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The cottage garden is a very popular style of garden that uses an informal design, traditional materials, dense plantings, and a mixture of ornamental and edible plants. The cottage garden is rich and lush with native flowers, and filled with charm and country ambiance. These gardens are in direct contrast to the very structured and rigorously maintained English estate gardens that used formal designs. The cottage garden originated in [...]

10 Top Tips for You BE AWARE – HONOR YOURSELF THROUGH YOUR SPACE 1. Support – the Mountain behind Sit with a solid wall behind you for support and strength. Avoid sitting with your back to a window, as you will lack support. 2. More support! The Office Chair Your chair should be a sturdy, high backed chair- an executive style. 3. Position: Commanding Corner Where you are located in the building, your [...]

Geodesic Dome These attractive and low maintenance homes are gaining popularity around the world. From 1970, Monolithic Domes can be found in every American state and in Canada, Mexico, South America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia. Weather Resistant and highly cost and energy efficient, a geodesic dome might be the right home for you. Monolithic technology is an extremely versatile green building technology – A Monolithic Dome uses about 50% [...]

Urban Garden Tips Making Small Spaces Count! Urban dwellers can satisfy their green thumb with some creative tips that we have gathered to share with our readers.A small space can still offer a place to grow food or just to enjoy the natural beauty of plants and flowers. Creative options include rooftop gardens, container gardening, and hydroponics. Many communities are coming together to create community havens, gardens supplying both [...]

Our three sources of oxygen, food, water and air are polluted and bound with toxins. As these sources become deoxygenated, they become breeding grounds for anaerobic bacteria. All forms of pollution starve our bodies of oxygen. Environmental illness, though currently a rare disorder is thought to be a forerunner of what many will experience in thirty to forty years. Most people that suffer from the disorder were at one [...]

Sustainable building construction and environmentally considerate living are at the forefront of the changes we are being encouraged to embrace into our lifestyle, and increasingly inspired by climate change precautions. Well, there is nothing new in that. It is as ancient as traditional Feng Shui, a name first found in existing texts that date back some 2000 years. However archeological evidence of its practice can be traced further back [...]

In Feng Shui, the master bedroom is the room that has the strongest influence on our "chi" - or life force. The master bedroom can set the stage for good health, positive relationships, and prosperity in all areas of our lives. The bedroom is the place where we can finally let our guard down - we can close our eyes and let go. The bedroom needs to honor the individual [...]

Getting ready for a romantic Valentine dinner? Did you ever think to apply the ancient wisdom of Feng Shui? This 6000-year-old Chinese art of arranging one’s environment to improve our life’s experience has wonderful secrets to reveal. Harmonizing person to place, through the correct place of all things, can transform the feel of an environment from the mundane to the magical. As we approach the love, filled possibilities of [...]

Life is about change. Whatever age you are now, next year at this time you will be one year older. By the same token, last year at this time you were one year younger.  In ten years’ time you will be a whole decade older. How do you feel about that? Are you prepared for the process of aging? The I Ching can help you come to terms with constant change [...]

Although many people “wait” for the spring real estate market, winter can be a wonderful time to list your home. There is less inventory and competition in the marketplace, and with a few inspirational winter staging tips, your home will be winter wonderful. Easy Entry Shovel and de-ice the driveway, and all the walkways and steps. Make it both easy and safe for potential buyers to access your home. Curb [...]

My husband is Danish, and so I was delighted to delve into the “Danish” conscious living strategy that is simple, easy to obtain, and life enhancing on many levels. Hygge (hue-guh or hoo-ga) is the art of Intimacy, where setting a template for conscious coziness creates a feeling of well-being and satisfaction in our lives. The Danish lifestyle of Hygge utilizes a balanced arrangement of natural elements, textures, visual embrace, [...]

A Post occupancy overview on Color, and its Intentional use in a Commercial Design project Mary Dennis, EDAC Evidenced Based Designs Accreditation and Certification Dean of Design, The Conscious Design Institute Intentional Feng Shui Design Consultant and Educator President Emeritus, International Feng Shui Guild www.consciouslife.style Color is the first and most important means of creating a relaxed and harmonious atmosphere in our interiors. It can completely change the appearance and [...]

