By Stephanie Dempsey
Provided by Tarot.com
If you're like most studio apartment dwellers, you're likely to scoff at most feng shui cures that involve relocating furniture to different rooms, paring down clutter and emptying closets. What you may not realize is there are feng shui cures tailor-made for your situation. By making the most of your limited space, you can enjoy the benefits of this ancient practice: renewed health, increased optimism and, yes, greater wealth for getting a bigger place!
Scale Back -- The most important thing about furnishing a studio apartment is keeping everything in scale. Skinny couches, compact chairs and narrow chairs will free up plenty of floor space, allowing for easier movement. Reducing the scale of your furniture can have the added benefit of weight loss. You'll feel less bogged down when your living space is more airy and spacious.
Strike Up the Bands -- Bands of color, or stripes, can make a small room feel spacious. Add vertical stripes to the walls, especially if you have low ceilings. A striped rug can elongate a square room. The effect of stripes will prompt you to become more adventurous and outgoing. You'll also feel less constrained by your present circumstances.
Be Crystal Clear -- Plexiglas furnishings disappear into their surroundings, making the room appear more spacious. The fewer obstructions your studio apartment has, the easier it will be to move through personal obstacles as if they are invisible.
Let There Be Light -- If you live in a studio, chances are you don't have windows on at least one side of your living space. This can make your home feel cramped. Reverse the problem by adding mirror to walls that have no windows. This will increase the amount of light in the apartment, giving the impression of open space. It's an old but effective trick that's worth trying.
Double Your Pleasure -- Multifunctional furniture can maximize valuable floor space. An ottoman that doubles as a storage bin; a futon that serves as both couch and bed' a wheeled table that can be used for both dining and study are all good additions to a studio apartment. There's an added benefit to multifunctional furniture: such pieces can make you more versatile in every area of life.
Climb the Walls -- When floor space is at a premium, you can always use the walls as a means to store items. Install adjustable shelves for your books, papers and knickknacks. Stow unsightly items in decorative baskets, boxes and bins. An orderly living space will enable you to think more clearly about your future. It will also relieve stress.
Cut a Rug -- A rug will make your apartment look bigger than a wall-to-wall carpet. It will also lend sensual interest to your living space. The more tactile variety a space has, the more engaged with life the inhabitants become. Don't be surprised if you take up more hobbies and meet new people after changing the flooring in your home.
Cover Up, Buttercup -- If you have an unsightly radiator or view, shield it with a decorative screen. That way, your eye will be drawn to more attractive elements of your living space. This cure has the added benefit of increasing your optimism and zest for life.
Reach for the Sky -- Tall, narrow furniture will afford lots of storage but will occupy little floor space. A skinny bureau, a towering bookshelf and a narrow armoire are all good pieces to add to your studio. Such furnishings will also lift your confidence, as they will draw your attention upward, making you feel less earthbound.
Stow It -- A television acts like negative space when it's not being used. That's why it's a good idea to stow your TV behind closed doors when you're not watching it. A narrow armoire with doors will also serve as a good storage space for your video games, DVDs and remote controls. Stowing your entertainment center behind closed doors will also cut down on distractions, helping you to focus on relationships instead.
About the Author
Stephanie Dempsey is an accomplished author, feng shui practitioner and astrologer. She has contributed to several New Age titles, including 'Your Birthday Sign Through Time: A Chronicle of the Forces That Shape Your Destiny' and the upcoming 'Love Signs and You: The Ultimate Astrological Guide to Love, Sex, and Relationships.' She holds a degree in feng shui from the Mountain Institute of Tribeca in New York City.
