Oriental tapestries and rugs can make a beautiful focal point to any room of the house – as long as you know how to decorate with them! Rugs Of course, these beautiful oriental silk tapestries have also been used as rugs for centuries. With all their vibrancy, oriental rugs can
Home & Garden
Asian Clay Pots to Make Delicious Meals
In countries all over Asia, clay pots have been used for centuries to cook up delicious traditional dishes. Clay pots are often beautiful pieces of art, hand-crafted by expert potters, so above and beyond utility, they make unique decorative additions to your kitchen cabinets tables. The main reason, however, to
4 Simple Ways to Fengshui Your Kitchen
Fengshui, developed some 3,000 years ago in ancient China, is a complex body of knowledge that reveals how to balance the energies of any given space to assure health and good fortune for people inhabiting it. According to the principles of fengshui, the kitchen is the most important part of
5 Ways to Use the Chinese Cleaver
Everyone knows that a chef is only as good as his or her knives, and never is that more true than in Asian cuisine. While many of us earnest chefs-to-be have stocked our kitchen with the finest in stainless steel, one incredibly useful and versatile tool that many Western kitchens
How to Care for your Orchid
Thanks to the wide variety of climates, environments, flora and fauna across the continent of Asia, many different kinds of orchids are cultivated throughout countries like Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia. In China, orchids carry cultural significance in several contexts – you can find orchids in artworks,
Wind Chimes for a Positive “Qi” Energy for your Home
In many Asian cultures, wind chimes do more than provide background music for a windy day. From Bali to Tibet to Japan, people have been hanging wind chimes for centuries not only as a decoration, but, more significantly, as a way to calm the mind and awaken the spirit. Ancient
Build your Own Koi Fish Pond in your Garden
We’ve all had a gold fish or even an aquarium full of tropical fish, but have you ever considered a fishpond for your garden? All over Asia, you’ll find courtyards with koi fishponds. Koi fish look a bit like giant-sized goldfish (they can grow to a length of three feet,
4 Ways to Boost Your Driveway’s Fengshui
The ancient Chinese practice of feng shui puts a lot of emphasis on entryways – with correct positioning relative to your geography, even before you walk in the door of the house, you can channel positive energy and good fortune into your home. For all the effort we expend to
Feng Shui your Home with Shoe Racks
In the West when we arrive as a guest at someone’s home, it’s often polite to at least offer to take off our shoes, but in the East, the custom goes without question – when stepping into a friend’s home, you should always remove your shoes! When you remove your
Multiple Ways to Use Bamboo for your Garden and Backyard
Looking to add some Asian flair to your home garden and backyard? Bamboo adds both a touch of the East as well as the help of utility. Using bamboo poles to construct any number of additions to your backyard is one of the cheapest and easiest ways to add style
Bless your Home with Asian Calligraphy!
The ancient art of calligraphy is as popular today as it was back in the days of the Chinese Song Dynasty. The delicate beauty of calligraphy’s ornate brushstrokes create a soft and romantic work of art, while its intricate details convey poetry and wisdom to add deeper meaning. As traditional
Chinese Tea Table: Bring more Enjoyment to your Tea Ritual
The intricacies of Chinese tea ceremony and culture may seem enigmatic to us Westerners, but that doesn’t mean we can’t incorporate some of its beauty into our own traditions and lives. One easy way to appreciate and enjoy the charm of Chinese tea culture is with your own Chinese tea
Significance of Buddha Statues for your Home
While many of us already appreciate the beauty of Buddha statues, perhaps fewer of us really understand their significance and value. For all the ways that a Buddha statue, painting, or motif can beautify your home and give it an Asian flair, the image of the Buddha also has a