I am an interior designer and a certified Feng Shui practitioner. With 20 years of experience in the interior design field, along with a balance of my western beliefs and my Asian heritage, I have developed a common sense approach to the art of Feng Shui and its principles. 

Through my business, Say Ch'i (pronounced "chee"), I consult with individuals, businesses, builders, teachers, architects/designers and realtors on applying these principles to shift the flow of energy (ch'i) in a space to create a positive atmosphere to live or work in. By making adjustments to the layout of a space, the well-being, prosperity and happiness of clients may be enhanced and bring change. I take the mystery out of this ancient philosophy and make it easy for clients to incorporate Feng Shui into their daily lives.

I hold a B.S. degree in interior design from the University of Minnesota. I am Wind and Water certified (WWC) through the Wind and Water School of Feng Shui, which is licensed by the Minnesota Office of Higher Education and taught by its president and founder, Carole J. Hyder, the internationally known speaker, author and teacher. My certification is in the Black Sect tradition, which is a western version of Feng Shui that uses the front door of your home or workplace as the starting point. I am also an active member of FSIM (Feng Shui Institute of the Midwest).

What is Feng Shui?

Feng Shui (pronounced "fung shway") is translated as "wind and water." It is the ancient Chinese art of placement and positioning of your belongings to enhance the flow of ch'i (energy) within your space.  Feng Shui may enhance your well-being and success by modifying the layout of your home and workplace. The flow of positive and negative energy is determined by the placement of furniture and objects within a space. By adjusting the flow of ch'i in a space with Feng Shui principles, you are able to create an environment that supports your well-being, promotes a sense of harmony, creates peace and happiness.

How Does Feng Shui Work?

Feng Shui is both a science and an art form. It provides a practical approach to making changes in nine life areas through the art of placement and intention. It is important for you to look not only at the condition of your home or office in these areas, but also at your life and what your personal goals are for making changes or improvements in these areas. As a consultant, I observe the energy flow within your physical space and find relationships with your inner self and physical environment. A "grid" or Bagua (pronounced "bah-gwah") is laid over your floor plan to map out the nine areas of concern or enhancement in your life or within your company. The Bagua can be placed over property, floorplans, individual rooms, a bed or a desk. The nine life areas include: Health, Wealth, Fame & Reputation, Partnership, Children & Creativity, Helpful People, Career, Knowledge and Family.

Feng Shui Consultation:

 You will need to provide an accurate floor plan (to scale) ahead of our scheduled appointment. This floor plan may be a builder's blue print (photocopy) or a simple line drawing that you have hand drawn (also to scale). The drawing should indicate interior walls, windows, doors, attached garages, closets, toilets, sinks, etc. The location of furniture is not necessary for this drawing.  An important part of Feng Shui is your intention.  Determine what issues or changes are the most important in your life currently. 

You will need a new, red envelope to enclose payment for the consultation. It is a tradition in Feng Shui for a consultant to receive payment in a red envelope. This is a way to honor the information and energy exchanged between the consultant and client.

You may clean your space as you would if you were expecting company. However, if you move or eliminate areas of clutter that typically collect in your home or work area, your space will not be an accurate reflection of how you live or work.

Each consultation lasts approximately 1 hour. My fee includes study of your floor plan and preparation needed before the actual face-to-face consultation.

Redesign Consultation:

I will schedule an initial consultation to go over the changes you want to make in your space from an aesthetic standpoint. I will make suggestions for changes or additions that you may do on your own such as modifying furniture placement, decluttering, painting, purchasing new pieces of furniture or changing the placement of your existing accessories. I also offer decorating services using your existing belongings as well as the option to purchase additional items based on a budget that you set for me.

"We learned many useful things during our consultations and we are very pleased with the changes that we have made to our home based on the things that we learned from you. Not only did we immediately notice a difference, our guests have also commented on the change. We have felt more at peace and even more settled in our otherwise chaotic lives. We were amazed at the impact of making such simple changes to our living spaces. Your insight was very valuable and we appreciate all of the time that you took to not only explain things to us, but also the extra steps of helping us identify items that would be important to us and helping us place these items in our home. Thank you for teaching us about this amazing philosophy and for all or your work and effort on this project!"

T. & J. -  Columbia Heights, MN

"Even though it's been a while since you were at our salon, we really enjoyed your visit and you gave us many easy, helpful ideas with which to work.  You made the concepts of Feng Shui very accessible to the average, non-Feng-Shui-versed layperson, concepts that made a lot of sense and could be easily implemented.  One of the big things I'm focused on is keeping clutter in control, which is so hard in our tiny space with limited storage, but we try!  It really makes a difference in MY peace of mind, and I know clients appreciate it, as well."

J. (hair salon owner) - Little Canada, MN

"It was such a great experience working with Julie.  Initially I was drawn to her variety of credentials (feng shui, interior design and space planning) and her flexibility in what role she could play in helping me get my house the way I wanted it.  I wanted someone that would not only help me learn the feng shui philosophy but someone that was actually willing to roll up her sleeves, dig in and help me make the changes.  She helped me move furniture, hang pictures and redistribute my home accessories.  I felt very comfortable with her in my home and she was very complimentary.  We spent an hour on the feng shui philosophy and then from there the rest of the time was charged at half that price to make the changes.  I initially thought I would hire her for just one time, but after getting a taste of her skill and reasonable price we ended up redoing the whole house.  My house was transformed from an outdated unappealing space into a home I absolutely love and take pleasure in spending time in.  My husband loves the changes too."

M.M. - Minneapolis, MN

I felt very confident in asking Julie to review our  home due to the fact she offers an expertise above  all other professionals in this industry; Julie is able to easily combine her interior design experience with the  most current Feng Shui information.  Julie did a super job of reviewing our home/floor plan and offered great recommendations for all areas within  our home. She was quickly able to get a sense of our decorating tastes and offered recommendations that fit our home and lifestyle perfectly.  One of the recommendations that Julie offered was for a specific color to add in the main bathroom - I LOVE  it - the room now feels "lighter" and more upbeat/joyful!  Julie offered new ideas that once were implemented, the positive difference was felt quickly!  Julie has done a wonderful job of following up with  various questions that I have had after our consultation - thank you Julie for all your  assistance!
L.M. - Champlin, MN