinet also contains the element of wood, which brings the chi force that stimulates growth and expansion into the setting.

Limit Synthetic Materials, Artificial Lighting, Air Conditioning, and Electronics:

These items are said to exert negatively-charged chi energy upon an office’s occupants.  Feng shui philosophy recommends natural-fiber decorating materials, natural light and natural airflow, and that electronics be kept covered or unplugged when not in use. Of course, most offices couldn’t function without a computer being on at all times. The unfavorable chi energy from the computer can be diminished by ensuring the space has lots of live plants.

And what about TVs? If possible, according to feng shui principles, it is best to remove them from the area. In addition to emitting harmful electric and magnetic fields (EMFs), they also pull an occupant’s focus toward the screen, thus producing a constant temptation to escape concentration on the task at hand. For those offices that require access to a television, feng shui experts recommend covering the device. It’s an easy matter to enclose the screen’s associated electronic components inside an entertainment media console, but because screens have gotten so large these days, it is more difficult to find closed-door cabinets to cover them. In this case, feng shui experts recommend covering a screen with an attractive scarf.

Here’s a nifty idea. A TV screen’s power to entice a worker from tasks can be weakened by introducing an entertainment media stand with a fireplace into the office space. The worker’s focus will be drawn away from the television and, instead, toward dancing flames. The office will radiate fire chi energy which will inspire passionate job performance.

Use Appropriate Colors on Walls and Floors

Recommended wall and floor colors for office spaces are soft golds, yellows, sandstones, even pale orange, and greens and blues. These colors will relax, yet promote growth and expansion. Too many dark browns and yellows will ground and stabilize, but won’t stimulate the mind. Too much red or a blaring orange will overstimulate the mind.

Use Decorative Touches to Inspire Desired Chi

Of course, some people need more stabilizing and grounding. In this case, rather than painting the walls brown or yellow, add these colors through decorative touches. Incorporate brown or yellow objects, and use items made of china or clay. In the same vein, if workers need more stimulation, don’t paint the walls red, just add some red objects to the décor, and maybe introduce brighter lighting fixtures or an electric fireplace.

Try It!

It takes a bit of thought, but by referring to the Chi Addition and Chi Depletion Charts above, a space can be tailored to induce more or less of a certain type of chi energy. Let’s use the office pictured below to discern how different life forces can be inspired in its worker.

Let’s imagine that the windows in this office face west, which would mean the room receives mostly metal chi energy at sunset. Because the office is also very white colored and contains metal window frames, it is heavy on metal chi. While metal chi promotes strength and clarity, too much of it can render a space sterile and detached.

Here’s where an occupant can personalize the space to tone down the metal chi, and add the chi energy that they are trying to attract. Let’s say that they want to inspire more passion in their work. The metal chi can be diminished by adding water, maybe in the form of a fountain or an aquarium. Some orange objects, such as an area rug or decorative bowl, might be brought into the setting.

A true expert in feng shui considers many different aspects of chi energy, as well as the desires of the occupant. When applying feng shui principles to your office, it might be best to draw and color a draft of the room, just to test out how your ideas affect you. To learn more about this ancient Chinese philosophy, I recommend Simon Brown’s book, Principles of Feng Shui.

For more tips on home styling, please visit Fine Furniture San Diego.

Additional Home Styling Resources:

1. How to Arrange an Area Rug
2. Basic Color Coordination – Earn Your Color Credentials
3. Eclectic Backyard Decoration Guide

Fine Furniture San Diego Consultant, Colleen Cochran, is writer and graphic artist who covers home and hearth design.