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Healthy Hibernation

DeAnna Radaj -- Welcome to my Design2Share column, Harmony2Share. We’ll be using a lot of the principles of feng shui and Integrative Lifestyle Design to add greater harmony – and all the good benefits of a life well lived – to your home environment.

The leaves are changing colors, the nights are cooler, kids are back in school, and our thoughts are turning to our home interiors. Whether it’s getting that kitchen remodel done before the holidays or re-doing a college-bound youngster’s room into a study, fall is the time we research and start these projects. As we are contemplating these large or small changes, please consider "healthy” or eco-friendly alternatives when painting, buying furniture and accessories, or just rearranging how your home is set up. You'll have amazing results when employing healthy home design, and even feng shui; it will uplift your entire family's mental, spiritual, and physical well-being. Healthy home design is especially important for those who suffer from upper respiratory ailments, asthma, and allergies and headaches, and it is beneficial for those who have or are expecting babies and the elderly.

Let’s take a quick look at feng shui. Feng shui is a 5,000-year-old practice that translates in English as “wind and water.” It’s the Chinese art (some would say "science") of placement in that you are working in harmony with your environment, no matter what that is (cubicle, individual room, house, etc.). Feng shui utilizes the 5 Elements (fire, water, earth, wood, metal), color, and personal auspicious symbols. Personal auspicious symbols are defined as any items that are used and/or have positive attachments or "good fortune." There are 9 Life Areas that are identified in feng shui and the Bagua board, which can be activated by color, shape, and element.

I would suggest reading some books, or finding a feng shui master in your area for a consultation. Feng shui works with Mother Nature in that you want a flowing traffic pattern, utilizing the Elements and organic shapes and the realization that energy is a moving force in nature as well as in our living and work spaces. Once we acknowledge this and understand the flow of energy or chi in our home and how to activate or reduce it in the various Life Areas, we will live more centered, balanced lives. Feng shui incorporates space-planning, color, and accessorizing just like we were taught in design school; it's all just coming from another design philosophy.

Consider having a feng shui master or consultant visit your home so that you can get your house in order for this coming holiday season.

The real push for “healthy home” or eco-friendly design started in Europe about 30 years ago in studies done on Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) and Bau-biology. SBS is caused by our vacuum-sealed, no-ventilation buildings that are filled with products (paint, carpet, furniture, cleaners…) which emit toxins and poisons into the air. Frequent migraines, fatigue, upper respiratory ailments, and sore throats are only a few of the symptoms of SBS. Bau-biology is the study of design and construction of homes that fulfill all health/holistic requirements. This school of design helps create spaces that are built with natural materials, utilize natural light, avoid the negative effects of EMFs (electromagnetic frequencies), and use energy and resource-efficient systems. Slowly we are catching up to Europe in our views towards green design and “healthy home” design choices.

How do you start to migrate over to a healthy home makeover this fall? I always suggest that my clients start by doing a MAJOR de-clutter and purge. It’s okay to start small, but you must go through each room, closet, drawer, and cabinet and ask yourself: Do I LOVE it? Do I USE it? Do I NEED it? If you don’t answer with a yes to any of the questions, you must get rid of it. If you have a hard time with this, you aren’t alone. I teach workshops on getting rid of clutter, and there is always a wait list with men and women, young and old. After your purge, do a general house cleaning, and use natural household cleaners. Sun and Earth, Seventh Generation, and Natural Choices are all wonderful products that are available in mainstream channels. There are also some great books out there if you have the time and energy to make your own cleaners (Green Clean is one of my favs!). Here are some other tips to help you to detox your home as you prepare this fall for healthier winter hibernation:

Use natural hygiene products and cleaners. The alternative is chemicals that, when made, pollute the environment, our homes, and our bodies.
Go organic when possible. Food (buy local and in season), clothing (man-made fibers are petroleum based and also include formaldehyde -- that new smell)), and linens.
Buy no-VOC paints and finishes. All major paint manufacturers now make low- or no-VOC paint. VOCs (volatile organic compounds) are the chemicals and toxins used to inhibit mold and quicken dry time, or that "new paint smell.”
Eliminate plastics and vinyls from your home. Studies have shown that PVC also off-gases like VOCs and have been shown to cause certain types of cancers. Yes, this includes your shower curtain!
Candles are a leading cause of indoor air pollution (which studies have shown to be worse than outdoor air), and with the fall and winter holidays coming up, you will be burning more candles when you entertain. The big offender here is the wick. Wicks in most inexpensive candles are made with lead. Lead has been shown to cause a variety of illness. When purchasing candles for ambience, look at the wick, and if you see a metal core, DO NOT BUY IT! Some wicks will be made with zinc, which is okay, however the best choice is cotton. Wicks with metal are the cause of sooting and black smoke that can stain walls. Look for candles made from beeswax, palm or soy wax, and scented with natural botanicals and/or essential oils.

