Hello & Welcome back to Where Feng Shui Meets Fashion! Podcast Episode 4. A place for Home & Wardrobe Inspiration. My name is Laura and I’m a certified Feng Shui Practitioner, Curator and Stylist for you and your Space. If I was a TV show it would be a cross between the Zen of Marie Kondo and the Chic of Rachel Zoe. This hybrid Podcast & Newsletter originates on Substack where you can follow and subscribe for all the visuals, text and Video. This story in particular is told largely through the pictures and visuals in the body of the story on Substack. So if you’re listening on Spotify or Apple subscribe for free on Substack. For all my other content and services check out my Link-tree. Today I’m talking about How you can apply Fashion to Feng Shui and more specifically to Dressing Up your Bed. So far, I’ve mostly spoken about how to Feng Shui your Fashion. It goes both ways though because dressing and decorating go hand in hand energetically. I told you when I began this “Where Feng Shui Meets Fashion” Journey here on Substack that I would be sneaking Feng Shui in through the closet. Today I coming to you from the bedroom. I suppose I’m getting real personal with you and jumping right into bed for this story. From a Feng Shui perspective or really just good old common sense, your bed is the most important piece of furniture in your life! Not just your home, but your life. If you’re only going to Feng Shui 1 room in your home, make it the bedroom and if it’s only one thing, make it your bed! Sleep is one of the most important indicators of good health. Your bed has as much to say about your health and wellbeing as it does about your love life. If you’re going to invest in just one piece of furniture this year, make it your bed. Comfort is king! I know mattresses are expensive so for immediate gratification and enhancement to your quality of life, let’s talk bedding. Bedding is an accessible upgrade and easily interchangeable. It’s also a fantastic redecorating on a budget hack. It will change the entire look and feel of your bedroom. Let’s look at the energetics of your Bedding and how to enhance rest and romance. The 2 major themes of this room.
Think of your bedding sheets and duvet as your beds wardrobe. Most people only have one “outfit” for their beds. The duvet specifically is the part of the outfit everyone sees and the sheets are like undergarments. Would you only wear one outfit? Why should your bed? Color, texture, material, design and print all have a tremendous energetic impact. I have 5 outfits and counting for my beds duvet. They each invite and say something different.
FLORAL BOUQUET DUVET
Pictured first is my Floral Bouquet Duvet Cover. It’s been my favorite for years and I liked it so much I bought 2. It’s a good thing I did because my cats tore into the first one and over the years those tiny tears grew into large rips until I finally threw it out a couple weeks ago. I went on to order a totally new duvet to replace it. Meanwhile I was genuinely sad and mourned its loss until I remembered I had a back up! This is the back up! If you have pets, children, like to eat or drink in bed, then may I suggest a backup?
The energetic impetus for this duvet is 3 fold. I see everything with “Feng Shui Eyes” so there’s a strategy and a story behind every aesthetic choice I make. First of all, I immediately loved it and found it beautiful. I’m a fan of bold color. It is a floral which represents Wood Element with Red & Pink Flowers that represent Fire Element. My bed happens to be in what’s known in Feng Shui as the Family Gua. In Feng Shui this area of the home is supported by the Wood element. Wood represents growth and initiating energy. The Bed is also placed in the Fame & Reputation Gua/Area of my Bedroom which is supported by Fire Element. And let’s not forget wood feeds the fire. But fire burns the wood so I vascilate on which of these energies I’m feeding. The Fire element here helps enhance romance, passion and visibility. While it can be sexy, it is not my most restful option. This duvet has a stimulating energy, but sometimes I desire a more restful vibe and I can get “burnt out” and choose to switch things up. It’s okay to have different moods and ways to express them. Bedding is a good way to indicate what you are welcoming into your life and bed.
MANDALA DUVET
Pictured Here is my more Neutral gold and cream Indian Mandala Duvet Cover. When I want a more Zen experience, I choose this one. You’ll notice I also have interchangeable floor rugs that are washable. Pets and life’s little surprises make these a necessity. Did someone throw up on the rug? No problem! I just swap it out with a back up and do some laundry….
When sleep and meditation are on the menu, this is what the bed wears, but honestly this is now my least chosen option. It’s there when I need it, but I have since moved on to a Magic Mushroom Motif that is both Zen and green therefore represents wood element without all the fire of the bouquet motif.
MAGIC MUSHROOM DUVET
I chose this Magic Mushroom motif because I think sleep is a “Trip”. I have to admit that it didn’t take long for me to tire of this Duvet Cover and order yet another with a magical garden theme. Listen, I have been known to change outfits 4 or 5 times in one day just cause. I like to keep my options open!
It’s not just the color and elements that shift the energy and narrative of a room, but the symbolism of what is being depicted! The Magical Garden motif has wood and fire elements but is much more serene than the bouquet so it soon became my new favorite. My cats loved it so much they started pulling on all the embroidery and unraveling it. I quickly realized my brand new expensive and very favorite duvet was going to be short lived. Instead of getting upset, I used this opportunity to find new inspiration and move on from Floral and Garden themes. A brand new theme and duvet is on its way as I write this!
MAGIC GARDEN DUVET
I don’t have to say goodbye to the Magic Garden entirely, I just know like most things in life, it’s not going to last. It’s like a hot and heavy but brief affair. That said, I’m pretty excited about the new motif and theme I will soon lay my head on! It’s called a Celestial Woodblock Duvet. Urban outfitters describes it as follows “Features abstract sun and moon motifs printed allover the softest cotton-polyester weave.” I love that I bought it on sale from Urban Outfitters Home for half what I paid for my other duvet’s! That’s a win… I love the golden burnt orange and cream color contrast. It’s earthy fire, stimulating but grounding. The Sun and Moon have the Yin & Yang theme of masculine and feminine energy that invites the kind of partnership energy I desire. Let’s call it kismet!
Pictured here is the new Duvet cover along with 2 new floating nightstands that are also on their way. The 2 nightstands are a story for another day, so stay tuned. What’s interesting about the new duvet cover and the celestial theme is that it ties in perfectly with a piece of art I love that’s hung by the bed. Coincidence? With a New Newsletter, Podcast, Certification, & Services; a new setting was in order! Once everything is installed, and I’ve fully experienced my new Celestial theme, I’ll be sure to report back!
SHEETS - Your Bed’s Underwear!
A universal Feng Shui tip that everyone can apply no matter what energetic area of the home your bed and bedroom reside in is to keep your sheets limited to flesh tones. This is a surprisingly broad range of colors including the palest cream or pink to beige, taupe, subtle or burnt orange, brown, dark brown, burgundy etc. These will support rest and romance. The reason for a flesh tone palette is that we feel most SAFE and able to be vulnerable in these tones which lends itself to both intimacy and sleep.
Stark white sheets while crisp and bright can be too clinical like a doctor’s office and represent metal element in Feng Shui. You can be a little more expressive with the duvet or bedspread but keep in mind that very dark tones like navy and black represent water element and will put out the fire so to speak. On the other hand too much fire as in bright red sheets or bedspread, can be too passionate. Too much of this energy disrupts sleep and can even ignite drama and arguments. For these reasons, you want to test out different pallets and find the right balance for rest and romance. Be a little like Goldilocks, I am.
Ask yourself what bedtime story is your bedroom telling? Is there a theme? Let me know what’s happening in your bed! Ciao for now!
A Bedtime Story; Dressing for Bed