The founder of Eastern Design and Home Staging, Ivy Ellerby is an Accredited Staging Professional and Advanced Feng Shui Design Professional. She is one of QC Design School’s leading tutors, specializing in Feng Shui, Home Staging, and Interior Decorating. As a renowned industry expert, Ivy uses her knowledge to help consumers increase profits on home sales and implement new design ideas into their living spaces.
Now that we’ve made it through the now-infamous 2020 – where anything that could happen, did – we’re all hoping for brighter days! We welcome 2021 with open arms, in hopes of better days ahead.
The Chinese New Year
In Western cultures, the Solar New Year (January 1st, 2021) is a time for many people to set intentions as to what they want to accomplish in the 12 months to follow. However, in Eastern cultures, there are Lunar New Year celebrations. These take place place to signify the beginning of a calendar year whose months are determined by the cycles of the moon.
The Chinese New Year (or Spring Festival) is China’s most important festival, beginning somewhere between mid-January and late February. This year, it falls on February 12th, 2021, and marks the year of the Yin Metal Ox!
The Lunar New Year occurs in a 12-year cycle. Each year corresponds to a different animal as a symbol. The animals are:
- Rat
- Ox
- Tiger
- Rabbit
- Dragon
- Snake
- Horse
- Sheep
- Monkey
- Rooster
- Dog
- Pig
Celebrations last up to 16 days, but only the first 7 days are considered a public holiday (February 11th–17th, 2021). According to the year in which you were born, one of those 12 animals corresponds to your Chinese Zodiac.
The Five Elements of Feng Shui
In Feng Shui, there are five elements that are represented by specific colors:
- Water = Blue and black
- Wood = Green and brown
- Fire = Red, orange, yellow, and purple
- Earth = Brown and yellow
- Metal = Gray and white
Feng Shui’s Lucky Colors of 2021
In Feng Shui, there’s a belief that certain colors emit frequencies. These frequencies can be more auspicious or lucky for an individual, based on the animal energy present (which, as we recall, changes from year to year). The combination of this annual energy with your individual animal energy creates the perfect colors that will energize and balance you throughout the entire year.
So, which colors are considered to be the luckiest for the year 2021?
Gray, white, and silver! This is due to the Yin energy present with the Ox. These colors represent the Metal Element present in the year’s energy.
There is a lot of science that goes into the alchemical components of the Chinese Zodiac. Not only are the 5 Elements taken into account; the Yin/Yang balance and the influence of your own Chinese Zodiac Animal are also factored into these complicated calculations.
How to Determine YOUR Lucky Colors for 2021
To make it simple for us, take a look at the chart below to determine your specific lucky colors for 2021:
- Rat = White, yellow, and green
- Ox = White and silver
- Tiger = Gray and purple
- Rabbit = Yellow, blue, and orange
- Dragon = Gray and silver
- Snake = Pink and yellow
- Horse = Pink and beige
- Sheep = Gray, blue, and black
- Monkey = Yellow and pink
- Rooster = White, silver, and purple
- Dog = Red, yellow, and white
- Pig = Yellow and purple
So, how can we incorporate these colors into our homes? Don’t worry, you don’t have to change your home to an Asian-inspired design style (unless you want to, of course). You can easily get the benefits of Feng Shui balance by incorporating these energy-balancing colors and elements in your home or office, in order to reflect your individual style.
9 Budget-Friendly Ways to Add Color to Your Space in 2021
1. Natural Gemstones
My favorite way of adding color to homes and offices is by incorporating nature. Adding natural gemstones – such as Rose Quartz or Amethyst -is a wonderful way to brighten up a space, while also including the natural healing properties present from the gemstones. Petrified wood and sea shells are other effective ways to bring the outside in!
2. Fruit and Veggie Arrangements
Adding a variety of seasonal vegetables in decorative glass bowls or baskets is a great way to store your food. Plus, it’ll also encourage you to eat healthier! It’s a win-win!
3. Candles
A variety of candles in different shapes, heights, and scents is a sure way to incorporate your lucky colors for the New Year! Remember: there are so many battery-operated candles available nowadays, so you can even use these at work!
4. Writing Pens
Buying pens in the color ink, or just the pen itself, is a way to both see and hold the colors you wish to incorporate into your daily work routine. As you see the color of the pen, it can help to remind you of the intentions or New Year’s Resolutions you’re striving for in 2021!
5. Throw Blankets and Pillows
Buying a throw blanket or pillows is a quick way to update your den or living room. With so many options available, it’ll take you no time at all to add some cozy decor to your space that also reflects your lucky colors of 2021.
6. Paint Old Picture Frames
Updating those tired, old picture frames is a fun way to add color to your environment. Chances are, your local craft store carries sets of acrylic paints that you can have hours of fun with! If not, there are a million options at your disposal that you can purchase online and have shipped directly to your door.
Get creative with your designs by adding features that show off your personality, such as stripes or polka dots. Metallic spray paint is fun, too!
7. Kitchen Towels and/or Mitts
Grab a new set of kitchen towels or oven mitts in your lucky colors, and display them craftily in your kitchen!
8. Bouquet of Flowers
Most grocery stores carry inexpensive bouquets wrapped in paper or plastic. You don’t have to spend a lot of money on flowers for their beauty to improve our moods – especially during the short winter days.
Pick out colors that enhance your luck, and don’t forget to change the water each day so that your flowers last longer!
Did you know that QC Design School’s brand-new Floral Design Course can make you a master of unique, eye-catching floral arrangements in as little as 3-6 months? Click here to learn more!
9. Change Lamp Shades
Changing the color of your lampshades is an easy way to add a new dose of color to any space! Get creative by adding ribbons to the edges. This will allow you to incorporate multiple colors at once! Shades are also easy to swap out when the next year rolls around and it’s time for a new hue.
Feng Shui Training
Feng Shui is all about balance. This is why Feng Shui design can be applied to any building, with any design style. The reason why we learn about the colors and elements that’ll influence our upcoming year is so we can figure out the right ways to seek harmony and balance – both for ourselves and for our clients.
Figuring all of this out by yourself can be challenging. This is where a proper education is your single greatest friend! Getting trained by a real industry expert is the easiest way to truly understand Feng Shui, harness it, and apply it towards your personal and professional life.