Each room in your house is fair game this fall for a makeover that maximizes your family's health. Start systematically and work with one room at a time. Stay focused. Once you've completed your reorganization, remodeling, or healthy reorienting in one room, you can tackle the next. These are perfect projects for the cold-weather months, and will help you and your family to a healthier hibernation during the winter months when you spend most of your time indoors.

Bedroom

The bedroom is the most important room of the home. We spend a third of our lives sleeping. It's imperative that this room is chemical/toxin free and promotes rest and restoration, as well as romance. In feng shui, the bedroom is related to the Relationship area of the Bagua board. To activate this area (bring about and nurture a relationship in business, romance, or friendship), arrange items in pairs to signify couples. Use the Earth element here and the colors red (legally binding relationship), pink (single and looking), and coral (single and not looking). If you want to think romance, there should not be any pictures of family or friends in this room; it’s for you and your significant other. That being said, there should be no TV, computer, or exercise equipment in this room either. If you need a TV here, hide it away in a media cabinet or use a pop-up TV that can be easily concealed when not in use. But here is the simple wisdom behind this room: the bedroom is for two things, and watching TV and working on the computer are not among them! Here are a few more tips:

Keep this room clutter-free, especially under the bed. Air needs to be able to circulate around the body to rejuvenate. Clutter is a dust collector. If you haven’t purged yet, do it.
Keep electronic items to a bare minimum in this room to reduce the EMFs. If you must have an electronic alarm clock and/or phone in the room, keep them at least 3 feet from your head to reduce this risk.
Beds should always have a headboard for support.
Place your bed in the power position of the room. This is the opposite corner from the doorway upon entering the room. This is the most psychologically secure position in the room. Stay away from placing the bed where your feet are in direct line with the door. This is called the “death position” (we traditionally bring dead bodies out of a room feet first, hence the name).
Buy the most luxurious linens you can afford. This will add to the sensuality of the room.
Color schemes should be in cool colors (blues, greens, purples) as this helps promote sleep and relaxation. When adding passion, introduce your reds and pinks.
Lastly, lie down on your bed and see what the view is. It should be something pleasant. You shouldn't be looking into the bathroom! This is the first and last thing you see before you fall asleep, and this view will stay with you subconsciously. Make it a great view because I want you to have pleasant dreams.

Kitchen

Just as the bedroom is related to the Relationship area of the Bagua, the Kitchen is related to the Wealth/Abundance area of the home. Keep all appliances and plumbing in working order to keep "wealth” and prosperity in your family. This room is for gathering and nourishing; keep this in mind when designing or remodeling this room. Buy the best quality kitchen tools and food ingredients you can afford to promote good wealth energy. Other tips for the kitchen:

Keep this room free of needless clutter. All flat surfaces seem to attract stuff, but resist this tendency! Keep all small appliances that are used infrequently stored away in cabinets. Knives should also be kept away when not in use; they emit negative, cutting energy.
The color scheme here should be warm and inviting-reds, earth-tones, and white are perfect here. Stay away from red and orange though if you are trying to lose weight. These colors tend to increase appetite. Think of the colors used in fast food restaurants! Use blue if you're looking for weight control goals as blue tends to “gray out" food and reduce the appetite. Another good choice is white; it's the perfect color for plates as it won’t distract from the food you're serving.
When you're cooking at the stove, make sure your back is not to the door. You want to be able to see who is coming and going and not be surprised. If your back is to the door and this can’t be changed, hang a reflective surface above the stove (pots, mirrored tiles and switch plates, or a single mirror). This accomplishes two things: people can’t sneak up behind you and the stove’s burners are “doubled” by the reflection, which symbolically doubles the wealth of your family.
Since this room is about abundance and nourishment, keep pesticides out of this room. PERIOD. Use only natural cleaning products and keep this a chemical- and toxin-free zone.

Living Room

Another of the social, active rooms of the home, the Living Room is where you want to think comfort and flexibility. This room must accommodate numerous activities like watching TV, reading, talking, doing homework, and entertaining. The floor plan must be able to adjust to whatever the function of the room is at that moment. Rounded corners on furniture will reduce injuries if kids or pets are present. To bring life into this room, add upward-growing plants. This encourages growth and new opportunities.

