Feng Shui and Area Rugs

[Sadie Monroe]

When you normally stop and think about feng shui, you are probably
focused on the thought of lighting candles and making a space as open
and bare as possible. While it is true that having the minimal amount
of clutter in an area is important to help the chi flow throughout a
room, this doesn't mean that you should not have absolutely any
possessions around. The principle of feng shui really recommends
everything should have a place and there should be a place for
everything.
Feng shui also places a great deal of importance on the way that the
objects within the room are arranged. If you have a number of pieces
of furniture, they need to be arranged in the room in a way that
anyone can get to where they want to go in the room without having to
take a number of twists and turns to get there. Opening up the space
is important for it will allow more energy to flow between the
objects, helping to give a healthier environment.
Of course, when you think about feng shui, you rarely think about the
role that area rugs might play in the design. Since area rugs are not
a feature which people frequently move around, they assume that an
area rug will have no influence on the feng shui of a room. This is a
misconception however, for feng shui will deal with every single
object in a room. Every object gives off energy that feeds into the
chi and area rugs are no exception.
The color of an area rug may be the biggest area of influence. Color
plays a very important part in proper feng shui because color will be
what determines the mood of a room. Too many soft colors and the room
may be too relaxing and even boring. Too many vibrant colors and the
room could be aggravating and tension in the room could run high. The
area rug will be one of the biggest areas of influence on this, right
behind the walls. Since the rug covers such a large amount of space,
the color it gives off is all-encompassing.
The texture of an area rug will be important as well. If the floors in
a space are not traditionally welcoming, including an area rug may
make the room much more comfortable to be in. This is true with
anything from hardwood to concrete or tile floors. They can be cold
and hard, not at all pleasant to be in. Include an area rug, though,
and one finds that the room is much more comfortable to spend time in.
One of the biggest factors on the chi of a room is how much a person
enjoys being in it. The energy that a person both gives off and takes
while in a room will set the mood of that room. Having a healthy chi
means having a room which accepts people into its space without much
struggle. The area rug may be one of the quickest means of doing so.