The ancient building techniques called “ Rammed Earth” is one of the oldest construction methods known to man. Evidence traces it as far back on the human timeline as 8000 BC. The rammed earth materials create a strong and environmentally friendly building. Across the world this unbaked earth system has created homes, palaces, and fortresses. “Commonly used especially in China, the technique was applied to both ancient monuments and vernacular architecture, with the Great [...]

Hope is the optimist who looks ahead with glee As she thinks of all the things she would like to be. Then hope imagines better times ahead, Ignoring the failures, it plans victories instead. Then it takes up residence with those who are ill And gives them strength to get better, charging their will. Then it springs to action with a purpose and a zest Believing life is for [...]

Google Offers Scientific Proof that Design Is Important with "A Space for Being" A neuroaesthetic design installation was on view in Spazio Maiocchi in Milan, as part of the city's annual design week. "Once you can really understand what thoughtful design and architecture does to you, you can see that it's not just a status symbol of who you are in the world," Reddy told Dezeen. "You can change [...]

Gratitude is akin to respect because it too makes a person appreciate what they are and who they are. Gratitude reaches out to the universe or to God or to destiny — because gratitude is usually directed at someone or something, whether defined and identified or not. Who, or what are we grateful to? The answer to this question might differ from person to person. Who, for example, are [...]

“The original Sanskrit word mandala literally means “vital essence environment.” Its underlying idea is that our vital essence – call it mind, heart, soul, life energy – is really a field, infinitely interrelating with countless other fields of life in space and time.” – Tenzin Robert Thurman There are several definitions that I have found for the word ‘Mandala’: Sacred essence cultivation sphere. Sacred essence here means nirvana, joy [...]

“How beautiful leaves grow old, How full of light and color are their last days.” – John Burroughs I have so many wonderful memories of fall while growing up and then while raising our family. I always loved the return of cooler temperatures, the chance to wear a sweater again, the bright cheerful fall leaves, the crunch of walking through fallen leaves. One of the best things is, of [...]

"Old age is like everything else," said Fred Astaire. "To make a success of it, you've got to start young." The same principle applies to home design: Plan for all stages of life when remodeling or building, even if you are in perfect health now. You never know what life may throw your way, be it be a minor mishap (breaking your leg) or something more serious (being confined to [...]

As a real estate agent, it is always a strong sign when your sellers declare that they are going to bury a statue of St Joseph. It is a declaration of strong intent, and a tradition that has been strong for hundreds of years. As a popular and successful ceremony, it has transcended the Catholic and spiritual parameters and is used by people of all customs and traditions. This [...]

Graceful Lifestyles™ Goes Green for Corporate America Going Green is all the rage these days, but for Graceful Lifestyles Designers, it is a seamless marriage between two design perspectives. Keeping in line with the Tao, bringing balance to the indoors and listening to the wisdom of the earth is our fundamental philosophy. Corporate America has shifted its awareness towards the environment and recognizes the importance of well-being and sustainability. [...]

In the South, there is a long standing tradition of painting porch ceilings blue. It is an old belief that a particular shade of blue called “haint blue” will repel evil spirits. Haint blue as also used on window shutters and frames. Haint Blue is also know to be a very effective bug repellant. It is said that this blue color extends the visual “sky” and will keep away wasps, bees and [...]

An ego-driven life is primarily personally based. Ego-based consciousness is rooted in lower vibration, self-serving energies. In contrast, geo-based consciousness reflects a planetary perspective and speaks of having a larger than personally-based view. “Geo” is the prefix for words such as geography, geodetic, and geomancy. These are planetary-centered concepts. When we shift our consciousness from being personally based into a larger planetary view, we begin to truly appreciate that our [...]

For years I recommended a soft, ivory or beige coloring for the interior, “neutral feel”, of my client’s homes. I specifically chose an earth coloring for the natural, elemental qualities it offered. Qualities, of safety, grounding, and integrity where high on my radar during the 80’s & 90’s. Our American culture was changing and influencing our lifestyles. Woman began to explore the possibilities of being more than a housekeeper, [...]

Green Weddings are making a difference! Eco-Conscious weddings are a beautiful way to begin a new life journey. Adding Feng Shui to the plans can make your event event more auspicious! Preserving the planet, supporting local artisans and businesses, decreasing energy waste, and  honoring each other is truly a celebration. Many celebrities are taking the green step to the altar. Celebrity Green Weddings include Natalie Portman and Benjamin Millepied, Anne Hathaway and Adam Shulman, Alicia [...]

