The Reason for Sealing Off Home’s Chimney Is Important

Question: We are considering having our chimney sealed off when we have our roof re-shingled. Will this have any negative effect on our home’s energy?

EVA ARNAUD

Via e-mail

Answer: You didn’t say why you are thinking of closing off the chimney. If the chimney is in any way structurally unsound and you’re closing it off to avoid repairing it, that could be a problem. Ignoring repairs is considered just as bad in feng shui as in other arenas of life. Anything that is broken or damaged must be repaired or restored to sound condition.

But if you’ve decided to close off the chimney and eliminate the fireplace to maximize your interior living space or improve your decor, I don’t see any negative effect to your home’s energy.

To be very cautious, however, you should first speak to a Realtor about the financial impact that removing a working fireplace could have on your home’s resale value.

Can Design Changes Produce Misfortune?

Q: Every time I move furniture around my house or do a minor remodel, something bad happens. I moved furniture around in our bedroom and I had a car accident a few days later. Another time I moved furniture in the family room and my husband had a car accident that same week. I moved furniture in my son’s bedroom and he fell ill the next day.

Also, a friend of mine did a kitchen remodel and her car was stolen two days after the work was done. Is there a connection? And how can I prevent such things from happening in the future?

Amy A.

Via e-mail

A: Without knowing anything about the changes that were made, it’s impossible to say for certain whether a connection exists between the rearranging and remodeling you and your friend did and the negative events you describe.

I can only say that it sounds like an extraordinary chain of coincidences. But here’s my advice for safeguarding against such mishaps in the future. The next time you’re contemplating a furniture move or remodeling job, bring in a feng shui expert to do a reading and give an opinion.

I usually don’t suggest this as a place to start because I think many people can learn enough feng shui on their own to produce some basic improvements. But for your peace of mind, checking with a professional first would be a prudent way to go.

Use Dried Flowers, But Proceed With Caution

Q: My decorating style is fairly eclectic, but my bathroom in particular is decorated with a border showing hanging dried herbs and flowers and augmented with actual bunches of herbs and flowers hung on the wall. I understand that dried flowers and herbs symbolize death and are considered a negative force in the home. Is there a way to combat the negative aspect without eliminating them? Would any negative effect also apply to bowls of potpourri?

LINDA HOITT

Via e-mail

A: According to Lillian Too, a feng shui master I greatly respect, dried flowers and plants are bad feng shui because they signify death and cause too much yin (passive, dark energy) because they are, well, dead.

Too recommends that dried flowers and plants be avoided no matter how beautiful they look. But I find this suggestion difficult to endorse wholeheartedly.

Dried floral arrangements can add real beauty to a room, and dried herbs are a kitchen staple for both decorating and cooking. My advice is to use them but to be vigilant about maintaining them. Throw away any that begin to disintegrate or look untidy, and keep the bunches dust-free. In other words, the dried arrangements may be made of dead vegetation, but they should still be kept as fresh and clean as possible.

At the same time, pay attention to events unfolding in your life so that you will be alert to possible negative consequences. If you believe you’re having an unusual number of negative occurrences, remove the dried flowers immediately.

Bowls of potpourri should be fine as long as you stay away from those with strong or overpowering scents. The smell of potpourri should never dominate a room. To circulate freely, chi needs fresh air and clear, unblocked pathways.

Tips That Could Offset Rough Life Events

Q: I don’t know if this is a question that is amenable to a feng shui approach, but here goes:

Since moving to California and this house, I have had enormous professional success, but my personal life has been awful from nearly the moment I got here. I have lots of friends, but have gone through a horrible divorce and a series of unpleasant relationships since.

Is there anything I can do to change my luck?

JEAN S.

Via e-mail

A: Your situation has probably got very little to do with luck. The cause of your personal misery could just as easily have to do with the fact that you experienced two major life traumas colliding.

Most of us would be in a tailspin if we experienced a major move and a divorce very close together. That said, I’d like to suggest some feng shui adjustments that couldn’t hurt in any case.

Add light to any rooms that tend to be dark. Invest in some attractive floor or table lamps, wall sconces or whatever source of lighting works most aesthetically in the rooms you’re changing.

Adding light will raise the level of chi energy in your home and probably will raise your spirits at the same time.

To give the chi a sharp, positive shift, buy yourself at least one bunch of fresh flowers every week. Place the flowers in the room you spend the most time in when you are at home.

If you tell me that you’re not home often enough to enjoy the flowers in any room, stop right there. Add balance to your schedule so that you can spend at least a few hours a week enjoying your own company in your home. Doing this will help you achieve serenity as well as balance.

If you can afford it, also purchase fresh flowers for your office on a regular basis.

Kirsten Lagatree is a New York City area writer whose books include “Feng Shui, Arranging Your Home to Change Your Life” (Villard 1996) and “Feng Shui at Work, Arranging Your Work Space for Peak Performance and Maximum Profit” (Villard 1998).

Mail your questions on feng shui to Kirsten Lagatree, Real Estate section, Los Angeles Times, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles, CA 90053, fax them to (213) 237-4712, or e-mail them to kfengshui@aol.com or Real.Estate@LATimes.com. All questions will be considered for use but cannot be answered individually.