unbalanced room

[myfs_48097]

I'm remodeling my family room from
scratch. My problem is the fireplace which
is the focal point is not centered so the
room is heavy looking on one end. There
are two double windows opposite the
fireplace and it isn't centered with them
either. How do I get a balance?

[Cecil Lee]

Dear Kathy,
1. Primarily, under Shapes and Form FS, check to see that the centre of the home (where possible) should be one where there is clear space.
2. For the fire-place, ideally it should be located where one wall is occupying an external wall. This is the same concept of a toilet where, one wall should preferably be an external wall.
This would `prevent' the fire-place being in the centre of the house. It may depend on the size of the house.
3. If you are looking at asthetics to consider whether your house is balanced, it is quite difficult (I believe) to achieve since it is difficult or near impossible to move your fire-place.
4. Basically for windows, the main thing is to make sure that there are no poison arrows aimed at it from external i.e. or any external threats to it.
5. For the two windows, so long as they are proportionate to the size of the wall i.e. the exterior surface of the wall (where the windows should not occupy more than 33.3 percent of the area of the wall, it is acceptable. Even if it does not coincide with or in between the fire-place.
6. Although the fire-place is not a predominant feature of Feng Shui or less information on it; we should in our understanding of it (in relation to Feng Shui) as near equivalent to the concepts underlining the kitchen stove.
7. Here, it is because in China, fire-place is not as common than say the fire (from the kitchen)... however, if you can apply certain key principles of the stove, this should be acceptable:-
7.1. A commonsense concept is that the stove (or fire-place) should have a solid backing i.e. a wall. This is where there should not be say a window on the same face...
A window at this place for a fire-place is defintely not feasible even by commonsense...
7.2. Ideally, the fire-place (like the stove) should not face the main entrance (directly). Since, fire can easily be `extinguished' or warmth... easily moved out...
7.3. Where possible the fire-place should not be at a corner of a house but at least occupy 1/3 of a wall. Best if it is at the centre of (as u mentioned) balanced between two walls on each side... (really nice to have)... But of course subject to certain building constraints such as having a door on the same wall as the fire place or an opening ....
The above, are some of the concepts of a general locale of a fire-place that I can currently think of.
I would feel that what u mentioned, perhaps, may not be that serious after all.
Warmest Regards,
Cecil

Quote

On 1/18/01 8:12:00 AM, Anonymous wrote:
I'm remodeling my family room
from
scratch. My problem is the
fireplace which
is the focal point is not
centered so the
room is heavy looking on one
end. There
are two double windows
opposite the
fireplace and it isn't
centered with them
either. How do I get a
balance?