A great way to rethink our gardens and landscapes is to put on our "feng shui" eyes and use symbolic connection as a planting strategy. The art of feng shui reminds us that man is not only connected to nature, but is a part of nature. We have benefited from plants for thousands of years as a food, medicine, and to make our personal world one filled with beauty, color [...]

An Introduction to the WELL Building Standard We have long known that interior design and architecture shapes human behavior. It's become very evident in more recent years that it also shapes our health in real, physiological ways. We spend over 90% of our lives inside buildings, and building design has had a detrimental affect on our health. The WELL Building Standard strives to change this. We at Zen Spaces [...]

Mostly when we think of hope, we think of the future, as in, “I hope you get better soon,” “I hope they give me the job/promotion,” “I hope he asks me out.” But it can also refer to the past, as in, “I hope it turns out that it was not my son who broke the classroom window.” So hope can apply to anything where we don’t have certainty [...]

Ready for transformation? All that you need is right there before you. Remember on SNL the skit where the “suave playboy” character would say something like “It is better to look good than to feel good”? Well as silly as it may sound, you can transform your inner essence by purposefully creating and aligning with your outer essence. What you wear affects how you show up in the world. [...]

A Key Strategy to Successful & Lasting Relationships In my capacity as a relationship counselor, I am often asked questions by couples such as, “What will help us stay together?” and “What are the secrets of a successful marriage?” In my book Partners in Passion: Positively Transform All Your Relationships With The Power of High Vibration Energy, I explore the energetic dynamics that underpin any relationship, including [...]

Spring into March by De-cluttering and making room for the new! Did you ever walk into a space that just didn’t feel right? Was it the color of the walls? Was the furniture placed in a tight, cramped arrangement? Were the ceilings too high? Was the space cluttered, or did the room have an odor? All animate and inanimate objects affect our senses, because everything contains energy. [...]

10 Ways to Bring the Benefits of Nature Indoors The Biophilic Buzz I’m sure many of you have been hearing the increasingly popular healthy design buzzword: biophilia. But what does this strange word mean? Biophilic design is so much more than a trend among the health-conscious or crunchy nature-lovers. Both laboratory and field studies have shown that all three mind-body systems – cognitive, psychological and physiological – [...]

Looking for romance in your life? Whether you are looking to attract a new love into your life or spark the flame and freshen up a current relationship, the first place to look is your home. Too much “stuff” will stifle a relationship or block incoming opportunities. Neglected areas in your space reflect a part of your life that is neglected. What is happening in the places where [...]

Just as energies can get stuck in a room and need to be cleared, recharged, and made fresh, so energies can get stuck between people. The key to keeping fresh energy flowing in any relationship is the quality of energy exchange between the partners and their level of communication. All relationships begin in the worlds of energy. When two people come into a relationship, they bring their individual lives [...]

The year 2020 has changed the way we have all experienced our homes. Quarantines and restrictions have secured us in our homes in an unprecedented way. We have two very different parallels and scenarios. Some people are alone and isolated, and their homes have become yin - stagnant and still. Other people are experiencing the opposite – a yang home overflowing with family where the energy never stops and [...]

Are files and papers piling up all around you? Oh Vey, Feng Shui! The roadblocks in our business that we can clearly see are not necessarily what is holding us back. For some of us, we are affected more by what we can’t see. It’s about what we feel. All appears clear and in order on the outside, but on the inside, we still feel uneasy. That [...]

David Price Francis David Price Francis is a spiritual teacher, master energy counselor, and personal growth expert. He helps individuals, couples, and groups understand and improve the quality of energy in their lives and relationships, enabling them to achieve greater happiness and success, both personally and professionally. He also provides business coaching on how to improve the energetic ecology within the workplace, the energies of effective leadership, [...]

Geodesic Dome Weather Resistant and highly cost and energy efficient, a geodesic dome might be the right home for you. These attractive and low maintenance homes are gaining popularity around the world. From 1970, Monolithic Domes can be found in every American state and in Canada, Mexico, South America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia. Monolithic technology is an extremely versatile green building technology - A Monolithic Dome uses about [...]

How the universe saw fit to put beekeeping, feng shui, and a skilled woman on one lucky man's path.   May, 1989, and nine of us find ourselves standing in a lush, almost unbearably beautiful location in Aregua, Paraguay. We freshly arrived in this South American country just a couple days before, green as can be, and excited to be so. We are the beekeeping trainees in this latest [...]