Tag Archives: Nature and Home

Missing Corners on Floor Plans according to 5 Element Theory

If a portion of the square or rectangular shape is missing in a floor plan it is considered a missing corner if it is one-third of the width or length of the house design.  Floor Plan - Missing Corner

Missing Corner on Floor Plan

A missing corner implies imbalance that effects the occupants to the home.  Each area determines what occupant or area of life is affected.

Some common design shapes that may create missing corners are U-shapes,  L-shapes, T-shapes, and Z-shapes.

 

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!
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T-shaped Intersections according to 5 Element Theory

A T-shaped intersection facing a house is considered to create rushing energy called “sha chi” towards the house.  Translated this is attacking energy.  Imagine at night-time and the lights of the oncoming cars aimed at the house.  This is a visual of the secret arrows that are constantly aimed at the house!

T - shaped Intersection

T Shaped Intersection aimed at House

Read article on property with missing corners @  LANDSCAPE CONVERSATIONS – Recessed Entrance facing a T-Shape Intersection


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!
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LANDSCAPE CONVERSATIONS – Recessed Entrance facing a T-Shape Intersection

2015-06-21 10.40.36Renee Lindstrom  & Guest Writer ~ Dyan Grant Francis

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

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Observations of Property

A minimalist style house and groomed landscaping.  Main floor of house and garage are the shape of the low flat and square earth element.  Window frame shapes mirror the low flat shape of the house on the main floor.  This continue with the earth element shapes of the frames on the garage door.  The upper floor has a slight upward angle to the roof line that hints at the element of fire. Viewing the reflections in the windows on the upper floor you can imagine why windows reflect the water element!

The wood siding of the house reflects the wood element, yet the wood is laid sideways versus up and down,  mirroring the house and window frame shape. The doorway is recessed and accented with grey square stone bricks reflecting the element of metal .  The door itself is wood and accented with  bars that could be long rectangular windows with black trim.  The trim of the house is painted gun-metal grey with some white highlights which are both metal elements.

From the angle of this photo the upper floor of the house behind this property aligns with the garage and at first glance adds the fire element with the triangular shape!

The façade may have a missing corner on the right as you face the house or it may be an extension out (determined by square footage).  This creates a view of the façade as being smaller than the main body of the house.  The sidewalk leading up to the front door is a straight line and the front door faces a street directly aimed at it that is called a T-shape intersection.

Numerological House Number

Cardinal Direction of Front Door – West 

Read more on the the 5 elements


Personal Perspectives by Renee Lindstrom

The front door faces a street that ends in a T Shape intersection and the sidewalk continues this alignment extending the straight arrow to the front door. This would be the starting point of creating a change to shift the influence of these straight lines and what they represent.  Imagine arrows being aimed at the front door with every car driving up to this intersection. I do not view any design or enhancement to curve, slow down or deflect these arrows.

The placement of the garage is in the back right hand corner behind the house so it is not the first thing you see viewing the property therefore a more nurturing influence to the experience of settling or grounding.   Though it is located in the corner that reflects relationships!  Could this reflect connections that involve travelling?   An interesting point is that the garage has a large peaked roof behind that towers over it.  The peaked roof resembles the shape of fire and the garage shape resemble the earth element.  In the nurturing cycle of the element theory fire creates earth.  In this case though it may not be in the best interest of the occupants to leave this power with their neighbors!

The main body of the house and garage is an earth element shape that supports a west-facing door.  A west-facing entrance way is considered the creativity doorway that reflects children and the future.  The west-facing doorway is a metal element and in element theory earth supports metal.  Other metal features of the house are accented in the grey rock around the front door and in the trim colors of white and gun-metal grey.

However the wood siding in element theory is disruptive to earth and metal is considered to be the element to destroy it.  So here we have an earth shaped house disturbed by the wood and that is framed by metal that destroys it!  Water is reflected in the windows that are contained earth shaped frames and there is a hint of fire in the upward angle of the roof line!  Given the design of the house facing a T-shape intersection this cycle of elements that has been chosen may be productive.

The front door itself is located in the recessed design that imitates a cave like entrance.  This enhances the zen like quality of metal and remember metal is the element of a west facing front door!   Viewing the front door, it seems that it could be in two quadrants that reflects career and knowledge areas.

I love exploring the numerology, elements, cardinal directions and placements and finding the synchronicity!  If on-site I would begin to observe the personal relationships to life areas and each other as part of a enhancing or correcting area’s. Of particular interest would be the balance of the front door’s Yin with the T Square intersections Yang!

