After discovering the mysterious ways of the Far East, the Western world has been enraptured with many of its ideas and practices. Eastern culture seems to offer serenity, simplicity and a positive energy flow that are frequently lacking in the hectic Western lifestyle. The Eastern aesthetic is complex as it exercises simplicity in its decor, yet displays the exuberance of the Chinese dragon. While the Eastern aesthetic is frequently viewed by Westerners as a single tradition, it is primarily made up of the Chinese and Japanese cultures. While the designs of the two cultures have many similarities, they also have many differences.

For example, the ancient Chinese art of Feng Shui is completely concerned with the energy flowing all around you. It seeks to attract positive energy, or Chi, and keep it moving around you. The energy can be directed towards different areas of your life including prosperity, health and family. Mirrors can be used in Feng Shui to direct the flow of energy, and a mirror’s position in your house determines the energy that it attracts. So, in Feng Shui, mirrors not only direct light, but they help to keep the positive energy flowing in your home as well.

Not only does the Chinese culture seek to affect the flow of energy around you, but it also uses talismans to pull in positive energy and divert negative energy. Symbols like the laughing Budda or the Chinese dragon are magnets for positive energy. Frogs symbolize prosperity, and the crystal globe traps the energy of the sun bringing with it health and vitality.

The principles of Chinese interior design work to direct the flow of energy through objects while Japanese interior design principles focus on spatial dimensions and how they effect function. In Japanese design, everything is versatile including the rooms and the furniture. For example, a futon may be a place to sit, or it may be a place to sleep. A Shoji screen may be a partition to divide a room, or it may add a wall of light to a dark corner. Simple in its purpose, the Shoji screen is interesting in its design. Sliding into place when needed and out of the way when not being used, the Shoji screen is constructed of rice paper against dark wood. The decorative aspect of the screen as the rectangular shapes are repeated within the frame brings function and form together in a single application that is simple in purpose and design.

The one thing that all Asian decor has in common it a keen eye for detail. Whether it is a ceramic stool, a statue or silk fabric, the Asian influence brings dynamic energy and vibrant color to its design. When you fold in the Eastern ‘less is more’ design ethic into a Western interior design, you find the perfect complement of decor versus open space. Serving to de-clutter Western decor, the Asian aesthetic is a welcome addition to any room as it adds order, harmony and understated simplicity.

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