Catch up with all the top news you may have missed today.

PM Modi to address the nation at 10 am on Tuesday

With the 21-day nationwide lockdown to break the chain of transmission of coronavirus set to end on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will spell out the future course of action in an address to the nation at 10 am. Read More

Lack of clarity about lockdown needs to be addressed

The question that arises is, till we know what a 'lockdown' [as notified by orders of state governments in India and referred to in orders of the Central government] amounts to under the law, how does one determine who has violated it? Read More

A vaccine for COVID-19 in six months?

A professor at Oxford University is 80 per cent certain that the world would see a vaccine for the deadly novel coronavirus by September 2020. Despite experts saying that a vaccine could take years and at least 18 months, Sarah Gilbert, professor of vaccinology at Oxford University, said that she was almost certain that we would have a vaccine earlier. Read More

Old school TV shows rule Doordarshan again

According to reports, Doordarshan has become the highest watched channel in India, in the past few weeks. Broadcast Audience Research Council(BARC) mentioned that the re-telecast ofMahabharatandRamayanresulted in a crazy jump in viewership as the viewers get nostalgic. See More

What dragged Sensex, Nifty down today?

After a three-day holiday, domestic benchmark indices BSE Sensex and Nifty 50 settled 1.50 per cent lower on Monday as shares of HDFC Bank, RIL, Bajaj Finance and HDFC were among the top contributors towards todays fall.Read More

The bad luck number: Feng Shui myth-busting

The number "4" is often said to be associated with bad luck because of how it sounds in other languages. Feng Shui consultant Dato Joey Yap gives his take on this and how to bring positive energy into your homes. Watch the video

Keep abreast of everything on the coronavirus outbreak.Check here.Heres alive blogthat you can follow for minute-to-minute updates.Dont Miss! GetYahoo Originals here

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News Wrap: April 13, 2020 - PM Modi to address the nation tomorrow, a COVID-19 vaccine in 6 months and more... - Yahoo News UK

Feng shui may be a term youve heard thrown around every once in awhile, but do you know what it means? Well, Im here to give you the feng shui basics.

Feng shui is based on the idea that your environment (in this case, your apartment) has a force or energy known as chi. Its believed that a space with proper feng shui and natural flow brings good fortune, prosperity and harmonious relationships with the people in your life.

On the other hand, if your apartment is cluttered or has a disruptive flow, this could lead to negative results such as poor health or financial troubles. Im guessing those are two things you would like to avoid.

While feng shui sounds complicated, apartment decorating with using feng shui principles is simple, trust me. Heres how to achieve feng shui in your kitchen, bedroom and living room:

In order to create balance and positively influence health and prosperity, your kitchen should be bright, open and airy. Even the smallest of kitchens can appear larger with a few simple tricks.

If theres not a window in your kitchen, add a large mirror to the wall so light bounces around the room and so you can see whats going on around you. After all, nobody wants to stare at a wall as theyre cooking.

In addition to natural light flowing in through the windows, your kitchen should also have ample artificial light. Add layers of light to the space, including accent, ambient and task.

These three types of illumination will create a bright and cheery space for you and your guests to gather in. Keep in mind that a single overhead fluorescent light is not ideal, as it can cast a harsh glow that causes headaches and eyestrain.

The colors you use in your kitchen also contribute to the feng shui of the space. Start with an all-white color palette (usually pretty easy in a rental) to keep the kitchen bright and spacious. Add in accents of vibrant colors using decorative bowls of fruit, cooking accessories, curtains or dinnerware.

The way in which furniture is arranged in your living room can either make or break the spaces feng shui. Furniture should keep with the natural flow of the room and work with the existing traffic pattern.

Lets start with the sofa: Ideally, it should be placed against the wall furthest from the rooms entry point. Make sure to leave a few inches between the wall and the couch. Having a wall behind your sofa is said to add comfort and security to the room.

If you dont have an available wall for your couch, put a long table or a few smaller tables behind your sofa. Place a few lamps on the tables to illuminate your couch and provide a sense of protection.

As a general rule, the way your chairs and couches are arranged should be conducive to conversation. Its going to be super awkward to talk to your guests if youre both at opposite ends of the room or if youre facing away from each other.

