LUMINOUS SPACES BLOG
Incorporating the 5 natural elements into a garden space is natural – especially the Earth element. Earth is represented by soil, rocks, and stone; materials of terra cotta and pottery. Earth colors are the colors of of yellow, and the colors of soil from sandy beiges to orangey clays and muddy browns. Other ways […]
You know "wabi-sabi", right? Well, put it this way, the stuff that you created in elementary school could be considered wabi-sabi. "Imperfect, impermanent and incomplete" is what wikipedia says about wabi-sabi. In kindergarten for Mother's Day I made my mom a "paper holder" out of two paper plates with glued on pasta shells that […]
Some people are surprised to hear that Feng Shui is not only practiced in Asia, but the Middle East and Europe are much further along in integrating Feng Shui into their architectural design practices than we are! And since Feng Shui is all about creating spaces that make people feel good, the industry that […]
The literal translation of Feng Shui is "wind and water". These two elements of nature had a tremendous impact on the survival of ancient people. Even now, as we act as if we've conquered the natural world, we've observed the horrors of floods, tornadoes, hurricanes and tsunamis. These natural forces prove to have the […]
Architect and colleague of mine, Anthony Musso, is currently working on a new green home building project in Roslyn called Flower Hill. It's a "net zero" energy project, meaning that this home will have zero energy consumption and zero carbon emissions. It's a beautiful, self-sufficient home. Based in Cold Spring Harbor, Tony and his […]
Watching the royal wedding this morning…not that I'm a British-wannabe, but there is something special and magical about a royal wedding. It's history and I, for one, did not want to miss it. I am watching the events unfold at Buckingham Palace as I write this. Curious about what the feng shui is like at […]
Green walls are sometimes more than walls made from recycled content or a more sustainable material. The kind of "green" that I mean here is a wall covered with greenery, aka plant life. Green roofs have been around for a few decades, but green walls are a newer invention. Systems for green walls incorporate […]
I love incorporating the 5 natural elements into a garden setting. Metal is especially fun as it is a great hard scape material and is represented by round and oval shapes. Also, the colors of white, silver and gold are metal. Metal represents refinement and boldness. A little goes a long way. What Not […]
I have real affection for the trees in my life. The trees that line my property, the trees of my everyday life and my childhood. Why? It goes beyond the utilitarian and aesthetic reasons. Trees have soul, don't they? You can FEEL it. Trees make you feel good. When I was a little girl, […]
I often get this question: "I work in an office that has no windows. How do I make it more livable?" Working in a space without natural light is poor feng shui. It can be depressing and lead to lower productivity and well-being. My first response is this: Lighting. Traditional office lighting is fluorescent […]
Learn about the Five Elements with Maureen's book
Creating Luminous Spaces, available on Amazon!
