By Anita Winter

Wikipedia's definition of Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese system of aesthetics believed to use the laws of both heaven and earth to help improve life.

How does this apply to design? How can an ancient philosophy dictate how you should place your furniture? Those are fair questions to ask, yet, there are many truths in Feng Shui philosophy that does make sense in designing a living space.

Feng Shui utilizes five elements in design; earth, wood, fire, metal and water. This Allows your space to have visual balance and produces a stress-free lifestyle. If you aren't familiar with the earths elements, here's a list of what they represent.

1. Earth

Earth shows grounding, stability and strength. To bring in this element, look for:

• anything in earth-tone colors such as brown, green and beige
• square and rectangular shapes like coffee tables and stools
• low, flat surfaces and flooring
• pictures of landscapes and grassy plains

When you are decorating your living space try to utilize some of the above examples in your space. You definitely don't want to over do it. For example, wood flooring with olive green walls and a low coffee table, is a good start to introduce the earth elements.

Add Some "Earth" to Your Living Room

2. Wood

Wood represents growth, flexibility and birth. When adding the wood element to a room, look for the following types of objects:

• fresh flowers and silk flowers
• potted plants and trees
• natural fabrics like cotton drapes
• wood furniture
• green and blue are colors that exemplify wood

Some can get wood and earth confused as the same elements. The best way to remember is to think of living things which grow above the ground. Plants would be wood, while soil would represent earth.

3. Water

Water shows spirituality and emotions. A balance of water brings inspiration, wisdom and insight. Add these types of objects to introduce the water element:

• the color black, deep dark tones
• reflective surfaces, like mirrors and glass
• wavy, asymmetrical shapes, flowing patterns
• water fixtures, such as aquariums and fountains

4. Metal

Metal affects mental clarity and logic. The presence of metal in a home can be felt in emotional characteristics like organization, focus and methodical abilities. When enhancing a space with metal, look for:

• oval shapes
• anything made of metal, like steel, iron, aluminum, gold or silver
• rocks and stones
• white, gray, or silver

The metal element is similar to water but yet without the flow and asymmetrical shapes.

5. Fire

fire increases passion and good management skills. This element in design is used to encourage self-expression, inspiration and courage. To increase the fire element in your space, add:

• candles, glowing lights and fire place
• shades of red, pink or purple
• animal prints
The fire element is the most obvious element. Anything which adds light and warmth to a space.

Feng Shui elements work together in perfect balance and harmony for a reason. There is a productive cycle that occurs when each element feeds off the others. For example:

• Earth creates metal
• Metal holds water
• Water nourishes wood
• Wood fuels fire
• Fire creates earth

In design, it's essential to have balance. Feng Shui is one design philosophy which tries to achieve just that.