How To Feng Shui Your She-Shed

Chi is the universal energy of life and the art of feng shui is all about creating that positive chi energy and then making sure it has a clear pathway to move throughout your space. National Geographic points out that feng shui is not a style unto itself — it's more a way to place objects, incorporate colors, and pay resect to the five elements in order to shift the energy so that your space falls into harmony with what you wish to experience. 

Your she-shed is your sanctuary, a personalized respite from the hectic schedules, the chores, and busyness in general. The principles of feng shui can be applied to your she-shed in much the same way as your home, except the focus should be on you and you alone.

How do you want to feel when you're in there? What styles and colors put you at ease or activate your inner creative? And which aspects of your life do you want to focus on while you're spending time in your personal space? It could be a relaxing yoga or pottery studio. Maybe your she-shed is used as the invigorating headquarters for your dream enterprise. Perhaps you think you want to garden out there but you don't have it figured out just yet. If all you want is to uplift your spirits and relax, that's beautiful; feng shui can help. Let's explore ways to plan your layout, choose the best colors, incorporate the elements, and enhance your environment.

Chi enters your home through the front door, making the entryway the most important aspect of any space from a feng shui perspective, as Julie Khuu shares on her YouTube channel. To that end, the first thing to think about is what kind of energy you want to invite into your she-shed. From there, you'll consult the bagua map. Mind Body Green explains that this tool will show you which areas of your layout correlate to which theme, such as wealth, happiness, health, career, and love. The bagua map can be aligned with your entryway, which would be easy to do for a standard square or rectangle-shaped shed. For structures in a yard with elements of nature close by, it may be better used as a compass. Start by locating the north and south points of your shed and arrange the map so that north represents your career and south represents your reputation. You'll decorate each area with regards to the goals that correspond to each theme.

In addition to the themes, each section will have a corresponding element — such as wood, fire, or water — with specific ways to enhance its energy. The northwest corner, for example, is the section related to people and travel. Its themes are networking and mentorship combined with the element of metal. It's the perfect location for your electronics. Display maps and decorative metal objects there, too.

Color choice is a fun way to strengthen the positive chi energy of feng shui. There are no colors that are considered good or bad to use; everything is available to you. It's just about picking the best location to use the colors that already delight you. Per Mind Body Green, each of the elements has colors to go with it. Not surprisingly, the fire element incorporates the reds and oranges you would see in a flame. Painting a wall in these tones or simply adding a decorative piece to add a pop of blazing heat will initiate the passion and renewal for which the fire element is known. Conversely, per House Beautiful, neutrals, along with greens and blues can have a calming effect.

You should also find the courage to step into new, perhaps slightly nerve-racking, territory. If you're looking to get that strong dose of inspiration and passion you crave, then sticking to the soothing earth tones you've plastered your home's entire interior with may not be the way to go out back in your she-shed. Take a deep breath and really process through the essence of what you're building up to. You can be daring or you can be safe; both are right and neither is wrong. It all depends on the type of energy you're looking to achieve. In either case, just be confident and brave.

Earth, wood, fire, metal, and water make up the five fundamental elements of feng shui. They each have corresponding colors, as well as directions and shapes. By incorporating each of these into your design, you'll be able to focus the energy on your guiding principle and create an even higher level of comfort and harmony within the walls of your she-shed. All five should be included, but it's up to you to decide to which, if any, you would like to give more weight.

Comfy Living offers a detailed look at each element. Earth (yellow) represents strength. This element can be added to your home in the form of landscape-inspired artwork and square tables. The color yellow also represents abundance, so get creative with all the ways you can add a touch here and there. And while we're on the subject of creativity, wood (green) ushers in growth as well as artistry and imagination. Fire (red) opens the doors to bravery and eagerness. Enhance the power of this element with candles, triangles, and stars. Metal (silver) invites focus and clarity of mind. Use metal objects to increase your ability to stay organized. Finally, water (blue) brings emotion in the forms of wisdom and calmness. Love to Know stresses that, from the perspective of traditional practitioners, incorporating all five elements into your space is the ultimate, and perhaps only, way to achieve proper energy flow, thus ensuring balance.

In some cases, the symbols of feng shui seem to have hard and fast rules. According to Red Lotus Letter, for instance, wood, glass, and metal wind chimes all have different meanings and, therefore, should be placed in different specific areas. Whether your chimes have hollow or solid rods also affects location, as does the total number of rods. 

If you're just starting out and this whole art-of-feng-shui-thing is feeling like a little more than you bargained for, there is nothing wrong with keeping it basic. Generally speaking, adding any auspicious symbol of feng shui is going to be better than nothing. Suburban Simplicity includes these objects on their list of feng shui must-haves: water features like a tabletop waterfall, decorative stones, candles, plants, healing crystals, and more. Three stalks of lucky bamboo in a glass jar filled with water will add a particularly luck-inducing energy to your wealth sector.

Once the positive chi energy enters your sanctuary it's important to keep its yin and yang aspects balanced. A dark home will be heavy on the yin energy, notes Love to Know, and natural lighting from windows is an excellent fix. What your she-shed may be lacking in the sunlight department can be made up for with good interior lighting choices. The symbolism of feng shui advises against hanging lamps, but floor and table lamps work well. Lighting options that shoot light up towards the ceiling like torchiere lamps and wall sconces are considered quite auspicious.