Its also important to include a balance of shapes. Consider adding a round coffee table to the center of your living room to allow energy to freely flow throughout the space. Pair that with square or rectangular side tables or ottomans.

Squares represent the Earth, while rectangles symbolize wood, and circles represent metal. All of these combined elements help give your home a balanced feel.

The bedroom is where you should feel the most relaxed and de-stressed to help you prepare for a good nights sleep. The first step to creating this environment is to remove all the clutter from your room, keeping only the things you absolutely need out in the open (e.g., an alarm clock, a lamp or a book on your nightstand). The goal is to live minimally.

Next, remove anything youre storing from underneath your bed. Apparently doing this can create negative energy. Your bed should only serve one purpose: sleep. If you can, try to find another location for whatever might be kept under your bed. You may find that you dont even need what youve been keeping under there for so long!

And finally, turn off your phone and laptop and store them both away from where you sleep. I know; this seems difficult, but you can do it. If you use your phone as an alarm, put it on sleep mode so youre not interrupted by a late-night text or Facebook notification, only the sound of your alarm in the morning.

The bright screens on your phone and laptop dont exactly help to lull you to sleepin fact, they do quite the opposite. Instead, keep a good book on your nightstand, which will help relax you and prepare you to get some good shut eye.

Now, do you feel that positivity flowing through your apartment?

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Feng Shui Basics for Beginners - Rent Blog

Unit 1 Introduction to Feng Shui

In this introductory Unit, you'll learn the actual definition of Feng Shui as well as its history. You will also get introduced to a number of differ-ent schools of Feng Shui, such as Form, BTB, Compass and more.

Because Form School is the oldest school, we discuss it in full and you get to meet the four celestial animals. And, you will be introduced to Vastu, which is a form of Feng Shui that did originate in China.

Get to understand what really is Ch'i and how important it is in our space and lives. Learn to identify favorable Ch'i as opposed to unfavor-able Ch'i.

You will also learn about the Yin Yang Theory. Get to know it's symbol and learn its true meaning. Then you will begin to be able to see its presence in a space and how it can be useful in interior design.

Next, learn all the aspects of clutter and how affects us in such a detri-mental way. And if clutter is a problem for you, you'll get ideas how to overcome it.

Unit 2 Principles of Feng Shui

In Unit 2 you will learn about the Five Element Theory and its cycles. Get to know the qualities of Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water. See how appear in a space and how they interact with each other. Then, learn how you can use them for a better Feng Shui experience.

Get to understand how Yin Yang appears within the Five Elements and how that can help make more concise Feng Shui adjustments and cre-ate a better balance.

In addition, get introduced to two very important astrology systems that are based on the Five Elements: Four Pillars and 9 Star Ki. They add a very important layer to Feng Shui. You will learn how they work.

Then, meet the family of Trigrams ... the building blocks of the Bagua. Get know what they stand for and how they create the Bagua. See how the Bagua correlates with the Five Element. Hopefully, you will start seeing the big picture.

Learn how to place the Bagua over a space for both BTB and Compass schools. Please note, though, that throughout this course if you are ask to place on a space, it should be based on the BTB approach.

Unit 3 Feng Shui Essentials

In this Unit you will start learning Feng Shui details. You will be intro-duced to specific remedies, learn how intention plays an important part in Feng Shui, and what cultural interpretations can be helpful. Get to really understand color. Learn what specific colors mean and how they relate to the Bagua and the Five Element Theory. And, begin to see how fabrics can be use from a Feng Shui perspective.

Learn about how architectural details affect space. Door, window, stairs placement can really make a difference as does so much more. And, let's not forget about our front door ... a very special door. It needs a lot of attention and special love and care.

Also, in this Unit you will get introduced to your fictions client, Sophia Taylor. You will be working with her and submitting your projects for you along with you Unit Assignments. Let the fun begin!

Unit 4 Feng Shui Room by Room

In this Unit we will look a individual rooms and how to handle them from a Feng Shui perspective. You will learn the best layouts for kitch-ens and dining rooms, living and family rooms, bedrooms and bath-rooms. You will learn how to approach designing a home office and making it as auspicious as possible.