Renee Lindstrom


Personal Perspectives by Dyan Grant Francis

The major features of this home are of the earth element – the long flat surfaces of the roof, the square shape of the structure, the rectangular windows, and the earth-toned colour of the horizontal siding.  While the home has wood siding, the strength of the colour and position of the boards exerts a strong influence for the earth element.  The garage at the rear of the lot has a flat roof as well, increasing the power of the earth element with a garage door whose shape and colour mimic the earth of the building at the front of the lot.

The trim and accent colours are of the metal element – white, silver, pewter etc.  In the nourishing cycle of the Five elements, earth creates metal, symbolically, like the gold or silver in an ore-rich mine.  These two elements are in balance in this structure.  Too much metal would drain the earth aspect and create imbalance.  .

As much as we are influenced by the surrounding environment, we are also influenced by the structures in which we live and work.  In this example, there is a predominance of the earth element bringing stability but also difficulty with flexibility.  Like a mountain, earth structures have a presence that is unchangeable and dramatic.  Earth promotes credibility and honesty with the focus of self-love being through service to the greater good whether it be environmental activism or counselling the poor on food preparation for example.

The hedges along this property provide excellent boundaries and are in an earth shape – low, flat, horizontal.  The stone beside the front door as well as the metal accents on the door itself strengthen the metal element of this west facing door balancing the predominance of the earth element.


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!
Workshops and Events

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*Contact Dyan Grant Francis @  The Maturing Edge


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Front Walkways

The walkway off the main street that places your house number is an important consideration when reflecting upon your living experience and wanting to change and enhance it.  It is also an important consideration when landscaping your front yard!   It’s placement and design is an important aspect to consider in balancing the influences of life giving or life draining  experiences in any areas of your living experience.   For example view this pictures and notice the lines or edges of the pathways and notice if which ones are calming and which ones are stimulating.

Walkways:  the pathway of your experience

Your pathway is the first opportunity to welcome you and the community to your home.  It is the first influencing factor in considering placement.  The ideal walkway would reflect soft corners and flow resembling that of a slow moving and calming waterway.  Water is considered to be an influence of abundance, well being and good luck.  The straight sharp edges are reminders of fast moving arrows that are unexpected and attacking in nature.  In Asian cultures a straight pathway is considered a secret arrow and the source of rushing negative energies.

A curved walkway would be considered yin, while a straight edged would be yang. To soften the hard edges of a yang walkway, plantings can be used on either side to create soft edges.

Read more on Yin/Yang


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!
Workshops and Events

Read more on landscaping articles integrating concepts!


Landscape Conversations – Blocked Pathway!

2015-06-21 10.40.36

LANDSCAPE CONVERSATIONS

Renee Lindstrom  & Guest Writer ~ 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 start a conversationIMG_20150715_120044

Observations

This is a tiny earth shaped house on a corner lot.  The front door projects out from the main house design.  A second projection on the side of the house may be creating a missing corner in the floor plan.  The peaked roofs are the shape of the fire element and the white trim is metal.  The brown and yellow of the house are earth colors.   The windows represent water.  This highlighted rectangular shapes in the door and window shutters represent wood. The mail box is metal, the house number is prominently displayed and there is a light on either side of the front door.  The front steps are adobe red brick.  Sculptured trees are featured in the landscaping.  

Read more on the the 5 elements


Personal Perspectives by Renee Lindstrom

The front door is a feature in the design of this house and considered an enhancement.  I  find it  curious that  the plants have been allowed to grow over the front walkway eliminating the pathway to it.  The steps up to the front door  are a welcoming red,  yet not visible.  To get to these steps one must walk up the driveway, turn onto a smaller path to walk along the front of the house and past the windows.   The side pathway is not accented and not easily noticeable.  The house number is displayed enhancing the front door feature and there is  balance  provided by  the lite on either side of it.  This balance is extended to  the plantings on either side of the original front walkway.

This cute house is well cared for and inviting until your eye travels to the the confusing walkway.  It could represent the residents need for privacy and less attention, yet the design draws attention!  When considering the five elements the landscaping and house elements are warming and leans toward the 5 element nurturing cycle.   Fire over earth in design with metal features and well balanced windows representing water.  The featured rectangular shapes on the door and window shutters, and the landscaping draws in the wood element.

The front door enhancement is in the placement of helpful people and career areas while the missing corner reflects the area of spiritualism or higher knowledge.  The overgrown front sidewalk could reflect an attempt to slow down these areas from too much activity,  or now, with the overgrow the experience could be stagnation in these areas.  This house number adds up to a 4 and reflecting on the meaning of this house number which in numerology represents hard work, organization, predictability and being conventional.  It is a masculine number and represents hard edges not unlike the appearance of the number itself and this house!  This house number represents order, tidiness, straight lines, sharp edges and control.

Read more on the meaning of house numbers….

