You don’t need to be an interior design professional to make use of design philosophies like feng shui. If you’ve never decorated a home before and don’t know the difference between Art Deco and Hollywood Regency, a basic design philosophy can help you decide where to place your furniture and decor.

Following a philosophy like feng shui is almost like having an advisor that you can turn to with questions such as: “Which way should my couch face?” You don’t have to take your advisor’s advice, but it’s nice to have their advice to reference.

The door chime in the picture has the symmetry of a paired object, the gold tone of a brass bell, and a melodious chime that brings positive energy to the environment. Here are three of my favorite (and totally awesome) feng shui ideas that illustrate how something as small as a doorbell can enhance your home.

Clearing negative energy

Every piece in your home has an impact on how you feel. Anything that negatively impacts you can be removed.

Do you have a lamp that you bought the same day you received a phone call saying a relative was in the hospital? Does looking at that lamp remind you of that stressful moment? Replace the lamp with a lighting source that brings you joy and peace.

Use gold to attract success and abundance

Have you ever noticed how much antique furniture has gilding or brass elements? It’s because the colour gold has been associated with success across many cultures and eras.

If you have an area of your home that you use for work or to impress visitors, gold tones will enhance the energy of the space. The most popular places for gold accents are in a foyer, living room or home office.

Anchor loving relationships with pairs of objects

In every home I live in, I hang a pair of horseshoes on the wall of my kitchen. For me, serving a drink or making dinner for a friend is how I show my loved ones I care. I chose horseshoes because I loved playing horseshoes in my front yard as a child.

Similarly, pairs of curtains, bedside tables, couple pictures and other paired objects can help to manifest love in a bedroom.

For a basic primer on feng shui, a great read is Feng Shui Your Life by Jayme Barrett. The book is chock-full of ideas on how to improve the energy of your home without needing to know anything about interior design.

Learn more about schools of thought in interior design here.