And, you will continue working on your projects for your client, Sophia Taylor, as well as continuing to work on your own Presentation Room.

Unit 5 Putting It All Together

This Unit contains case studies from professional Feng Shui practition-ers. Reading there reports will give you a true idea how to approach a consultation. It is also will give you an idea what to include in a written report. It is very common for practitioners to provide a written report for the client that includes an overview of the analysis and a list of rec-ommendations.

Then for your Unit Assignment you will continue working on Sophia Taylor's Floor Plans. You will also complete your Room Plan Worksheet where you list all the adjustments that you will implement for your Presentation Room.

Unit 6 Personal and Professional Pathways

Just as the others, this Unit is a very important one. We start out, though, on a lighter matter by giving some insight how to use Feng Shui principles in a garden ... how to make something so beautiful more beautiful. Then we get a little more serious by introducing you to Space Clearing ... a subject matter that every Feng Shui practitioner should know about.

Lastly, the two remaining lessons are dedicated to preparing you to treat Feng Shui as a business. They will teach you how to start your business, how to market it, how to get clients and how to act with cli-ents. Even if you are not planning to make this a professional goal, the-se two lesson host a wealth of information worth reading.

This Unit assignment will include you submitting your Final Presenta-tion Room Design. What an accomplishment!

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Feng Shui Classes & Courses | Outline | NYIAD

You might be wondering who this company FSL is? How did they become focused on Backlighting. Whats their story?

FSL was born out of the idea of bringing together two powerful sets of principles that our founder, was passionate about Feng Shui and Lighting Design. He knew the powerful difference that good lighting design could make in a space. The built environment could be enhanced and literally enlightened by the proper and good application of light. As a student of Feng Shui, he knew the impact on a building or space that could be made by applying the principles of Feng Shui. People would feel more at home and comfortable. Things would seem to flow better. The design intent of the space would be fulfilled.

So he set out to combine these two schools of thought by bringing the principles of good Lighting Design to the world of Feng Shuiand the principles of good Feng Shui design to the practice Lighting Design. At first, we sought to apply Feng Shui aesthetic guidelines to the lighting design idea of lighting the vertical. And Feng Shui Lighting was born.

What started out as a collection of small sconces has grown into a full menu of fixtures and complete solutions to light the vertical. But instead of using traditional fixtures to light the vertical from the front, we have chosen to have the Vertical actually Be the light source. And while we still offer some modestly sized fixtures, our offering has literally grown to allow us to assist specifiers in creating complete glowing walls, illuminated ceilings, and luminous design elements.

While were still asked to create bespoke decorative lighting fixtures or clean simple geometric shade lights, were best known for our Flat Surface Lighting.

Weve been lighting people almost all of our lives. We grew up in the industry. We love what we do. Wed love to collaborate with you.

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Feng Shui Lighting - FSL - Backlighting Solutions

Traders' bad luck turns worse

Police are looking for a fake fortune teller who preyed upon Pattaya traders, promising to realign the feng shui of their outlets and improve their fortunes before making off with 2.3 million baht worth of vehicles they let him borrow.

Half a dozen victims of the conman, identified as Jeerawat Rojmaneekorn, 50, complained last week to Nong Prue police in Chon Buri when they realised they had been duped.

Jeerawat managed to con victims out of 17 motorcycles and one car, mostly on loan. Soon after getting his hands on the vehicles, Jeerawat would flee with them, leaving the owners with the burden of repaying the financing debt. Reports say total damages come to 2.3 million baht.

Reports say Jeerawat, who dresses in red and gold to convey the image of a Chinese expert in horoscopes and has the gift of the gab, would make contact with victims, some of them Pattaya bar owners, and strike up a rapport.

Some victims were struggling with poor sales at the time, and fell for his line that their outlet's feng shui was wrong. He would offer to realign it, perform a ceremony adorned with fake gold and food offerings to the gods, and later seize the chance to persuade the owners to part with vehicles.

One victim, Charoenrat, says Jeerawat conned him out of a Mazda 3 worth 1.1 million baht. He said he set up a spririt house at his home and asked Jeerawat to check its feng shui. Jeerawat performed a ceremony for his place and said he should transfer his name onto the title deed. He also asked to sleep at the house for three nights to seek the spirits' forgiveness.

