centre of the city article 2005 [pdf library]

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c e n t r e o f t h e c i t

One of the oldest healing sciences

on the planet has become the

hottest new trend in home dcor.

Decorators and homeowners across theWestern world are flocking to find out more

about the 6,000-year-old Indian science of

architecture and design, called vastu.

Its a very calming, very soothing form of

design, says vastu expert Kathleen Cox,

who says vastu does for your home and

your spirit what yoga does for your body

and mind.

Said to be the inspiration for feng shui, the

Chinese art of design, vastu is the Sanskrit

word for science of structures. With

Indian fashion, yoga, and alternative medi-

cine already big in the West, the surgingpopularity of vastu continues this trend of

the Wests fascination with all things Eastern.

Vastu believes everything is alive, says

Cox, a New York City-based vastu expert

whose clientele includes supermodel

Christy Turlington.

Cox was in Toronto recently to decorate

North Americas very first vastu lodge,

called the Annex Quest House. A revampedrooming house on Spadina Road in down-

town Toronto, the 18-room lodge recently

reopened, providing temporary, up

lodging for people in transition (room

for an introductory rate of $79 per n

$395 per week and $1,495 per monthMeanwhile, vastu offers a beautiful,

pensive and easy way to breathe some

life into any space, Cox says. With

you try to align your biorhythms wit

universal rhythms at work around you

says. The way we organize our spac

an impact on the way we feel. If yo

your space positively, it will help you t

stress. Its very much like yoga and ay

da (Indian health practice), with p

breathing, meditation and eating well.

increases your well-being by increasin

power of the space around you.Vastu is very simple, but requires y

be mindful of what you are doing with

By Karen Bridson-Boyczuk

Ancient Eastern

philosophiesinfluenceWestern design

The art of vastu

Rich blues, which provide a calming influence thatcombats stress, are said to honour air and are bestrepresented in a homes northwest corner.

Photos by Ian Kelso

The art of vastu


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18 c e n t r e o f t h e c i t y

dcor, says Cox, who is also the author of

two vastu books, Vastu Living and the Power

of Vastu Living.

Vastu is based on three ancient principles

of Indian design. The first principle is tokeep in mind what the four quadrants of

every room represent as you decorate, and

to honour the five elements in every room

(ether or air, earth, fire, wind, water), Cox

says.

All of these elements should have a

sense of value and be honoured within the

space, she says.

Earth is honoured in the southwest, fire is

honoured in the southeast, water is hon-

oured in the northeast, wind is honoured in

the northwest and air is honoured in the

centre of the room.Placing heavier furniture in the south and

west honours earth. We want to try to

block out the harmful rays of the noon

sun, she says. Thats why we want the

heaviness in the room to be in the south-

west.

The southeast should have something

beautiful to look at, preferably something

representing fire, like a burning candle.

This honours the noonday sun coming

from that direction. You should honour

the fire and be aware of its importance in

life, Cox says.

Wind is in the northwest because of the

Norwester, the most fickle of all winds, she

says. We honour that quality by putting

that there. An example of honouring wind

would be to put a hammock in that corner,she says.

The northeast quadrant of a room is relat-

ed to water in the northern hemisphere so

this part of the room should be designed to

create a very calming space.

The centre of the room is where you hon-

our air and space. We keep that sacred

space free to move, she says.

The second principle of vastu is to incor-porate as much of nature into your space as

you can. We are all connected to nature,

Cox says, so its important in vastu to cre-

ate spaces that incorporate as many organic

products as possible.

To follow this vastu principle, its a good

Above: Assymmetry is an important component

of vastu design. Groupings of design elements

work best in threes or fives.

Right: Vastu design is very minimal, but does fea-

ture natural materials and handmade craftsman-

ship wherever possible, as shown by this ham-

mered copper sink.

The art of vastu


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20 c e n t r e o f t h e c i t y

idea to use plants, wood, glass and as little

plastic and synthetic products as possible.

Nature is so soothing, she says. Its a

place of inspiration. It puts you in a place

thats peaceful, especially in the city whereits so busy.

Plants also contribute positive energy to a

space because they remove the toxins from

the air, Cox says. We group them together

so they exist as they do in nature, she says.

The third principle of vastu is to ensure

your room celebrates the true personalities

of the people living in that space.

Celebrating who you are, she says.

Your utter humanity and losing yourself.

Its done with a lot of care.

Incorporating this principle in your roommay include hanging pictures that are spe-

cial to you on the wall.

Overall, vastu Indian dcor is very mini-

mal, with just one piece of art on every wall.

Beds should have some height to them,

she says. It gives a spaciness to rooms, she

says. You should also allow the dance of

light and shadows to move around the

room.

Asymmetry is another hallmark of vastu

design, Cox says. In the West we are hung

up on symmetry, she says. We always putthe picture on the centre of the wall. We

arent symmetrical and we are visually and

viscerally more connected to spaces when

they are designed with asymmetry. It makes

the space flow from corner to corner.

Another aspect of vastu is trying to avoid

even numbers in your dcor. Groupings of

threes and fives are better than twos and

fours, she says.

Circular objects and images are also

avoided in vastu as they cause energy to

roll whereas squares are more static.Meanwhile, its important to note that,

unlike feng shui, vastu design principles

dont carry with them promises or threats.

The art of vastu


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c e n t r e o f t h e c i t

Nothing involved in vastu causes bad things to happen, she says.

If you do certain things, that wont bring you luck. And if you dont

do certain things, you wont get sick.

However, people seem to sleep better if the head of their bed is

at the east, west or south side of a room. If the head of your bed

is north, people tend to have a very disturbed sleep, she says.

As for what colours should be used in rooms, Cox says it all

depends on the personality of person or people who will be using

the room. What you want to do is pick a colour that is good for

you, she says. If you are a lethargic person, you may want to

pick a stimulating colour. If you are stressed, you may want to

pick a more cooling colour, like blue or green.

Some colours, like earthy colours, are safe for everyone,according to vastu principles, Cox says.

Vastu is growing in popularity, along with other Eastern trends,

because people are so stressed out these days and are looking for

ways to relax, she says.

One thing we can control is our environment, she says. We

can use our space to make us feel confident and unwind. We feel

dehumanized, so many of us, in our work. Im trying to put some

space back into the home.

Cox said people should beware of the glut of vastu books com-

ing onto the market these days because so many of them are writ-

ten by people who are trying to make money but havent really

studied the science. I studied with a Vedic scholar, she said.

Helen Goldstein, owner of The Yoga Studio, had one of her stu-

dios in downtown Toronto vastued to create a healthy env

ment for her clients to practice.

Feng shui is more clinical and analytic, this is less tradi

al, she says. Its got a nice flow to it, its harmonious.

Many people come into the studio and comment on how

it feels to be in the space, she says.

Alex Bollag, manager of The Yoga Studio, said all the s

shes seen that have been vastued are very beautiful and pea

These spaces promote a peaceful mind, she says. Its impo

that your environment works with you and not against you

This unique raised bed, surrounded by a hot colour scheme, honours fire.The

asymmetrical grouping of three plants balances the intensity of the walls

with a cooling influence.

Annex Quest House on Spadina Road is North Americas first vastu-insp

lodge, offering temporary, upscale accommodations.

The way we organize our space has an impact on the way we feel.If you use your space positively, it will help you to de-stress.

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