Well we've made it through the first month of 2012 and entered the year of the Dragon!
I'm sure many of you set New Year's resolutions to kick off 2012 the right way and I hope you're achieving the goals you've set for yourself. I'm not big on New Year's resolutions but one thing I have done for the last couple of years is look at incorporating Feng Shui into my work space and home. Like most of you I spend a lot of time in the office so my space needs to be one that inspires me. I have always been interested in Eastern philosophy so a few years ago I met with Richard Ashworth to look at how I could incorporate the philosophy of Feng Shui into my office space.
I've learned so much from Richard about how to make my space the best it can be. Energy is central to the philosophy of Feng Shui and I was surprised to learn that energy changes year to year so you need to move furniture (and sometimes people) to get the most positive environment to create in.
I know there may be skeptics out there but for me, having his advice has made a real difference for me and my business! At the start of every year I have Richard look at the studio and my office to see what needs to be changed to make the most of the next 12 months.
It turns out that according to Richard, 2012 is a year of sudden change at Kelly Hoppen Interiors. I can certainly vouch for that already. Just take a look at my new collection from Graham & Brown which now features reds, mauves and other colours that are anything but neutral. I'm still the Queen of Taupe but in my collections I've been really been inspired by colour this season.
To keep this spark of creativity flowing Richard suggested I move my desk so that I'm facing south (a great way to get the most of the natural sunlight!) and add a bit more greenery to my space by putting plants on my window sill. Also, in a nod to the year of the Dragon I painted one wall in my new red paint while keeping other walls in the space white.
It might just be a coincidence but the name of this glorious new paint colour is actually "Red Dragon"! It's what I call a calm red and it's meant to subdue your mood and make you feel war rather than a fiery angry red which gets your pulse racing. When I create colours for my collection I'm thinking about moods and feelings, not just the pantone!
When I walked in to my office in the morning I'm overwhelmed at how amazing the room feels. Everything has changed with a simple splash of colour. I may be the Queen of Taupe but this red has made me feel incredibly happy and full of new energy to make 2012 the best year yet.