Later, Charoenrat disclosed he wanted to buy a car as a gift for his son, who was finishing his studies. Jeerawat said he knew of a caryard in Bangkok and offered to make contact for him. In September, he said he would need a down payment of 50,000 baht for the Mazda, and had him sign over authoriity to pick it up.

"A week later, he drove the car to my place, but said he had no vehicle of his own and asked to borrow it. I agreed. In December he said the Mazda had been in a scrape and took it in for repairs. Later, when I asked after the vehicle, he said someone had made off with it. On March 4, he disappeared, and I was left with back payments of 14,000 baht a month and no car," Charoenrat said.

Another victim, Kittiya, said she bought a bike worth 160,000 baht last August. Jeerawat claimed the red and black colours of her bike were unlucky and he would get the vehicle inscribed with Chinese lettering to ward off danger. When she went to retrieve the bike, he asked to borrow it and take over repayments. She let him, as she had many other bikes, and he had offered to fix her beer bar's feng shui, which he claimed was acting as a drag on sales.

Later, he claimed he had given her bike to a caryard which leased the vehicle out to foreigners. He made one repayment of 4,000 baht in December before disappearing with the bike.

Krissana, another victim, said she lost a Honda Click worth 77,000 baht to Jeerawat's cunning. He made just five repayments, leaving her with another 24 payments of 2,570 a month.

In a moment of unusual candour, Jeerawat said he couldn't buy a vehicle himself as he was once arrested for robbery. She took it out for him, and is now saddled with the debt burden and no bike. She did not believe her life has improved since he fixed her stars.

Another victim, Auna, who said she met Jeerawat at a time when sales from her business were slow, said she lost a motorcycle worth 130,000 baht. She said Jeerawat claimed the registration of her bike was unlucky as it contained a zero. He took the bike to get the registration changed to include an "8" and inscribed with Chinese lettering.

He asked to borrow the bike to order goods he would need for a religious ceremony but failed to return it. "Finally he claimed the vehicle was involved in an accident and took it in for repairs but later disappeared," she said.

Another victim, Worapoj "Aun" Weerapan, 35, says Jeerawat faked leasehold papers for his beer bar and with them borrowed 90,000 baht from underground lenders. He found out about the debt when collectors turned up at his bar. His bar in Pattaya was in trouble, and he placed an ad on Facebook offering to lease it. He said Jeerawat made contact with him on FB and offered to perform a ceremony to improve its feng shui. Later, he took off with the ownership papers. He also ran up a 20,000 baht bill for alcohol in his name.

Nong Prue police chief Pol Col Chiddecha Songhong said police are preparing to seek an arrest warrant for Jeerawat, whom he said has an outstanding warrant for fraud in Nong Khai from several years ago.

Sleepy shop hosts scared robber

Netizens are marvelling at how a novice gold shop robber managed to walk unchallenged into a gold shop in Trat wearing a motorcycle helmet, seconds before threatening a staff member with a homemade gun.

Security footage taken from inside the Yaowarat Gold Shop in Muang district on Tuesday shows the young thief pulling up on a motorcycle outside the shop, and calmly entering with his helmet still on. A staff member is shown slowly rising to her feet as if to serve him. Seconds later the thief pulls out a gun and demands she hand over the gold.

Off-camera, an alert staff member runs into the back room and sounds an alarm linked to the local police station. The alarm sets off an ear-splitting siren, which sends the young man into a panic.

He is shown scrambling out the shop, stumbling and almost putting his head through the glass door as he does so. News reports say he wet himself in his panic and slipped on his own urine trail.

The footage shows the young man, who left empty-handed, making off on his bike, later found abandoned on a forest road. Police say it had no registration plate and had recently been spray-painted red to disguise its real colour. The robber's gloves, shoes and jacket were in the under-seat compartment.

The next day, having seen publicity of the failed robbery, relatives of the young man brought him in to the police. They charged Nareunat "Paeb" Kaemnum, 23, from Samran beach district, with attempted robbery. He told them he was stressed after recently losing his job. He borrowed the bike for the robbery from his girlfriend's elder sister; the gun, which he abandoned near his rental home, was his own.

