Make a fireplace the focus of the living room rather than having a large TV and/or a collection of hi-fi equipment dominating the room. Feng Shui agrees totally with this. If you can keep your TV to one side and minimize the effect of hi-fi and other stuff, the room will feel far more welcoming.

Such equipment along with computer equipment is a mixture of the elements of metal and water and while a little of these is wonderful, too much of them dominating the room is not good.

A nice square or rectangular living room is best, as there is nowhere for Chi to collect and stagnate. Unless your room is very small, avoid pushing the furniture against the walls so that it ends up looking like a dentists waiting room but arrange your seating in a horse shoe formation so that everybody can feel comfortable.

If your living room is not rectangular but an odd shape, put a plant in the odd shaped end in order to liven it up and to prevent stale Chi from gathering. Try to avoid sitting with your back to the door, as this will make you feel insecure.

Use a mirror over a fireplace that has been blocked off to make a small room seem more spacious. Avoid placing seats under a beam, as this will make the occupant insecure. Furniture shape and size must be in keeping with the room. Cushions and soft furnishings soften a room and introduce a touch of feminine Yin into a heavily masculine room.

Use the less importantly numbered areas of your room for sideboards, shelving, plants and other 'fillers'. Try to keep the centre of this room and the dining table tidy, if you have one, because this is considered to be a minor health area which will encourage well-being if it is kept clear of clutter and mess. Flowers and plants will encourage good Chi and they will soften any secret arrows that are in the room. It is considered inauspicious to use dried flowers and any cut flowers should be thrown out before they start to die.

Mirrors are useful when you need to extend an area of the house but avoid placing it in such a way that the reflection cuts your head in half when you are seated. A mirror over a fireplace as this is said to encourage good Chi to vanish up the chimney, but if the fireplace is ornamental and not actually used as an open fire, this is fair enough.

A mirror over a fireplace can make a small room feel larger and brighter. A tank of fish is considered a wonderful thing for promoting luck, money, harmony and peace. If your living room is situated at the front of the house this is definitely a great place to have one.