Take a good look around your abode: Is it cluttered or dim? Does it lack vitality? Reinvigorate your space—and yourself—with a few simple interior alterations.
Bring balance. The energy of your home is related to yin and yang (opposing forces, such as dark and light), says Terah Kathryn Collins, author of The Western Guide to Feng Shui Room by Room (Hay House, 1999). “Your atmosphere should be welcoming—not too hot, not too bright, not too crowded.” Fixing imbalances invites more energy into a space. For example, “a small room can be energized with scaled-down furniture and a round coffee table that invites everyone to revolve around it,” she says. For rooms that lack a view, hang large artwork depicting nature scenes, she notes.
Contemplate color. Studies show that colors can affect how you think and feel throughout the day, says Trudy Dujardin, a designer at the ecofocused Dujardin Design Associates in Westport, Connecticut. “Any shade of red will energize a room because it stimulates the heart. Green and blue hues on the walls are more calming, soothing, and relaxing because they lower respiration rate and blood pressure,” she says.
Animate with aroma. For a quick, inexpensive perk, look to essential oils, says Kurt Schnaubelt, PhD, founder of the Pacific Institute of Aromatherapy in San Rafael, California. “The number-one choice to improve alertness is lemon oil,” he says, but peppermint and rosemary also enliven a room. “Put a drop on your pillow or use a burner or diffuser,” he suggests.