                                                          Renee Lindstrom


Personal Perspectives by Dyan Grant Francis

Front Yard entrance to property

This appears to be a well kept property with little clutter or overgrown vegetation.  The front door is obvious and a prominent feature of this house because of it’s slight projection from the basic shape.  Without accurate measurements however, it is difficult to say if this projection creates a ‘missing corner’ which needs to be corrected. In this case, the bushes and trees have the effect of creating a more unified front aspect to this house even if their placement does not accurately define the corner..

A straight sidewalk leading to the front door would create a ‘secret arrow’ of rushing sha (negative energy) directed from the busy roadway to the centre of this house.  The plantings and re-configuration of the walkway help to minimize the impact.  The optimum would be to have a winding pathway leading to the front door.  This can be done with curved flower beds on alternating sides of the straight sidewalk however the residents have chosen to move the sidewalk entrance.

Regardless, the choice of paint colours and topiary shrubs bring swift attention to the front door creating some confusion.  This attention would have been amplified without the changes in the entrance to the property.  Not knowing the intention of the owners, one can only surmise about their desired outcome.

The earth features of this house – yellow ochre paint and low flat aspect give it a grounded feeling which is somewhat at odds with the prominent wood shapes, like tree trunks, on the front door and the rectangular windows.  The wood and earth elements are in conflict in the diminishing cycle of the 5 elements.  The addition of a strong fire element would bring the two into the nurturing cycle of wood – fire – earth and bring a more balanced sense to this house.

When identifying shapes in the landscape, it is important to have guidelines but also to be aware of you preferred perception.   For example, the square (earth) and the rectangle (wood) are both shapes with 4 sides and right angled corners, however

–   A rectangle has right angle corners, with opposite sides being parallel and equal in length

  • A square has right angled corners with opposite sides being parallel and all four side being equal in length.

These have been made more prominent by the use of the contrasting white paint increasing the diminishing cycle of these elements.

To have a calm and nurturing home it is desirable to increase the harmony and balance in your surroundings through the use of colour, shape and placement.


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!
Workshops and Events


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No house number & No Walkway

2015-06-21 10.40.36LANDSCAPE CONVERSATIONS

Renee Lindstrom  & guest writer ‘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 start a conversation

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Observations

This house sits to the back of the property.  It has a darker trim color on the peaked roof  which accents the triangular shape symbolizing fire.  Underneath the triangular roof, the house facade accents the tall rectangular wood shape. The garage accents the low square shape of earth.  The window accents the water element  more defined by the extensions and design cut outs.  The green color of the house is the element of wood and the trim  is on the  grey spectrum of the metal element.  The three pots on top of the garage also reflect metal in shape and colors. Read more on the five elements

The front is open to view by passers-by and is broken into two  landscaping styles. One a straight line for the drive and the second creating a garden.  The drive is the yang and the garden is yin.  Read more on yin and yang

There is no visual house number and the sidewalk is missing.  There are tiles to the main street sidewalk, yet where you would expect a sidewalk through the garden to the front door, it’s missing!

Personal Perspectives by Renee Lindstrom

This house is a structurally bold design.  The paint colors may be an attempt to have it blend in and soften  its dominant features.   The design of the house and  property clearly demonstrate the five element and yin and yang symbology.  The house is angular in its design that is accented with the trim.  The carport and drive add to the straight line effect of this angular definition.  The second half of the front yard is a garden with walkway purposely designed to break the straight line pattern.    This creates two separate landscaping designs.  Perhaps the front yard garden is  designed to bring in balance with the drive and house design. The house and drive in Yang while the garden is Yin.

Unlike our first Front Yard posting that demonstrated a yard that was closed with no connection to those passing by,  this front yard is open and demonstrative.  It beckons your eye to travel to it and take in the view.  Imagine yourself as a guest walking up to these two different experiences; the one in the first posting and now this one.  This exercise demonstrates our silent communication  and the starting point of beginning to interpret experiences and relationships. We are perceptive and influenced by  this stimulus regardless of being consciously aware of this or not .

Looking closely the house number is missing and so is the sidewalk leading through the garden to the front door.  Passerby’s would have to know the house number in order to find it and also walk along the driveway looking for a way to go to the front door.  There appears to be a patio set under the front stairs which may indicate that the front door no longer is used as a front door and that it has been turned into the privacy of a back yard!   Read more on the importance of house numbers, walkways and of front doors!

My recommendations for the residents of this property is to stand in front and face inward.  With a view to observe the large tree to the back  left and compare it with the remaining front garden.  Is it light and airy enough to flow with it?  Does the shape enhances the garden or detracts from it? Imagine the wistful tree along the drive in it’s location.  It may create a distraction from the large mass of trees next door and create a definable boundary from them or not, depending upon the desired outcome.

