The goal of feng-shui is to harmonize the flow of life energy. Based on principles of astrology, early Chinese cultures tried to find correlations between humans and the universe. The art of feng shui are based on the principle theories of Qi (Ch'i) and polarity.

The ancient Chinese art of Feng Shui involves the placement of items in a location so that ch'i (energy) can properly flow through the space, bringing balance and harmony to its' inhabitants. While the true practice of Feng Shui can be very complicated and time-consuming, there are five easy cures to improve the flow of ch'i in the home for the beginner, which I will outline below.

Feng Shui is a popular Chinese practice where the positive and negative energies are analyzed through the positioning of objects. There is a particular place for everything in order to attract the good energy and to bring fortune, luck, good health, love and protection, among many others. Clutter is a big no-no as Feng Shui emphasizes that it blocks the flow of energy or chi in the room. Balance is also prioritized to have the yin and yang.

If you have seen a Feng Shui consultation, you would notice how the arrangements of things are emphasized. There should be no twists and turns in the movement, but rather have a continuous flow of motion. Therefore, if you have to make your way around an armchair and always bump your knee in the table to get to the couch, then Feng Shui might be telling you to rearrange your furniture. The flow is important for the energy to create positivity, usually denoting a healthy 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 misconcetion 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 too greatly influences the Feng Shui of a room. Colors are believed to dictate the mood. Thus, the colors of the area rugs also contribute to the positive or negative mood. An over supply of soft colors can be too relaxing while a monopoly of bold colors can give tension to the room.

For creating a positive energy, the right texture of an area rug can somehow influence the chi. A hard floor can be balanced out by a soft, thick rug. It will also make the room more inviting.

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.