Landscape Conversations

Renee Lindstrom & Guest ‘Dyan Grant Francis’

• Observations Written by Renee Lindstrom,
• Personal Perspectives by Renee Lindstrom &  Dyan Grant Francis individually

*Make sure you read comments under postings as Dyan and Renee have a conversation

Trying to choose between these two sets of pictures wasn’t easy as both homes are so unusual and different?  The similarity they do share is standing out in their neighborhood!

Figure 1

Observations of House In Figure 1

A ranch style home has been re-decorated to transform the original culture of the original style.  This includes a new roof, pillar, wall decals, wood doors on the façade of the house and concrete wall fence. It is placed to the rear of the property with lawn and garden along the front of house.

Figure 2

Observations of House in Figure 2

One side of this homes blends in with the existing rock behind it.  The roof line of the house matches the contours of the rock.  However it was built on the entire usable land left on this lot.  The back of the house butts up against the outcropping of rock and the front door faces the driveway’s to the neighbors.   The front and side is all concrete. A row of trees line the outside of a stone fence that add some nature.  The neighbor’s home is immediately outside the front of this house and appears to be one-quarter of the size.   The drive has taken over some of  this neighbors front yard and and crosses the pathway to their own front door.   The front entrance has a shaped overhang that is the only soft feature of the front façade.  The garage door competes with the front door.  This house overpowers the lot and neighbors homes.  It faces a busy through fare with a busy sky of electrical lines.  There is a disproportionate size between the house and the windows on these two sides of the home.

Elements of Nature

Figure 1

•   Land – Yang

•   House  Shape is Earth Element,  Roof Shape is Fire Element

•   House Colors:  Fire

•   Roof Materials  – Adobe which is an Earth element, color is Fire element

•   Trim:  White – Metal element

•   Fence:  Materials – Metal element, color is fire                                  

Figure 2

•   Land & Large Rock – Yang

•   House Shape  is Earth and Metal  elements

•   Door Overhang – Water Element

•   Taupe Color:  Earth Elements

•   Black Roof:   Metal Element

•   Trim:   White – Metal Element

•   Fence:  Wood and Metal Elements

Read more on the 5 Elements cycles and characteristics

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Renee’s perspective of House in Figure #1

The home in Figure #1 reflects a home whose qualities have transitioned from a balanced earth’s yin and yang  to that of fire’s dominate yang which is overpowering the earth element.  This represents socialization and assertiveness.  These qualities  may be on the higher end of the scale towards aggressiveness. Features in this home compete and could lead to higher than normal competitiveness with occupants, neighbors and community.  The structure of a rancher design is an earth element.  This color this home is painted is on the fire scale of the elements.  The roof material is earth and the color again is the element of fire.  Fire dominates.  In nature fire creates earth therefore this home is very active and a high energy home!  In the high heat of the summer sun together with the dried summer grass surrounding this property this house is on fire. This would be reflective of passion and anger.

Renee’s perspective of House in Figure #2

The yin of the home in Figure #2 balances the yang of the rock outcrop yet overpowers the land, neighbors and community.  The home had potential for balancing the land but it overpowers the land footprint.  It’s too large for the lot.  This therefore leads to the qualities of imbalance and control.   The concrete entrance competes with the roadway and the main house entrance is beside the garage entrance.  There is no defined features that allow the front entrance to stand out which adds confusion.  It has an industrial appearance.  The break in the round roof dome and the front door overhang have a waterfall quality.  Metal comes from earth and creates water, therefore the home’s design in these three elements align.  This extends to the smaller than usual size windows.  Windows reflect water.   The nurturing element of wood could enhance and settle the land, as begun with the row of trees along the perimeter.  If space at the entrance were available to add nature it could shift the energy of the front door to becoe ore nurturing and calm the confusion.  The designer may have been focused upon the rock outcrop to have the house blend in.

Even though this house stands out due of the uncommon design, it is a reflection of needing privacy and rather than outgoing as in Figure 1 this home experience would be inner reflecting.  The roof line of this home reflects the curved path ,albeit broken, and the base (house structure) strength.

Renee Lindstrom

Dyan’s Perspective of House in Figure 1

With it’s low concept, this house shows the flat, square characteristics of the earth element.  The colours of this home are the earth colours:  burnt sienna, yellow ochre, and Indian red that are very reminiscent of a desert palate, the quintessential earth environment.  White outlines the windows and doors in square shapes bringing in the metal element in colour but remaining earth in shape.  While metal drains earth, this white is proportionately in balance with the expanse of earth.  When looking at the Five elements, it is best to realize that we are speaking of the relative nature of objects.

In traditional teachings, the colour of earth is yellow…the yellow of the Yangtze river filled with silt from the surrounding land.  The reds of earth can be confused with the reds of fire but the red of fire is ‘fire engine red’ – a brilliant pure expression of chi while the red of earth is ‘earthy’ and subdued in a sense.  The colours of the desert are the best examples of earth.

When looking for the Five elements, first is shape, second is colour, third is materials and surroundings or landscape.  This first home shows the stability of earth with a calm and settled feeling that is helped by the balance of the fence with its metal(white) and water(black) elements.

Fire is introduced through the chi of the Sun while Wood is minimally introduced in the fence posts/pillars providing a good balance of all the elements.

Dyan’s Perspective in Figure 2

The second home is a less clear example of the 5 elements.  The roof is the first shape we encounter when looking at this house. Its shape is water…like a curling wave.  However its material is grey and perhaps metal.  The shape of the structure is high and rectangular suggesting wood  while the colour is metal.  White, gold, silver and pastels are all metal colours.   Wood and metal relate through the cycle of opposition however a significant water shape will bring them into the nourishing (harmonious) cycle.

With its small windows and the heavy awning oppressing the front door, this home would likely not encourage socialization or meeting new friends.  The large rock face along one side of the home blocks the flow of chi from that direction.  Applying the ba-gua map, this suggests that the careers of the occupants may encounter difficulties although it would be best to check how the home is sited according to the cardinal directions.  Regardless, the large rock face appears to block a significant portion of the chi flowing to this home.

With minimal landscaping surrounding the home, little connection to the enlivening energies of Nature is present.  Perhaps a good home for a Geologist or miner.

Dyan Grant Francis

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Do you have an interesting local #yyj landscape feature you would like us to interpret?

If you have a landscape that you would like us to look at we will choose one to study and share back our comments on our Inside Awareness. Please send us your interesting #yyj photos by Wednesday each week to be included in the next weeks draw!  Look forward to our weekly editorial starting June 15th!   Email pictures to renee@insideawareness.com

Make sure to send photo’s that can be made public and we have permission to post them.

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If you are longing for a personal consultation please inquire privately:
renee@insideawareness.com.  Renee Lindstrom offers:

Indoor & Outdoor Landscape Life & Wellness Consulting & Coaching which enhances relationships, emotions and flexible movement awareness!

More on:

• Language of Nature