Warm Up and Get Cozy with Historic Elements

You are in love with your modern home, and rightfully so. If you want to add a personal twist to its decor, while adding in some extra warmth and comfort, incorporating a few elements from a specific design period is the way to go. Highlight your favorite design era with a few well-chosen pieces, or mix and match different styles for your own signature look. Get started by incorporating bits of your preferred style themes from the following list. 

Art Deco debuted in France after World War 1. This throwback design theme blends bits of French, Egyptian and Mediterranean culture with clean lines, geometric patterns and vibrant colors. Think opulence and lavishness. You can incorporate elements of Art Deco into your home by selecting materials such as aluminum, stainless steel, inlaid wood and lacquer. Furniture with a mirrored or veneer finish is one option. Want a smaller whisper of style? Look for throw pillows and accent pieces featuring chevrons, sunbursts and bold colors.

Art Nouveau harkens back to the end of the 19th century and is known for its classy, sophisticated style. This era of design is nature-inspired, as demonstrated by its dynamic, undulating, flowing lines. Art Nouveau design is energetic; spiritual and lively. Look for pieces made of metal, ceramics and glass. Incorporate patterns and pieces with floral themes, as well as insects, birds and other elements of nature

Baroque Style evokes memories of the very ornate, luxurious design of the 17th century.  To achieve the look of pure opulence, search for items with elaborate ornamentation. You want to select pieces that include plenty of detail, curves and heavy carving. Incorporate items made of marble and dark hued woods. If you’re looking to pepper Baroque influences into your space, seek out furniture boasting curved legs, carved details and gilding. Large mirrors and crystal chandeliers will lend a Baroque influence as well. 

Neoclassic is about elegance, luxury and romance. In terms of design, aim for hints of Roman and Greek architecture and sculpture. Symmetry and balance are key characteristics of this style. Look for pieces using light wood and upholstery items. If you want to introduce this style through accessories, then consider ornate vases, urns, statuary decorations and pottery. 

Victorian style begins with lots of layers and builds with vibrant, rich colors. Something as simple as adding a chair or picture rail to your walls will introduce a bit of Victorian flare into your space. Pull in velvet, a Victorian staple, through pillows and upholstery and don’t shy away from fringe or patterns. Dark woods and marble are classic Victorian components, too.

by Anjie Cho

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How to Harness the Wisdom of the Planets with Vedic Art

Most of you know that I have been studying Vedic yantra and mandala painting since 2008 and I just got back from a retreat at ananda ashram with my teachers, Mavis Gewant and Pieter Weltevrede. You can see some of my newest work here.

Over the years I’ve painted dozens of planet yantras, but it’s only this year that I started incorporating the wisdom of the planets in my everyday life. Did you know that each day of the week is named after one of the planets?

The names for each day of the week have slightly different meaning, depending on the culture, but the names we use in America are derived from the Roman culture. In selecting names for the days of the week, or the time it takes for the moon to move between phases, the Romans chose the names of our sun, moon and, at the time, the five known planets (Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn). As a note, these planets were already named after Roman deities (in Latin, of course), so not only are the days of the week named after planets, they're name after Roman deities as well!

Sunday SUN radiant and bright orange

Monday MOON light feminine blue

Tuesday MARS fiery red

Wednesday MERCURY emerald green

Thursday JUPITER expansive yellow

Friday VENUS soft whites & pastels

Saturday SATURN introspective dark blue & black

I started wearing a piece of clothing or jewelry for each planet on their day of the week. For instance, today is Wednesday, so I often wear this green jade mala that I made with Satya Scainetti.  

This is from the vedic tradition, but I also connect the colors and planets with feng shui principles. For example Mars and red can relate to the Fame and Recognition area of the feng shui bagua map. I find that it helps me to understand the feng shui colors on a deeper level to connect the planet and god/goddess associations.

Wearing the color of the day can help you invoke the power of that planet to give you a little more support on that particular day. Or if you want more of a particular energy, you can wear that color. For instance you can wear orange for more radiance. It’s interesting to see how people will start to respond to this. For instance, my ascendent is the sun, and when I wear orange on Sunday, I just get so much attention!

Try it out yourself and see what happens!

by Anjie Cho


5 Tips to Incorporate The Comeback of Feng Shui

featured this week on New York Spaces

When I told my parents that I started studying feng shui, they laughed! My mom exclaimed, "Feng shui is old fashioned folklore!" But feng shui is making a comeback. In fact, 86% of Chinese Americans think feng shui will play a role in a future home buying decisions, according to a recent survey conducted by Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate and the Asian Real Estate Association of America. And 49% are more likely than their parents to take feng shui into account when deciding on a home. Maybe I was onto something early on.

I would agree that feng shui suffers from a common misconception involving tacky, Asian-style black and red lacquer furniture, but that's not at all what feng shui is about. That's just a visual style that's associated with feng shui; the concepts rise above the outdated superficial execution. So, what is feng shui really about then? Feng shui is an ancient philosophy that uses environmental psychology that seeks to enhance our lives through our physical spaces.

The short version of my story is that at a turning point in my life, I decided to incorporate holistic wellness into my daily lifestyle. This included yoga and meditation. I needed to find some peace and slow down from my fast-paced life. Sound familiar? I think many of us can relate to this. As a practicing licensed architect, I quickly yearned to include this holistic system into my design practice.

Architects and designers, we love to create beautiful spaces. That's what we're good at, and it's fairly easy. But to design environments that resonate with the inhabitants, or can improve our lives—that's the challenging part. Feng shui gives us tools and guidelines to make that a reality, which goes on to make a difference when it comes to selling and buying the home. In fact, that same study from Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate found that 90% of Chinese Americans believe feng shui increases a home's resale value.

With this in mind, here are some easy ways to incorporate feng shui into your home (whether you're just looking for a new aesthetic or staging to attract potential buyers) without doing a complete re-design. You may just find a harmonious balance in your life as a result.

1. Clear the clutter. It's ideal for cabinets to reach the ceiling. If they don't, try placing living plants or items of personal value above.

2. Know where to put mirrors. It's important that mirrors are placed away from the bed in the bedroom. And a full-length mirror in the bathroom is usually key. Plant-life next to the mirrors encourages a better qi flow from water to earth to metal to wood.

3. Keep your color wheel on hand. Colors are a vital part of feng shui design. Consult your color wheel when designing the kitchen, especially as bright colors like red and orange work well there.

4. Free the bed. Feng shui principles dictate that the bed should be accessible from all angles. If it's not, move it to the center of the wall. Make sure the bed is not directly facing the door.

5. Embrace your green thumb. Those who practice feng shui will look for the presence of live plants, particularly in balance with other elements. Because bathrooms are keepers of water energy, placing earthy elements throughout can help create a balance.

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by Anjie Cho