Hi there,

Are you antsy to get into action? I relate! In part two of restart smart, I give feng shui design tips based on two more clients who are optimistically and enthusiastically planning their fabulous future.

In my last newsletter I gave tips based on a client buying a new home and another renovating a spare space into a home office. Let’s look at two more clients now:

A rendering we did for a Hamptons gut renovation, showing the view from front door into living room. This view does not include any design flourishes, as we are simply in the architectural phase of the process. 

Project 3:
The Full House Renovation

A Hamptons couple approached me to help them with a new layout and design for a gut renovation of their water view home. By creating renderings of their ideas, they have been able to clearly understand what they want (see above). We’re now preparing floor plans and construction drawings, so that everything will be in place to start construction as soon as they are allowed.

A few tips for planning a gut renovation:

  • Make sure you can see it before you build it. If you are working with an architect or a designer, insist on renderings before you begin construction. If you are doing the renovation yourself, snap photos of the existing views, then doctor them using image editing software. One way or another, try to mock up the important sight lines in your space, since the conversion of a 2 dimensional floor plan into 3 dimensional reality often holds some big surprises. For instance, in the project I described above, the first version of these renderings revealed some undesirable ceiling lines which we removed before arriving at the view you see.
  • Think inside the empty box. Make a floorplan of your home without any interior walls. Just create the outline of the house (or apartment). With this blank slate, draw circles representing spaces that you like the most. They might be a spot by a window with a great view, or a cozy interior corner where you like to hang out. In its current form, your home may not be maximizing these areas, or they might be impossible to fully use because they contain a wall, cabinetry, etc. These are areas you could rework to make into a key feature in your home.
  • Create magical moments. Having special places in your home that you particularly love can have a powerful impact on your day to day experience. Renovations are a golden opportunity to carve out special spots that produce magical moments in your life.
  • Get good vibes from the start. I start every design plan with a feng shui reading of the house. This “energy blueprint” of the space will tell you where the stronger (and weaker) energies lie in the home. Knowing this creates much more ease when planning a design. This way, you can maximize the best energies for key areas (such as the kitchen, living room, bedrooms) and use the energies that are not as strong for hallways, storage spaces and rarely-used rooms.

Now onto our next tasty design…

Project 4:
The New Restaurant (or Retail Store)

A restauranteur from the Midwest asked me to do an online feng shui analysis of a potential new restaurant space before she committed to a lease. Smart move!

My Online Feng Shui Real Estate Assessment is an invaluable first step most of my clients take before signing a lease or making a property purchase of any kind. It shows you how strong the space is for success (and for house hunters, how beneficial the home will be for health, wealth and relationships).

This restaurant had good energy and she signed the lease. Now we’re working on an online design based on feng shui to ensure she is maximizing the best areas, so that her new business venture can thrive.

A few tips for setting up a successful retail space or restaurant:

  • Have a straight, unobstructed front door. Avoid doors on an angle, or those facing an obstacle, such as a column. Also, make sure the door is not too heavy. All of these things make it difficult for money to freely flow into your business.
  • Get the energy right. The precise energy of the front door area is also very important, as it is activated each time a customer comes and goes. Get a feng shui reading to make sure the chi of the entrance is good for money and business.
  • A welcoming storefront is key. There should be a feeling of openness, with large windows, an easy to locate door, good signage and nice lighting.
  • Restaurant seating that makes guests feel secure. As much as possible, avoid arranging tables so people sit with their backs to the broader space. Tables placed against a wall are more comfortable than tables floating out in an open area.
  • Cash and Cooking. In restaurant feng shui, the location of the cash register and the stove have a powerful impact on success. Use feng shui to determine the strongest location of these items, and plan the space around these locations.

What new project are you cooking up? If you want to talk about it, just drop me a note.

Dream big, stay safe, and take care.

Warmly,
Reiko

ps: my feng shui design services are available online (no mask required ;-)