eHow.com Video: How to Decorate A Room With Water Fountains and Plants

How to Decorate a Room with Water Fountains and Plants

How to Decorate a Room with Water Fountains and Plants

Water fountains, available in a variety of styles and sizes, add beauty and harmony to a space while improving air quality and mood. Pair with plants for an ideal design.

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Video Transcript:

Hi, my name is Anjie Cho, and I would like to share with you tips on how to decorate a room with water fountains and plants. Since I’m a feng shui designer, I will also share with you the feng shui applications and meanings.

Water fountains are a great way to add beauty, sound, and humidity for a tranquil and harmonious space. The soothing sounds of water trickling can relax your mind and lower stress levels. The circulating water also releases negative ions which help to purify the air, just like with waterfalls and the ocean. The negative ions produced by the circulating water improve mood and feelings of well-being. The water also creates humidity that moistens the air for humans and for plants – it’s a natural humidifier.

There are different types of fountains that you can have in your home. There are floor fountains that are often tall – they sit on the floor. They are nice to locate next to a wall. There’s also wall-mounted fountains that you can hang on the wall. Be sure to get them installed by a professional with the correct tools and wall anchors, because the wall-mounted fountains can be really heavy.

What I have here is a tabletop fountain. It’s the smallest and easiest way to incorporate a fountain into a room. The tabletop fountains fit easily on a shelf, desk, side table, or anything with a horizontal surface near an electrical outlet. This one is made with resin, stones, and a black metal base. It’s in the shape of a lotus flower, which is a metaphor of beauty coming forth from any situation.

There’s also fountains made with different materials, such as stainless steel and copper. Stone and ceramics are also frequently found. And, sometimes they’re made of resin like this one, that it could be made to simulate different things like natural stone. The style depends upon the décor of your home. Some have lighting, others do not.

In feng shui, water fountains add the element of water to a space, which represents wealth, abundance, and cash flow. An ideal location is near an entry, which is said to stimulate cash to flow into your home from the outside. If used in this manner, it’s better to have a fountain that has a water flow up, and then down. If it’s directional, the flow should be into the home. That way, the wealth flows into your space and not out of your space.

Be sure to maintain them well – nothing’s worse than a fountain with funky water, algae, and slime. Many manufacturers suggest that you use only distilled water. Most tap water has minerals in it that will develop deposits on your fountain and clog the pump. If they do develop, scrub them as soon as they show up so they don’t become permanent. You can also add hydrogen peroxide to the water to inhibit the growth of algae, slime, and other microorganisms. It will keep everything running smoothly. Also, placing the fountain away from sunlight helps prevent algae growth. Never let the pump run dry, so be sure to check the water levels regularly. If it does run dry, it will shorten the life of the pump.

Finally, plants pair perfectly with fountains. The fountain provides negative ions, and the plants provide oxygen. The larger fountains can house plants within them. If you have a small fountain like this, it’s really beautiful to surround it with potted plants, and you can have stands to create a tiered effect.

I’m Anjie Cho, feng shui interior architect with Anjie Cho Architect, and founder of Holistic Spaces. And, this is has been how to decorate your room with water fountains and plants.

by Anjie Cho


eHow.com Video: Eco-Friendly Home Decorating

Eco-Friendly Home Decorating

Eco-Friendly Home Decorating

Low VOC paints provide an eco-friendly way to change the look and feel of your space. Donate extra supplies and buy locally to prevent waste and support local eco-systems. 

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Video Transcript:

Hi, my name is Anjie Cho, and this is a video about eco-friendly home decorating.

There are many simple ways to decorate your home in an eco-friendly way. Something that many of my clients want to change when it comes to home decorating is the color of the paint on the wall. This is a fairly easy and inexpensive way to change up the way your home looks and feels. But, no matter what color you choose, the type of paint you go with can make a difference.

The green option is to go for a low or Zero VOC paint. VOC stands for Volatile Organic Compound. Toxins are released into the air by traditional VOC paints, and sadly VOC paints release toxins into the air for years after the paint is applied. There are so many different paint companies now that offer low or Zero VOC options.

The other plus is that they have minimal odor when wet. There are even Zero VOC food-based paints available made with milk casein. Benjamin Moore, which is one of the most commonly found paint companies, has a Zero VOC product called Natura. Other companies that offer high performance Zero VOC paints are Yolo Interior Paints, Ivy Coatings, they're local to me and made in Brooklyn, New York. They are also a true Zero VOC premium quality non-toxic paint. Finally, SafeCoat is also a premium quality Zero VOC paint. The Zero VOCs are really easy to find.

Next, look for low VOCs in your polyurethane. We use polyurethane to finish wood floors and other wood furnishings. Another alternative to finishing wood is to use tung oil or linseed oil. Those are also naturally occurring.

Other considerations when it comes to eco-friendly home decorating are to incorporate as many reclaimed materials as possible. These can be purchasing vintage furniture items or reusing and re-purposing something that you already have instead of buying something new. And the other end of this is to be sure to donate anything you don't need or use anymore rather, rather than throwing it out.

Finally, buy local. This can be as simple as purchasing from a local mom and pop store even if the item is manufactured elsewhere. You can even get more local and research furniture materials that are manufactured near your home. Local manufacturing is more eco-friendly because there's less transportation and gas emissions involved. And also buying local strengthens your community.

This is Anjie Cho and I'm a Green Interior Architect with Anjie Cho Architect and Founder of Holistic Spaces. And this has been eco-friendly home decorating.

by Anjie Cho


eHow.com Video: How To Use Clocks In Feng Shui

How To Use Clocks In Feng Shui

How To Use Clocks In Feng Shui

What does feng shui have to say about clocks? What do clocks symbolize in your home and where should you place them?

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Video Transcript

I'm Anjie Cho, and this is how to use clocks with Feng Shui.

An analog clock, like this one, symbolizes time and the passing of time. The message is that life is a cycle and there will be another midnight, another tomorrow, another chance to start again. In feng shui there are a few things to consider when locating clocks in your home.

First, what kind of clock. I mentioned before that an analog clock symbolizes cycles and offers more comfort. A digital clock like this one gives a feeling of time ticking away and disappearing. Therefore, for feng shui uses, stick to an analog clock. The digital clock may add more stress to your life.

Second, is the clock plugged in or is it battery operated? It's preferable to have a battery-operated clock because of EMFs. EMF stands for electro-magnetic forces, and these energetically deplete your environment causing headaches and other health issues. A clock that's plugged in will emit EMFs, whereas the batter-operated one will not.

Lastly, where to locate your analog, battery-operated clock. This sort of clock could be comforting in a child's room where they can get a sense of the stability in the cycles of life. It could be a great above their desk. Another location could be in the hallway of the home or living room, again reminding the inhabitants of the passage of time. Rooms to avoid would be the dining room where you may feel rushed to eat, or the bedroom where you should be focusing on rest.

Clocks can be placed thoughtfully in your home using feng shui principles to support and nourish your life.

by Anjie Cho