Designer Insights with Anjie Cho

Anjie Cho November 5, 2014

Anjie Cho is a holistic designer and architect, offering a feng shui and green design service in the state of New York, see @holisticSpaces. Anjie is passionate about creating nourishing and beautiful spaces for her many clients. Through her work she enhances balance and harmony, utilising sustainability and ancient feng shui techniques. She is a LEED Accredited Professional and certified feng shui consultant from the BTB Feng Shui Masters Training Program. So we are proud to bring you the Designer Insights of Anjie Cho.

IN YOUR OWN WORDS, DESCRIBE YOUR UNIQUE STYLE AND CREATIVE ASTHETIC?

Feng shui and holistic design inspire my work for meaning and purpose in my design decisions. We find beauty in simplicity and balance and design harmonious living and work spaces that resonate uniquely with each individual client.

WHEN STARTING A NEW PROJECT, WHAT IS YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS?

The creative process begins with the needs and desires of the client. From there, we work with the physical and energetic environment to create a holistic space.

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by Anjie Cho

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Feng Shui Your Way to Good Health

Anjie Cho October 12, 2014

featured this week on Examiner by Cheryl S. Grant

Stress sadly plays a great role in most of our days. From getting up in the morning and getting yourself out for the day to dealing with financial woes. We all feel under the gun to do more, make more, and be more. Sadly, most of us don't recognize that this constant state of fear is wreaking havoc on our bodies' ability to fight off things as simple as the common cold. Many studies have found that it even weakens our immune system.

With winter being the time of year when we become most susceptible to getting the flu, finding ways to stay peaceful is a good way to stay healthy.

A good practice that can help to bring about some peace in your life is to have the proper environment set up in your home. Things such as furniture placement or picking calming wall color choices can bring about a sense of calm.

Anjie Cho a holistic interior architect and expert in the field of feng shui believes that the command position is an extremely important concept in feng shui that promotes positive energy flow. It provides an advantage that allows you to what life brings you so that you can move forward with your eyes open.

Ideally one would place their bed, desk and stove so that the door is always visible. You want the entire room to be visible. You shouldn't be directly in front of the door but rather across the room diagonally from the door.

This positioning puts your entire room within your vision. When you ensure that furniture follows this pattern you will reduce ongoing stress that can be so harmful and produces, instead oxytocin, the hormone that is responsible for us feeling good and positive, says Cho.

Now just add some beautiful sedate shades of green throughout your casa and change your outlook daily.

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Eco-Friendly Paint Shopping

Anjie Cho October 5, 2014

By now, you may know the importance of paying close attention to VOC content when purchasing paints for the interior of your home. That can be easier said than done though, with extensive labels and new terms that aren't always clearly understood.

If you're looking for indoor paint, get a good idea of what your ecological goal is within the room you will be painting, and keep an eye out for these terms when shopping for paint.

Natural

Paints and finishes classified as "natural" are composed of only natural ingredients and contain no man-made chemicals. Paints in this category can be plant-based, milk-based or created with all-natural minerals. Notably, these natural paints are the healthiest for any indoor use, as they contain no chemicals and give off little to no smell, often pleasant at that!

Zero VOC

Take note here that the "zero" in this classification is not actually zero. Based on established EPA standards, certain low levels of VOC substances can still be legally called "zero," despite the fact that the paints do, in fact, contain some VOCs, albeit a much lower, healthier level when compared to traditional paint. It's also worth knowing that adding a color tint to paint increases the VOC level, but in paints with already low VOC, this number is still much safer.

Low VOC

For the most part, the characteristic that makes a paint "low VOC" is that, rather than being produced with petroleum-based oils, the paint has been produced with a water base, therefore lowering the VOC level due to lack of those additional chemicals. These types of paints usually contain no more than half the VOCs present in traditional paints, and can sometimes be as low as 25% of the VOCs in an average can of paint. Keep an eye out here for "Green Seal Standard" paints, as these are certifiably some of the lowest "Low VOC" paints available.

Green Seal

Paints with the Green Seal have a more detailed list of requirements than other low VOC paints, which makes them a safer, more environmentally friendly option. In addition to requiring a lower VOC concentration, Green Seal paints are also prohibited from using a select list of harmful ingredients and must meet certain performance standards including washability and abrasion-resistance.

Making the choice to use a healthier, less toxic paint for home design is absolutely commendable. Just be sure that, when purchasing paint, you keep in mind what you need from your paint and ensure that the paint you select meets your, and the EPA's, criteria for lower VOCs.

VOC Absorbing

If you're concerned about the VOCs already present in your home, try hunting down VOC absorbing paints, as these paints are equipped with a substance aimed at removing harmful VOCs from the atmosphere in your home. Once these gases have been absorbed by the paint, they remain trapped there forever, which is certainly a better place for them than in your family's lungs.