Security footage taken from inside the Yaowarat Gold Shop in Muang, Trat.

On the internet, netizens asked why the staff member did not immediately ask the young man to take off his helmet. Others suggested gold shops should instal automatic doors which can be locked by staff inside at the first sign of trouble.

"The woman behind counter looks too cool to be true. If it was me and I saw someone enter with a motorcycle helmet on, I'd know he was there to steal the gold," one wrote.

The staff member told the media she thought he was an ordinary customer, although she wondered why he kept his helmet on. He also wore a sanitary mask underneath, though it was pulled to one side.

On a more humorous note, netizens suggested the young man go back to "robbery school" so he can learn how it's done. "He was bold enough to rob a gold shop, but fled when the siren went off?" one asked. "Unbelievable." Others said his lack of skill gave all gold shop robbers a bad name.

'Python' gets new lease on life

Sek Loso's former live-in lover, model Apisaya "Eve" Pattanaworasap, has stepped up her legal action against the rocker's ex-wife and her former sideckick, after they forced her out of Sek's home last year.

Apisaya 'Eve' Pattanaworasap and inset, Sek Loso

Eve last week visited the Criminal Court in Min Buri to pursue one of a handful of defamation cases she is taking against Sek's ex-wife Wiphakorn "Kan" Sukpimai, mother to his three oldest children, and Sek's second wife, Paphada "Sandwich" Chotikawanitch.

Kan and former Channel 7 actress Sandwich, who have since fallen out -- just as Kan fell out with model Eve before her -- ganged up to force Eve from Sek's home last August, broadcasting the eviction on Facebook live. Kan initially declared that she and Sandwich would live together with Sek, helping the ailling rocker revive his sagging career after a battle with bipolar disorder.

Sek Loso

However, Sandwich later moved out with her young son, Leon, after Kan challenged the actress to get the child's DNA tested amid doubts over whether Sek is the father.

Critics say Kan is manoeuvering herself back into pole position as Sek's main caregiver and spouse. The rocker has said little about the dispute.

Meanwhile, Eve said she turned up at the court last week to press defamation claims stemming from her eviction, in which Kan made unflattering comments about her on FB and later turned her remarks during the drama into a satirical song.

She said she welcomed the court's decision to accept the case in its entirety, which will now proceed to a hearing on April 9 in which both Kan and Sandwich will have to testify. Only one, Sandwich, turned up last week. She emerged from the courthouse looking unhappy and refused to talk to the media.

Eve's cases against the pair will unfold in various courts. On May 18 the Criminal Court in Ratchada will examine a defamation case stemming from Kan's song, which Eve says defames her. Then, on June 11 and 12, the court will hear a case over remarks in which Kan referred to Eve as a lazy python, living off Sek's riches. Kan, who has previously shrugged off her mounting legal troubles, has yet to comment.

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Feng shui conman thrives, newbie robber wets self, Eve in court - Bangkok Post

You go to bed, you fall asleep and you wake up in the middle of the night. You try to go back to sleep but you find it hard. You check your clock and it is 4:00 AM. Every night, the same time. This is a common problem faced by thousands of people every night.

Sleep is essential to your physical and mental health and thats why you spend one third of your life sleeping. The body takes its time to rest and heal so if you dont get uninterrupted and quality sleep for several days in a row, you will be grumpy and exhausted.

Biological, also know as circadian, clock is your inner clock. It is unique and it regulates your sleeping and waking up times which depend on age, among other factors.

According to Feng Shui, waking up at a certain time of the night is a sign from your body about something going wrong. Different hours are associated with different body organs anddifferent emotional states, so if you wake up at the same time every night, it may mean that there is a problem. So lets see what Feng Shui suggests.

Cant fall sleep from 9 PM to 11 PM

Do you find it hard to fall asleep around these times? It may be because you havent relaxed yet and your mind is full of stress. If thats the case, try some meditation and breathing exercises and have some chamomile tea before bed. It may also be related to an underactive thyroid gland so make sure you check it.

