Can this system help you design your home' ask C+J

Feng shui sorts the yin from the yang

To feng shui, or not to feng shui: that is the question. Hmm' To be honest we straddle both camps, but readily accept that for many, having a well ordered and beautifully arranged home can make all the difference to leading a successful or unsuccessful life.

As a common sense principal, we look upon it as a simple guideline: keep a tidy house to help keep a tidy mind. This in turn helps you think, perform and function to your optimum effect.

The science bit

But what, exactly, is feng shui, and what does it promote' Is it a load of nonsense or will it actually improve your life'

Feng shui is the 3,000-year-old Chinese art of 'placement', which is based upon a philosophy of moving chi or natural energies throughout the domestic or professional environment.

By following the patterns of nature, you can decide upon the placement of everything from individual objects in your home or workplace to the positioning of buildings upon open land. Feng shui also shows you how to support the flow of energy in your life to augment health and prosperity. You'll have heard some of the basics: leaving the loo seat up encourages your wealth to flow down your U-bend and into oblivion, or that hidden clutter under your bed will subliminally sully your environment. Etc etc.

A guide for living'

Transcending the 'science bit'

feng shui has, in popular terms, mutated into general guidelines for the creation of beautiful architecture and comfortable interior d'cor. For us it's less about superstition and more about practicality. Throughout day time TV shows such as Trading Up and Real Rooms we carved a veritable career from applying its principals to home staging and preparing houses for the market. Aye, we pulled up many a bed, put down many a loo seat and popped a decorative money tree in the wealth corner of contributors' homes.

As far as perceived benefits and life improvement are concerned we'll leave you to personally evaluate the value of feng shui. While it's not really a science to which we adhere, we appreciate that for many devotees it's a religion and to that we say amen!