A House Beautiful Best Design Book to Buy Now

In an increasingly cramped world, a modern guide to opening up your living space-and your life-using the ancient principles of feng shui.

The practice of feng shui, centuries old and rooted in ancient principles of harmony between people and their environments, has perhaps never been more necessary than in the modern world. As we pack our homes-and now our workspaces, too-into mere square footage, our living spaces have a newfound and outsized impact on our wellbeing.

In Feng Shui Modern, interior design expert Cliff Tan shows us that this can be a good thing. Using the traditional principles of chi, or energy, to take inventory of our areas and tastes, Tan uses expert tips and unique illustrations to show us how our own styles, color palettes, and pieces can maximize any environment, from dorm room to five-bedroom home. Drawing upon traditional principles of energy, Tan adapts a specified approach to developing your own intuitive sense of space: for balance, the five elements of fire, earth, metal, water, and wood; for season, the cardinal directions of north, south, east, and west; for spatial orientation, the five animals, tortoise, tiger, bird, dragon, and snake. Then, taking inventory of light patterns, walking paths, walls, windows, and doors, Tan shows us how to carefully and comfortably balance the areas we have with the energy we need.

From choosing a home to redecorating old rooms, Feng Shui Modern helps us find harmony in the every facet of our lives-beginning with where we live them.