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purpose. I use one to hide a utilitarian coat rack in an awkward corner where we hang our out-of-season coats and jackets and store extra bedding.

Colors & Other Symbolism

Using red ribbon to hang a crystal brings us to the symbolism of colors in feng shui. Red, in addition to bringing good luck, symbolizes fertility, love and hope. Pink is for love, joy, happiness, and romance. Chances are, your guy won't be keen on a pink bedroom, so bring in some fresh flowers (which symbolize prosperity, regard for others and regard for one's self) and place them in the marriage and commitment area of the room, which is ahead of you and to the right as you enter the room. Also appropriate anywhere in a couple's bedroom, but especially in the marriage and commitment area, are "items connoting a couple", things like "two paintings of vessels (feminine symbols), two candlesticks (male symbols), and a photograph of a baby, symbolizing birth and renewal." (page 48) Blue, which symbolizes spirituality, depth of understanding, tranquility, composure and mystery is a symbolically appropriate color choice for the walls, bedding or carpet.

Scent can certainly set a mood, and where better than in a bedroom? Chin tells us that "in the East, incense is believed to keep homes and sacred places free of evil spirits" and lavender is "thought to soothe the temperament" (page 206). You may want to tuck sachets of lavender under the pillows or burn a stick of incense or spray a little perfume in the evening before going to bed.

The Five Elements in feng shui are earth, metal, water, wood, and fire. "(This classification) is simply a way of viewing the world, a symbolic framework" and "balancing the elements . . . refers only to the use of some of these elements to modify or contrast with others." (page 208) What sort of bed should you choose? Wood symbolizes birth and new beginnings. Metal represents completeness and fulfillment, coming together and introspection. Take your pick.

Yin & yang

Chin tells us, "Central to feng shui is the concept of yin and yang. Yin is the female principle, rounded, dark, enclosed, nurturing, and soft. It is associated with rest, stillness, and even death. Yang is the male principle, characterized by light, hard surfaces, edges, and corners. It is expansive, aggressive, and associated with movement and life." (page 11) By and large, the bedroom wants to be more yin than yang. Incorporate a round mirror, or something else round and reflective, to symbolize love, completeness, wholeness from an oriental perspective and introspection from western psychological thinking. Extensive use of drapes, particularly sheer and white, can impart a "feeling of softness and retreat from the rest of the apartment, giving a nurturing, almost womblike quality". (page 32) In addition to covering windows, they can be used to camouflage storage space and closets.

I like Chin's description in the foreword to his book: "The essence of feng shui is a harmonious relationship between you, the spaces with which you live, and the environment. This harmony and balance can be achieved by the application of a few fundamental principles, a healthy dose of common sense, and a willingness to listen to . . . yourself." (page ix)

All quotes are from Feng Shui Revealed by R. D. Chin, Clarkson Potter, New York, 1998.

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