2008 Woodie Awards
The art of feng shui can ease tensions, stresses in one's life
Neil Benjamin
Issue date: 10/5/07 Section: FUSE
Originally published: 10/4/07 at 10:05 PM EST
Last update: 10/4/07 at 10:10 PM EST
- Page 1 of 1
Every semester, new students move to Plattsburgh, whether they move into the dorms or to an off-campus location. One of the major decisions they have to make is how they are going to set up where they live.
There are many ways of going about this. One can slap some posters on the wall, buy a desk and his or her room is done. For others, it is much harder.
According to Webster's Dictionary, feng shui means "a system of influences for good and evil believed by the Chinese to attend the natural features of landscape; also, a kind of geomancy dealing with these influences, used in determining sites for objects, houses, graves, etc." Simplified, it is a way to decorate using Chinese influences and practices.
Grace Fizzell, an interior designer for Damour Designs and Interiors, said that when the concept of feng shui was brought to America, it was interpreted differently.
"When it came to the U.S., it filtered down to a design style that has a million different interpretations. I feel it is layout by function, meaning you must work with what you have," she said.
Feng shui feeds off of chi energy, which is a life source that affects people as well as their surroundings. According to Fizzell, if the chi is not right, the design will not come out the way you want.
"It's like a narrow, long room," she said. "There is not much you can do about it, but if the chi is right you can make it into a nice room."
Is there a difference between how you design your dorm room and how you design your apartment when you move off campus?
"Absolutely," said student Sarah Squillante. "My dorm room on campus had John Lennon quotes written on the wall next to Jim Morrison and Bob Marley posters."
When she moved off campus at the beginning of last year, she decided she wanted a nice looking place to live.
Her living room has two couches and a chair set up in a horseshoe shape, which Squillante said helps promotes socialization.
"Plus, it's also easier to move about the room without any clutter," she said.
Senior Mark Bonner took a different approach. While living in Adirondack Hall, he and his roommate decided more was better. They had their beds on opposite sides of the room, a large desk in between them and a makeshift couch made out of furniture borrowed from the common room.
They also had a dresser with a television on top and numerous video game systems.
"I didn't really think too hard about how my room was going to be setup," Bonner said. "It's not much different at my current apartment where I have all my clothes in a pile on the floor, my bed against the wall and a television on a stand - very simple."
Whichever way a person chooses to set up his or her room, the energy from the room is an influencing factor.
There are many ways of going about this. One can slap some posters on the wall, buy a desk and his or her room is done. For others, it is much harder.
According to Webster's Dictionary, feng shui means "a system of influences for good and evil believed by the Chinese to attend the natural features of landscape; also, a kind of geomancy dealing with these influences, used in determining sites for objects, houses, graves, etc." Simplified, it is a way to decorate using Chinese influences and practices.
Grace Fizzell, an interior designer for Damour Designs and Interiors, said that when the concept of feng shui was brought to America, it was interpreted differently.
"When it came to the U.S., it filtered down to a design style that has a million different interpretations. I feel it is layout by function, meaning you must work with what you have," she said.
Feng shui feeds off of chi energy, which is a life source that affects people as well as their surroundings. According to Fizzell, if the chi is not right, the design will not come out the way you want.
"It's like a narrow, long room," she said. "There is not much you can do about it, but if the chi is right you can make it into a nice room."
Is there a difference between how you design your dorm room and how you design your apartment when you move off campus?
"Absolutely," said student Sarah Squillante. "My dorm room on campus had John Lennon quotes written on the wall next to Jim Morrison and Bob Marley posters."
When she moved off campus at the beginning of last year, she decided she wanted a nice looking place to live.
Her living room has two couches and a chair set up in a horseshoe shape, which Squillante said helps promotes socialization.
"Plus, it's also easier to move about the room without any clutter," she said.
Senior Mark Bonner took a different approach. While living in Adirondack Hall, he and his roommate decided more was better. They had their beds on opposite sides of the room, a large desk in between them and a makeshift couch made out of furniture borrowed from the common room.
They also had a dresser with a television on top and numerous video game systems.
"I didn't really think too hard about how my room was going to be setup," Bonner said. "It's not much different at my current apartment where I have all my clothes in a pile on the floor, my bed against the wall and a television on a stand - very simple."
Whichever way a person chooses to set up his or her room, the energy from the room is an influencing factor.
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