I would also ask the residents to reflect on their intention in the community, with their careers and extended family.  Is there anything in these areas that they would like to improve?  For example when I view this house it represents a retreat and quiet reflective influence.  It may be these residents are retired or are creating a nurturing space to retreat to.  One future feature to consider changing may be the driveway surface to increase the earth element.  This could be effective using  an earth colored brick.   Smaller suggestions such as increasing color with plant selections and/or adding earth elements using adobe pots would be encouraged.  The element that is not supported equally in this landscape is the fire element.  Suggestion for increasing this element would  depend upon the intention, desires and experience of the occupants.

Renee Lindstrom


Personal Perspectives by Dyan Grant Francis

An interesting example of some of the choices that a practitioner needs to make when analyzing a home or building.  Here, we can see the elemental shapes as Renee has outlined.  However, the colour palate is metal.  The trim appears to be a light shade of grey, the stucco appears to be a light green…light and pastel are both in the colour spectrum for the metal element.  The pots on top of the lower 3 door entrance are clearly metal.  When assessing a home or building, one often has to choose between shape and colour to decide which is the more significant influence.

The ‘front door’ is not easily seen however the three door entrance (which may be the main entrance) appears to be a water colour (black or dark-toned spectrum of colours like charcoal and midnight blue).  In 5 element theory, water drains metal and thus the colour of these doors provides balance to the overall strength of the metal element.  The side gate and patio set are both water as they are black in colour.

The driveway leading to the 3 door entrance is also considered to belong to the metal element including all rocks and stones such as marble, granite and flagstone.  Here you can see the grey shades of the flagstone.

The large trees at the side of the home help to provide a sense of shelter breaking the strong winds from that direction.  The vegetation in the front of the home provides a sense of privacy often allocated to the rear yard.  As this home has a small or minimal backyard, the front yard has been enlisted to provide the private seating area.

There is some controversy about which we perceive first – shape or colour.  Personally, I see colour first and then I take a moment to discern the various shapes involved in a structure like this one.  Colour and shape are intricately connected yet an analysis like this requires that we separate them and examine them somewhat independently.

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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!

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Hidden Front Entrance to Property

2015-06-21 10.40.36LANDSCAPE CONVERSATIONS

Renee Lindstrom & 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

Observations

This is the front entrance off the street to the property.  The front walk way entrance is not easily seen by the passer-by.  It is overgrown with a large barrier of trees that have  grown to create a living fence and a truck parked along the front roadway blocks the front gate from view.  Looking at the property you can barely see the peaks of the house above the tree line.

Personal Perspectives by Renee Lindstrom

The front garden or entrance to the property is how one is recognized in the community.  It is how the community will perceive you.

In this case study the story is a need for privacy and unusual need for protection.  The height of the trees obscures the beauty of the house behind.  It is not welcoming or open but rather, closed and the statement they may be telling the world, “Leave us alone!  We do not want to be disturbed.”  Entering a forest of trees draws one into a meditative inward state of settling whereas trees creating a barrier is the opposite.  It could be describe as a strong yang warrior type experience.

When I view this site I do not recognize this as the front yard.  My mind tells me first that it is an entrance off the back alley.  There is no house number to ground the residents onto the land for visitors to easily find.  The entrance pathway is blocked from view and your eyes are met with a large closed gate, a municipality parking sign and electrical wire.  Read more on the importance ofhouse numbers, walkways and of front doors!

The story I would personally put to this home is that either they are hiding or have something to hide!  To change the story and increase the chi coming into the lives of these residents, I would recommend cutting the trees to an even height low enough to show some design of the house itself.  I would suggest trimming back the trees around the entrance way and relocating the truck.  An added feature could be flower pots or boxes along the outside of the trees facing the roadway to draw attention and add color.  It would let the community know they are welcome and the residents themselves may be more welcomed by their neighbors.  If one is protective they are distant.

Renee Lindstrom

Personal Perspectives by Dyan Grant Francis

This is an interesting example of landscape.  There is nothing obvious about this residence except the high laurel hedge and large wooden (metal?) gate that may open to a driveway.  The front yard is considered to be ‘yang’, the public space and the connection between the home and the ‘world outside’.  The back yard is considered ‘yin’. the private space and an extension of the activities of the home.  In this case we can only assume that there is a front yard and a back yard as the roofline of the residence is evident above the hedge.  The hedge creates an effective barrier between the internal world of the home and the neighbourhood surrounding it.  This would create a subtle feeling of isolation.  We can assume many things about the people that live here but there are few clues to use in evaluating the accuracy of those assumptions.  There is also nothing to indicate if the truck belongs to the residents or is just randomly parked on the street.   Clearly the residents value and maintain the hedge for their own personal reasons.

Dyan Grant Francis

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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 the Language of Nature