It’s Time to Get Romantic

February is often the month that reminds us we want to feel more romantic in our bedrooms. But don’t worry – this isn’t a Love Advice column. You can actually create feelings of intimacy by following design philosophies.

Here are some easy design and feng shui tips you can use to add the mood of romance to any room in your home:

Colors

When people are asked to describe the color of love and passion, most think of red. Red does stimulate the libido by increasing heart rate and breathing, but a lot of red may make you too passionate. A red room can make you feel angry and agitated – not great feelings for igniting romance. So use red sparingly – as accents – in the bedroom.

The most physically soothing color is pink; however, pink is the least preferred color among men. Shades close to pink, like mauve and lavender, are nice compromises that evoke romantic feelings in both women and men. In feng shui, pink also attracts new romantic partners.

Soft blues are very soothing, and because they slow your heart rate, they can help you get a great night’s sleep. Feng shui wise, it is not the most passionate -- rather it's relaxing and healing. Sweet dreams!

Fabrics

Combine luxurious, sensual fabrics in varying, rich textures. Silk, chenille, and linen are romantic choices. Make your bed with high thread-count cotton sheets; a full, down-filled comforter; and loads of fluffy, soft pillows. Cover your windows with full, neutral-colored, sheer fabric panels that appear to be blowing in the breeze.  

Lighting

Soft lighting is essential for a romantic mood. During the day, your sheer window panels filter the sunlight, creating a warm, intimate glow. In the evenings, use light sources from all directions (remember to add lamps and up-lights, so your room is not only lit from overhead). Turn on side table lamps softened by lampshades, use up-lights near plants or fabrics to create shadows, and put your overhead lights on dimmers. Candles are, of course, great for romance, but be extra careful near your flowing fabric. 

Entice all your senses

Set the perfect romantic mood by taking all of your senses into account. Soft music, sachets of potpourri, fresh flowers, and a large bowl of plump strawberries will all add to a romantic ambience. 

This Valentine’s Day, skip the self-help advice columns. Inject more romance into your bedroom through decorating your environment!

by Anjie Cho

14 Easy Tips That Will Help You Be Happier In Your Home

featured this month on BuzzFeed, by Mackenzie Kruvant

What is feng shui and why is it important?

Feng shui looks at how energy (also called chi) moves through your home. If there is an area where the chi is moving too quickly or is stuck then that can represent either an area where you’re stuck in your life or things that you need to improve on.

There are two ways to look at your apartment. You can think, "This is just my apartment" — or you can look at it as an ecosystem, an environment that affects you. If you choose to look at it the second way, then feng shui can help you achieve good energy and a space that will get you over your energy funk — and it’s easier than you’d think. We asked feng shui expert Anjie Cho to show us how.

1. Make sure your entranceway reflects who you are — it’s how energy comes into your home.

“Your door represents how opportunities come to you. It’s where energy comes into your home,” Cho tells BuzzFeed Life. “That’s why it’s so important that it reflects you.” It’s also important that you have a clear number or name written somewhere. “If you don’t have anything on your door it may stop people from being able to find you,” Cho says. If possible, try not to crowd the door. “Make your entry look nice, because it’s your face to the world. Have a clean and positive doormat for clean and positive energy.”

...read full article

by Anjie Cho

Everyday Uses for Lemon Juice

Lemon juice is a delicious addition to many salads, and it makes a great, refreshing twist on water, but as it turns out, food and drinks aren't the only places lemon juice shines. Check out these awesome ways to use lemon juice in your home and everyday life. Score some holistic living points just by using lemons creatively! 

Refresh Your Kitchen

Lemon juice is actually very useful in refreshing various parts of your kitchen, from your smelly refrigerator to that worn-in cutting board. After removing anything moldy, unusable or just super smelly from your refrigerator, squirt some lemon juice on a cotton ball and let it camp out for a few hours inside. Then enjoy a fresher smell when you open the door. 

This trick works for cutting boards too. If you cook at all (and even if you're raw), you probably use your cutting board for a variety of fruits and veggies, ranging from onions to peppers to ginger to tomatoes...the list goes on. Chances are, no matter how clean your cutting board is, it doesn't smell too good. Lemon juice to the rescue! Just rub a clean cutting board down with half a lemon, or wash it in lemon juice for a kitchen tool that smells like new! An extra perk to this is that lemon juice disinfects as well! No salmonella in this kitchen!

Refresh Your Skin

Lemon juice, with water, can work wonders on your skin. It works like this: lemon water reduces the body's production of free-radicals, the bodily critters responsible for all sorts of age-tattlers, including wrinkles and sunspots. Simply put, reduce these substances in the body, and you reduce your skin's tendency to succumb to fine lines and sun damage. It's as easy as adding a little lemon to your daily agua intake.

Heal Yourself

This one is especially important, since we're heading into fall and winter, the season for colds, sore throats and every other life-hindering ailment one can think of. When you start to see symptoms of bacterial infection (sore throat, cough, etc.) take a few hits of lemon water for quick results. Lemons have a certain anti-bacterial characteristic which makes them super helpful in these situations! Much cheaper than a doctor visit!

Lemon juice is exceptional for detoxification as well. Most of us want to eat a better diet, but many of us don't. And even if we do, there are still a number of toxins that make their way into our bloodstreams on a regular basis. Not a fan of toxic blood? Up your daily lemon water intake to combat this naturally. While you're at it, take note that drinking lemon water also helps keep the digestive system on track, strengthens the immune system, balances out our body's pH balance and so much more! 

Did you have any idea you could do so much with a lemon? And they're some of the most affordable fruits available! Load up on these goodies and keep a collection on hand for staying healthy and keeping a fresh home year round. 

by Anjie Cho