More tips for the Living Room:

Think warm colors for your color scheme. Earth tones here are great for grounding and they go with any color you want to bring in for an accent.
The head of the household’s seat needs to be placed in the power position of the room. This seat can be given up to a guest if the host so chooses.
Flexible lighting is key in this area. Due to the variety of activities that take place in this room, think carefully about the three types of lighting: general or overhead, task (desk, reading), and accent.

Bathroom

Bathrooms tend to get a bad rap in feng shui; however, if done properly you won’t find your energy “going down the drain.” It is very important in this room to have all 5 Elements represented to balance this space. Be creative as this is the one room where there are no limits. Be very wary of having an overabundance of the water element as this tends to “drown” energy and make the occupants feel they are in over their heads. In this space you want to try to raise energy and keep the eye looking up. This is easy to do with bright overhead lighting, a wallpaper boarder, a lighter color paint on the ceiling, or mirrors.

More tips for the bathroom:

Keep the toilet seat down, doors shut, and drains closed (have a drain cover, do not leave your drains exposed or wide open). The bathroom is also related to family finances and health so you want to keep all “means of escape” closed.
Mirrors, crystals and sun catchers are wonderful in this room to create rainbows and bring in light and keep the eye moving up.
There are no rules on color in this room, so you can be as bold and bright as your personality allows.
Keep all plumbing in good working order. Fix all leaks immediately; you don’t want to waste water and/or create bigger problems.
Purchase natural bath and body products and bathroom cleaners. You’re doing a lot to create a healthy environment so why would you want to poison your body? If a product has an ingredient that is labeled “fragrance,” it’s a synthetic, petroleum-based product. Don't buy it.

Home Office

With more people working at home or self-employed, this space takes on new significance. Health issues concerning EMFs are prevalent in this room due to the concentration of electronic equipment. Computers, printers, scanners, and telephones can literally drain your energy. To offset this drain, bring in plants like spider plants, philodendrons, and ivies to create a healthier work environment. Jade, money, and orange trees are auspicious and represent wealth and abundance, so place these by the office entrance! In general, there should be 1 plant per 100 square feet of space for good indoor air quality. Here are some other home office tips:

Artwork and accessories in this space should include items that represent success and the career you are in (or want to be in). If there is a client you want, post their business card in a prominent place where it will be in constant view as a visual reminder. A picture of a mountain can be placed behind the desk chair for support and to offer protection from behind.
A large area rug should be placed in this room to anchor the space and keep the occupant grounded.
Task lighting is very important here. Save your eyes!
Color schemes in this space should include earth tones (for grounding), blues (for communication), black (for career,) and red (for success and energy).
Natural light and ventilation are important in all rooms, but particularly here due to the bombardment of EMFs in this space. Open up the windows year round to allow some fresh air to circulate, utilize crystals and sun catchers to “capture” the sun and disperse colorful light throughout the space, and maximize outside views with mirrors.

Harmony Tip: Follow my quick maintenance checklist to keep your living space healthy. Start implementing the list this fall, and you and your family will have a healthier life in the coming year.

Daily: Open windows to let fresh air in and pollutants out.

Monthly: Vacuum or wipe down return and delivery vents to keep dust from blowing around. Wash refrigerator drip pans to keep mold away.

Bi-monthly: Change furnace filters in winter months. Use HEPA pleated filters which have more surface area to collect dirt and dust.

Annually: Have your furnace inspected to ensure that it’s not leaking carbon monoxide.

Bi-annually: Have forced-air ducts cleaned. Do not use fragrance or antimicrobial chemicals. If someone has allergies or asthma, do this cleaning on an annual basis.

DeAnna Radaj, owner of Bante Design LLC and its production division Eden Place Productions, is a designer who specializes in Integrative Lifestyle Design (the fusion of Eastern and Western interior design philosophies incorporating feng shui and healthy home principles). Ms. Radaj is an author/columnist, design consultant, and national speaker on topics like Health Home Design, Feng Shui, Design Tips & Trends, and Clutter (Why We Have It and How to Get Rid of It!). Ms. Radaj is the former editor of the WI ASID newsletter which featured her column, "The Business of Design," and she has been featured in print, radio, and TV. She has authored Designing the Life of Your Dreams from the Outside In and Feng Shui for Teens, and is a weekly contributor to Design2Share, casaGURU, and the Diva Toolbox.