Waking up between 11 PM and 1 AM

This period of time is associated to your gall bladder. Gall bladder issues are also linked to bitterness and disappointment so something may be in your mind that makes you nervous. Remember that it is not enough to forgive others. You also need to forgive yourself. We all make mistakes so dont be harsh on yourself.

Waking up between 1 AM and 3 AM

These hours are associated with you liver. According to FengShui, the liver is associated with emotional garbage, that is negativeemotions, such as anger, that you need to expel away. Remember to drink enoughwater and decrease your alcohol and caffeine consumption.

Waking up between 3 AM and 5 AM

Waking up between these hours is associated with your lungs and it is also linked to sadness and loss. Have you recently experienced a loss (person, job, thing) and you are still trying to cope? Have a little faith and things will get better.

Waking up between 5 AM and 7 AM

You looked at the clock and it is certainly not the time you need to wake up? There may be something wrong with your large intestine. Otherwise it may be that you are emotionally blocked. You need to reassess certain situations and relationships, stop insisting and move on.

Waking up between 7 AM and 10 AM

Waking up during these hours is associated to your stomach and spleen or it may mean that you are anxious and stressed over something. Take care of yourself and if you need help to cope with something, make sure you talk to a coach.

How can I sleep with no interruptions?

If you wake up in the middle ofthe night and feel tired over the course of each day, try to identify why thisis happening. Think of your diet, your habits, your emotional state and try tounderstand what is causing this so you can fix it and get some proper rest.

You may also have the associated body parts checked because better safe than sorry! Also, try some breathing exercises while in bed, before you fall asleep, go to bed around the same time every night and wake up at the same time every day, decrease your alcohol and caffeine consumption, dont nap for more than 30 minutes. Think positive, talk to someone you trust or a coach and everything will be better!

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Waking Up at the Same Time Every Night? - Thrive Global

Hillary Diane reports what happened when she went to the Mass. General emergency room yesterday with flu-like symptoms and she was brought up to the hospital's Covid-19 clinic and then tested negative on a flu test:

So when my influenza test came back negative, the doctor admitted that he thinks it's possible that I have Covid-19, and really wants to test me, but he can't - even though I have symptoms and potential exposure, *they have no testing kits at this time*. They even called up the chain to Biothreats/DPH, to ask if they could test me anyway even though I don't strictly fit the State criteria, and they said no.

I asked about Quest and LabCorp, as I recently read that they were taking samples and could test. But as of about an hour ago (6:30pm on Wed March 11th) the doctor said they have been calling those labs and more, but they actually *can't* do it... He said that what the media is reporting about that isn't true (yet). He said he thinks it will be a week or two before testing capability actually ramps up.

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Did the woman in 'strict isolation' at the hospital with a bad respiratory infection have coronavirus? Who knows - the hospital didn't have enough...

[STANDFIRST] With spring around the corner, it's the perfect time to treat your home to a detox. Gabrielle Fagan taps up the Topology design gurus for tips.

Spring is almost here - and the start of this new season often makes us yearn for clean, calm, refreshed spaces at home.

Amy Brandhorst and Athina Bluff, aka interior design duo Topology, have teamed up with Habitat to share expert tips on how to banish your home's winter hangover and make it warm weather-ready and fabulous.

The stylish pair have taken a lot of inspiration from Feng shui. Although it might sound a tricky concept to get your head around, the traditional Chinese practice basically centres on the belief that the specific arrangement of shapes, furniture and objects can have an effect on the unseen energies around us, and combine to harmonise and balance a space.

Creating a positive home environment, it's believed, benefits our mental and physical health too.

Curious? Follow Topology's seven step home 'detox' plan to create a serene sanctuary that boosts your wellbeing, and where you can relax and look forward to sunnier days ahead...

1. Study the space

As a beginner, it's easiest to kick off your Feng shui mission in either your home office/desk area or your hall, say the two designers. "Placing your desk in the centre of a room or opposite/adjacent to a window, according to the laws of Feng shui, enhances creativity, energy and productivity," they explain.

Apparently, it pays dividends if you blitz that hall as well. After all, if your first sight of home when you get in after a day at the office is a dumping ground for coats, shoes and sports kit, it won't exactly lift your spirits! "Keeping it tidy, spacious and inviting is a great start for good Feng shui and positivity within the home," enthuse the pair.

