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Empower Your Home in the Year of the Dragon
Explore the ways in which you can encourage power and prosperity in the year of the Wood Dragon. Feng Shui your home as we celebrate the Lunar New Year in 2024.
Erin Peacock
Wednesday 3 January, 2024
As the world celebrates Lunar New Year and welcomes in the Year of the Dragon – wood dragon, to be exact – we take a look at how your contemporary art collection can benefit from the ancient tradition of Feng Shui.
To some, Feng Shui might simply offer a set of interior decorating guidelines, but to others, it’s a profound spiritual tool. Either way, you’ll love the potential effects of Feng Shui if incorporated correctly, and 2024 is predicted to be a year of power. Being the fifth (and only mythical) sign of the 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac, flying into the Year of the Dragon as the tender White Rabbit of 2023 takes its leave will bring passion, courage and confidence.
But, how can we give ourselves a boost toward such promising fortunes? Within Feng Shui, certain factors are considered lucky and lend themselves to different colours and materials that encourage a healthy flow of energy in your home. By combining curation with direction, colour or arrangement, the placement of both furniture and art holds the power to strengthen or weaken the five elements of Feng Shui – wood, fire, earth, metal and water.
So, here’s some suggestions for how you can make decisions that will empower your home in the Year of the Dragon.
The power of colour
This year favours gold, silver and emerald green. Clearly, we’re all about opulence, with a shift towards metallic hues and verdant, lush greens that will add a restorative element to your home. Those who are lucky enough to have the Dragon as their Zodiac animal are likely gifted with tenacity, confidence and enthusiasm. They’re seldom afraid to take risks or face challenges head-on. It definitely sounds like time to channel Dragon energy into your home. Taking risks with colour is a great way to let your personality shine.
First, consider moving any existing artworks into your central spaces that feature the lucky colours of the Dragon. Emerald green is a powerful yet calming tone that, when made the focal point, evokes freedom and peace. Take inspiration from @glassette, who demonstrate that this colour can pack a punch.
With this in mind, make sure to look out for emerald artworks at your next fair. Whether it takes up the whole canvas, or features as an accent, including this colour will set you up for an empowering 2024.
Collectors who love the statement-factor should be on the look out for artworks that utilise gold. Symbolising power and courage, embracing this timeless material or tone shows you’re serious about making 2024 a year to reckon with.
Gold appears everywhere in contemporary art. You could go literal, like with Emma Gibbon’s impactful ‘Gold Dust Woman’ painting, which emanates both power and pause. Or, opt for a delicate nod to gold, such as in Sander de Klerk’s ‘Amazonia’ (main image).
The Feng Shui-conscious should also consider off-white as their key tone for an empowered Year of the Dragon. As another lucky colour for 2024 (and timeless interior wall colour), you shouldn’t find it too difficult to discover artists who love to incorporate off-white, especially with a grey tinge, into their work. This lends itself perfectly to a minimalist interior, featuring artworks with simplistic shapes or line work. A piece like Clare Packer’s ‘Antique Sillhouette II (Black & Grey)’ might be ideal, with its cool, neutral paper background and soft, wavy shapes for Feng Shui flow. Or Mirrin de Greeff’s tactile, ‘Flow’, with a subdued colour palette, yet impactful size.
Remove clutter
2024 is all about decluttering your space and, when it comes to Feng Shui, furniture has the most impact. Clutter can block energy and is inherently detrimental to the flow of Qi (translated at ‘vital force’ or simply ‘energy’).
If you imagine a river meandering through your home or office, you want to arrange your furniture in such a way that allows a smooth flow to all areas. Clutter that blocks this path will stop the Qi moving freely through and letting it flow into the right directions of your life.
If you’re tight for space and an element of clutter or overcrowding is inevitable, you can still make small changes to increase the flow of Qi. Try moving your sofa several inches away from the wall, or finding a runner rug to help guide the Qi.
Don’t underestimate how artwork placement can have an effect. Feng Shui Interior Designer, Julie Khuu (@julie_khuu) sees hanging with intention as essential. A structured diptych, triptych or quadriptych has a more structured feel fitting the uncluttered nature of the 2024 energy we all need.
Mood lighting
Invest in diversified lighting that reaches every dark corner, with a good balance of Yin and Yang — neither too bright nor too dark or overly warm or cold. Coloured candles and curtains gives you a variety of options, as ample sunlight can be let in during the day, softened in the afternoon, and made ambient in the evening.
Energy from the earth
Despite the Wood Dragon taking centre-stage this year, wood materials are actually predicted to be less lucky than those derived or inspired by the earth. You’re likely to feel a pull towards earthenware ceramics or other clay works, as well as earth toned pieces.
That’s a wrap on our look into the vast possibilities of a Feng Shui home in 2024. By taking risks and facing interior challenges head on, your home can become a hot spot for strength and empowerment.
Good luck, and happy art hunting at your next Affordable Art Fair.
Main image: Sander de Klerk, ‘Amazonia’, 2022, acrylic and silkpaper collage, 102 x 138cm, Gallery Sunday Art