FENG SHUI THE COASTAL WAY

By Maggie McNinch

FENG SHUI IS AN ANCIENT CHINESE PRACTICE that can help you achieve harmony with your surroundings – whether you’re trying to update your offi ce space or spruce up your sitting room. By combining an understanding of cardinal directions and energy forces, wildly successful entrepreneurs such as Bill Gates and companies like Google and Nike have all utilized forms of feng shui to enhance productivity, so there’s no reason why those concepts can’t work in your own home. And since “feng” and “shui” literally translate to “wind” and “water,” your Outer Banks beach house is already primed to reap the benefi ts of these principals – especially if you’re open to adding a few details by design.

Cultivate Coastal Colors

Fire, earth, metal, water and wood. The fi ve natural elements of feng shui can be incorporated in a variety of ways, but focusing on colors is probably the most common. These elements command the fl ow of positive and negative energy, so keeping them balanced is the best way to create a serene environment. To achieve this in your own beach box, consider painting a southern-facing room with red and orange accents to depict a vivid sunset. And since water is the opposite of fi re, painting that room’s northern-facing counterpart with shades of gray and blue will stabilize those energies – and might even call to mind a blustery nor’easter.

Put an Accent on It

Don’t get stuck thinking that feng shui only pairs with Asian-inspired art – the most positive energy is produced by using decorative pieces that are meaningful to you. For Outer Banks homeowners in particular, this could mean adding accent pieces that range from elegant arrangements of sea glass inside an antique lantern to a favorite piece of shore-found driftwood placed in prime display on a mantel. In order to incorporate other elemental principals, you might consider arranging candles in otherwise unoccupied nooks around your house (think bookshelf corners and windowsills) to represent fi re – which can act as a balancing force with all the water we’re surrounded by.

Grow a Garden

Plants are extremely important in feng shui, particularly since they represent the wood element of growth and kindness. No matter what sort of plants you’re most drawn to, their energetic forces will mainly thrive in the eastern, southeastern and southern areas of your home, and it’s important to remember that any plants you do decide to bring into your home should always be vibrant and healthy. For coastally specifi c ideas, you might consider pairing a hanging anemone shell with an air plant to create a whimsical jellyfi sh or fashioning a tabletop centerpiece out of native beach grasses such as purple fountain grass or naturally dried pampas grass.

Think Outside the Inside

Although many people think of feng shui as an indoor concept, it can be extremely benefi cial to think outside your doors as well. From a barbeque pool party to roasting marshmallows by the fi re pit, many of us tend to utilize the external areas of our home year-round here on the Outer Banks. Decks, patios, porches and balconies are places that remind us to savor the fresh air, after all, so simple feng shui tactics such as aiming to keep those spaces clutter-free can do wonders. Want to go the extra mile to promote an atmosphere of maximum relaxation while invoking the element of wind? Consider investing in a comfortable hammock to rock and recline in.

Go Beyond the Line

Generally speaking, curves are always better than angles – which makes sense considering the fact that feng shui strives to imitate nature as much as possible. Prioritizing fl owing lines over straight ones in your house is an ideal way to achieve this, which is great to keep in mind when you’re in the market for everything from picture frames to coff ee tables (both of which have plenty of options on the market with softly rounded edges). You can further accentuate this thoughtful airiness by hanging slightly translucent curtains in your main common areas and opening your windows as often as you can – not only will this allow natural light to fl ow more freely, but it’ll also regularly remind you just how lucky we are to call this place home.