Cleaning the windows so they let in more light could also be a good move.

2. Follow the three-colour rule

Sticking to a simple colour scheme can prevent your space from feeling chaotic or busy, they point out. Just doing that can, they explain, make spaces feel much more understated and tranquil but still full of depth and interest.

TOP TIP: Pick three main colours that naturally appeal to you, then build on that by choosing different shades or tones that work with the dominant colour of the three.

If you're a decor diva and ultra fashionable blue appeals, this could be a great calming choice. As the Topology duo highlight, research has found that being in blue spaces can even lower our blood pressure.

Adding toning shades to your chosen blue colour - such as teal, navy or sky blue - could be the perfect colour palette for a gentle, harmonious scheme.

3. Introduce more nature

Biophilia is a bit of a buzzword in the worlds of interiors and wellness right now - and in essence is a nod to upping the greenery in rooms with indoor plants, to harness our innate need to connect with nature. The Topology pair point out the powerful potential effect on our wellbeing of filling our homes with plants, as it's thought we're significantly happier when we're surrounded by the natural world.

TOP TIP: An interior furnished with natural materials - earthenware, linen, marble-based lamps and objects, woollen cushions and blankets - will increase that feeling of being connected to the great outdoors.

4. Lift items off the floor

Lifting furniture, clutter and everyday objects up and away from the floor can easily create a lighter, detoxified and more uplifting space, according to the pair.

"Seeing more floor space and light through and around objects in a room helps a space feel much more weightless and clutter-free," they explain.

TOP TIP: Sofas or chairs with high legs make furniture appear less bulky and dominating. Open storage and wall shelves will complement the style and add to an airy, uncluttered effect.

5. Use rounded shapes

Shape - not size - is everything! Spherical, round, or gently curving furniture and home accessories can not only create a sense of balance but is visually pleasing, say the designers.

There's even science behind the theory, they point out, as research has found that receptors in the brain light up dramatically when people are around the presence of curved or round objects, rather than angular or jagged shapes.

TOP TIP: A round mirror above a bed is effective in a bedroom, which should be an oasis of calm, while other good choices are a round pouffe, spherical pendant lights, or a round coffee table.

6. Designate a clutter drawer

No home can be completely free of clutter - so create a place specifically for tucking it away. Try the designers' two-step plan for a clutter-busting solution.

First, home in on that clutter and gather it into one place (at some point, you can work out whether you can sort it, reduce it, or get rid of it altogether). Next, select one drawer to store unsightly or practical items that can't be stored elsewhere in a home.

Unsightly electrical cables, newspapers, children's toys or spare accessories could be the perfect candidates for that 'tidy away' compartment, they suggest.

7. Create a multi-sensory home

Finally, finish with a flourish by making your home a multi-sensory space, urge the interior gurus. This simply means a space which appeals to all of our senses: touch, sight, hearing, smell and taste.

Apparently, if all those needs are catered for, explain the duo, it helps us feel relaxed and nurtured in our homes - what's not to like?

TOP TIP: While in general, the scent of lavender and vanilla and soft fabrics such as cashmere make us feel comforted, it's more important to focus on what makes you feel good as an individual.

Experiment with different colours, textures, fabrics and scents to help you find the perfect ingredients for your special sanctuary, suggest Brandhorst and Bluff. "After all," they say, "our homes should be personal to each of us and adhere to our needs."

As part of The Home Detox campaign, Habitat will host a series of interior design, houseplant and cookery workshops in its London stores throughout March 2020. For further info and tips, see habitat.co.uk/inspiration/small-space-living.

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PROPERTY: How to make your home calmer and less cluttered in 7 simple steps - Reading Chronicle

This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

With the spreading of the Coronavirus in New York there has been higher requests for Long Distance residential and business Feng Shui consultations. To try and make our Feng Shui services as accessible as possible, I'm offering several Feng Shui Long Distance Consultation options to choose from. This also includes remote Master Reiki Healing Sessions.

And yes, for those who wish to have In-Person Feng Shui Consultations, that option is still available unless otherwise stated on the Feng Shui Manhattan Inc company website.

