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Dining Room Designs and Vaastu Shastra

September 19th, 2009 No comments

You’ve heard about Feng Shui as a guiding principle in achieving the best home designs. Now consider Vaastu Shastra, an ancient Indian art of developing a perfectly balanced environment composed of physical and metaphysical forces. Vaastu Shastra also has solid principles on the power of energy and how its flow in a room affects the lives of its dwellers. What ‘Chi’ is to Feng Shui, ‘Pran’ is to Vaastu. Both are terms referring to the energy flow that makes space be either a positive or negative influence to its occupants. Feng Shui or Vaastu Shastra, everyone can use a good set of guidelines to consider in designing a dining room where family members meet and share precious moments while sharing a meal.

‘Vas’ means to occupy or live in and ‘Shastra’ means science. The term Vaastu Shastra may then be literally translated as the “science of building homes.” It fundamentally gives you a picture of what things to put in a room and how to arrange them in a way that attracts a flow of positive energy. However, there is more to it that makes it popular.

Vaastu Shastra recommends that the west portion of a house be employed for constructing a dining room. In terms of dining room furniture, the dining table should not set against a wall. It is also viewed as important that diners have ample space between each other and all around the table for them to be able to move with ease. As for the shape of the dining tables, the most recommended are square and rectangular.

The principles of Vaastu Shastra also encourage neat furniture arrangements in the dining and every other room in the house. Too many furniture pieces which result in overcrowding of any living space is also discouraged. If the dining room merges into the kitchen or any other room as part of an open plan area, there should be some form of division in the form of potted plants or glass.

Having a toilet immediate to the dining room or one that opens into it is discouraged, as well as having a chandelier or anything that directs a beam of light into the dining table. Only calming colors such as beige or yellow should also be painted on the walls and anything too strong is taken as unfavorable.

The ancient belief not only covers dining room arrangements but also the seating arrangement of family members who are about to share a meal. It is encouraged that parents sit facing the North, North – East, or Eastern directions. If children were to be seated in any of those positions, it is believed that they will eventually overpower their parents in terms of running the household and their lives. This Indian tradition also recommends some kind of offering made to a cow, crow or dog before a meal is served.

For your furniture alternatives, the rules remain the same – get only stylish, high-quality and functional dining room furniture, bedroom furniture, or any other type of furniture you may need to perfect that home reconstructing project.

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Styles of Dining Tables

August 12th, 2009 No comments

Consider your dining room and what holds it together. Yes, your dining table. That’s for the reason that no matter what else you put in that room, that table will be the focal point or center of that tiny universe right within your home. It may not have dawned on you yet but your dining table does make a difference in your daily lives. Imagine if you didn’t have it. Imagine what you’d miss – nice family dinners, parties, food! Luckily, you can get a dining table just about everywhere these days. Virtual or traditional, every furniture shop will have a nice range of dining tables for every homemaker to select from.

Dining tables also come in different shapes, sizes, finishes, materials and unique features. While this is an advantage for the shopper who gets to have as many options as he wants, picking something out in that sea of choices can be confusing. However, with a quick guide to choosing dining tables, one shouldn’t go wrong.

There are several types to think about so the first thing to do before making a buy is to resolve which one you’re looking for.

The Breakfast Bar is a dining table that’s smaller than the general dining table but with some nice and unique features. If you ever saw a table with locking casters, that’s a dining table. Several also have racks to provide storage space.

A table which you don’t normally see in a dining room is believably a Cocktail or Coffee Table. This is where you place our drinks while in the living room entertaining a guest. When you’re spending your weekend watching tv, a cocktail table is probably where you place your drinks and instant meals. It’s also smaller than the usual dining table and it comes with rollers so you get to bring it wherever you want. And yes, most people think this is the best type of table there is.

Contrary to those smaller-than- typical dining tables already mentioned, a Refectory Table is all length and space. Imagine it long and rectangular and seating a large number of people. If there’s any particular need for you to have this type of table, just make sure you have lots of space for it.

Finally, when you talk about dining rooms and silverware and chandeliers, the Accent Table fits in perfectly. This is a standard dining table but with just a little bit more of those ornate details to provide a touch of romance. If you’re thinking of a grand, traditional dining room, this is probably the table that fits into the picture.

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