The Year of the Fire Horse

February 17th , the Chinese Lunar New Year, ushers in the year of the Fire Horse! Not seen since 1966, the Fire Horse represents vibrancy, passion and movement – the dominant colours being vermillion red, rich tangerine, emerald green and gold. Feng shui, the Chinese philosophy of creating a positive flow of energy, inviting harmony, prosperity and well-being into the home, offers a practical way of including these ‘lucky’ colours in our interiors while simultaneously giving insights into the most beneficial placement of furniture and the use of light.

Wattyl Ruby Sunset

Wattyl Kanuka

Wattyl Moody White

In the living area above, the tangerine-red of the Fire Horse takes centre stage in the form of an arm chair, while being balanced by the greens in the artworks and the clean white of the walls, in Wattyl Moody White. The compact side table, also in a warm white, contributes to the sense of space and clutter-free living, allowing the energy of the room to flow freely.

Wattyl Magma

Wattyl Sonoram

Wattyl Lemon Mojo

A totally different take on living spaces for this year of the Fire Horse is the room above. Exuding an immediate sense of warmth and nurturing, an earthy terracotta-orange has been used on the walls, in the form of Wattyl Magma, with a tonal variation of this hue being seen in the side table. The space works, without any risk of appearing cluttered or oppressive, due to the sparse but clever use of whites, yellows and greens in the decorative items, such as artworks, cushions and flowers.

A key insight from Feng Shui is to declutter hallways and entryways – the Fire Horse needs space to run! So create space in these areas to allow energetic flow and opportunity – as well as making a good impression on anyone entering the home. In the image below, some of the key colours from the Fire Horse have been used in the artwork and table, but these have been given space and a sense of calmness by painting the walls and ceiling in the soft, neutral white of Wattyl Calcium.

2026, the year of the Fire Horse, will be a time of restless energy, bold vision and transformation, so to create a calming and nurturing environment within our homes is to be encouraged. Thankfully, this can be achieved relatively easily and inexpensively with a coat of paint and some well placed colour-rich decorative items.