To review Long distance Consulting Options, click on the provided links below:

With well wishes and healthy blessings,

Laura CerranoCEO and FounderFeng Shui Manhattan, Inc

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch? Register for a user account.

Continued here:
Long Distance Feng Shui Consultations to Avoid The Coronavirus - Patch.com

Remember a couple of months ago, when it seemed like every brand under the sun was announcing their own color of the year? Now that 2020 has some meat on its bones, its worth asking: What is the color of the year? Well, it depends on who you ask.

In what has become a cottage industry within the home furnishings business, the race to select the color of the year attracts participants from across the spectrum. Of course, just as important as your color selectionsome might say even more importantis getting the word out about your choice and eliciting the corresponding press coverage.

The final months of 2019 produced a plethora of palettes, with enough options to satisfy just about anyones color preferences. The predictions have come from a wide swath of sources, including home decor media, paint companies, forecasting servicesand of course Pantone, perhaps the best-known color predictor of all.

Pantone began life making color cards for the cosmetics industry in the 1950s, but since the 1960s has been focused on the design and graphics fields, supplying color standardization systems that allow color communication among people on different continents speaking various languagesa way to keep hues consistent across space and time.

In 1999, the brand began selecting a color of the year, relying on a complex method that looked at trends and color usage, but largely has been a proprietarynot to mention arbitraryprocess. That year it selected Cerulean, and ever since, its color choice has been highly anticipated, garnering extensive press coverage, including on the front page of The Wall Street Journal.

In a pattern that calls to mind a chicken-and-egg situation, Pantone color selections often become self-fulfilling prophecies. Recent choices, including Living Coral (2019), Greenery (2017) and Radiant Orchid (2014), have proven to be particularly popular, showing up across the home and fashion industries. Others, like 2012s Tangerine Tango and 2009s Mimosa, have turned out to be harder to move into the product mainstream.

In December, Pantone anointed Classic Blue (thats Pantone color #19-4052 if youre keeping score) as the 2020 Color of the Year, setting off stylists around the world to get out their color chips. Its a color that anticipates whats going to happen next, said Laurie Pressman, the vice president of the Pantone Color Institute, which selects the Color of the Year. Whats the future going to bring as we move into the evening hours?

While other sources have been in the color-picking business for some time, this year in particular has brought out the prognosticators. Paint company Benjamin Moore picked First Light, a pinkish hue that it said reflects the morning, rather than Pantones evening. Also thinking pink is paint supplier Valsparwith Bombay Pinkand HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams, which selected a blush shade called Romance.

Paint brand Sherwin-Williamsnot to be confused with the aforementioned branded collaboration with HGTVseemed to be on the same color wavelength as Pantone, naming Naval its choice for 2020. Yet another paint supplier, Behr, chose Back to Nature, an outdoor-inspired green; Glidden picked a blue-tinted gray called Whirlwind; and PPG gave the nod to Chinese Porcelain, another shade in the blue family.

But its not just paint companies making color picks. Etsy, the e-commerce site for handcrafted products, announced chartreuse as its choice, saying the bold shade of green is known for increasing energy, encouraging unconventional thinking and evoking feelings of growth and harmony. Trend forecasting company WGSN settled on neo mint, which looks exactly like it sounds.

Most of the paint companies predictions come in the context of an entire range of complementary tonesbecause if one color of the year is good, a dozen must be even better. And whether any of these forecasters consulted Chinese zodiac signs is another matter entirely. Now that were fully into the Year of the Rat on the Chinese calendar, feng shui aficionados say that gold, blue and green are considered particularly lucky colors for 2020, while we are urged to avoid yellow and brown.

Makes sense: Avoiding yellow and brown for your home and wardrobe is pretty sound advice to follow in almost any year.

____________

Warren Shoulberg is the former editor in chief for several leading B2B publications. He has been a guest lecturer at the Columbia University Graduate School of Business; received honors from the International Furnishings and Design Association and the Fashion Institute of Technology; and been cited by The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Washington Post, CNN and other media as a leading industry expert. He was also a guest on the BOH podcast, and his Retail Watch columns offer deep industry insights on major markets and product categories.

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What's the color of the year? It depends on who you ask - Business of Home