One of my favorite designers is arguably not an artist in most contexts of the word. His name is Cliffe Tan, and he practices Feng shui, and promotes his work mainly through TikTok where people will request that he rearrange a room in the most energy efficient way. Typically, submissions are of oddly shaped spaces that no one really knows what to do with, such as the room in the example below.
Before:
After:
Another way Cliffe uses his talents is by arranging very small rooms, usually submitted by college students or someone living in studio apartment. Below is an. example of a three person college dorm room.
Before:
After:
And now very small apartments:
After:
Feng shui is an ancient Chinese art and science that deals with the arrangement and placement of objects and spaces to achieve balance and harmony in the environment. The term “Feng shui” literally means “wind and water” in Chinese, and it is based on the principle that the natural environment is filled with invisible energies that affect the balance and flow of life. According to Feng shui, every object and space has a certain energy, or “chi,” which can be harnessed and directed to promote health, prosperity, and happiness. Feng shui practitioners use a variety of techniques to balance the energy flow in a space, such as rearranging furniture, using colors and textures, and incorporating natural elements like plants and water. Since Cliffe typically deals with random submissions, he mostly focuses on how the furniture itself can be arranged in order to ensure proper energy flow.
While there is some debate about the scientific validity of Feng shui, many people believe that it can have a positive impact on their lives and well-being. Overall, Feng shui is a complex and nuanced practice that seeks to create a sense of balance and harmony in one’s environment, with the ultimate goal of promoting positive energy flow and improving one’s quality of life.
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What Cliffe Tan is doing is really cool and innovative. I’m most impressed by the tiny tiny room he transformed from basically a hallway into a very nice bedroom. Looking at the first picture I wasn’t able to think of any way of changing the room to make it more useable and aesthetic, but the final result looks fabulous. It is great to see someone add value and appreciation to make the most out of small spaces instead of just creating more and using more resources.
I’m glad you see it my way, Cameron! I’ve never really thought about how energy interacts with my living space, but Cliffe’s videos have definitely inspired some rearranging in my apartment. I also like that his suggestions work with what’s already there, rather than proposing a whole remodel of a space.
Hi Sam, I really liked this post and I hadn’t heard of Cliffe before as a designer. However, I can really see with all of the example images you provided how he works to incorporate Feng shui into the overall layout of the space. I really like that you included the side-by-side comparisons of before and after he made the changes because while they seem to use most of the same components, even from a top down view the space feels dramatically different. Do you have a favorite design change that he has made, or have you tried to incorporate any of his design ideas into your own space? I also quite like your inclusion and explanation of Feng shui in the post. I can really see the inspiration in his work!
Thanks, Palmer! I have actually taken some of his direction in setting up my bedroom. It’s a common practice in Feng shui to make sure that your bed is not in the way of any huge energy flows. This means no headboard aligned on same wall as your door, and that your bed isn’t the closest piece of furniture to your entryway. With these rules in mind, I tried my best to place my bed the “correct” way, according to Feng shui. It’s definitely more difficult when you live in a small rental apartment, but it can be done!