February 2004           •          California's Capital Region

Jodi King
She Creates Energy Flows By Using What You Already Have

For thousands of years, Chinese culture has associated feng shui - literally defined to mean "wind" and "water"- with the bounty of good harvests and good health. Over time, feng shui also has come to symbolize, among other things, a methodology for understanding how energy flows around us, particularly through how we arrange the environments in which we live. It's this feel for creating positive energy flow and balance that inspires Jodi King, owner of Artistic Interior Redesign in Fair Oaks.

King, a devout Christian, admits she didn't know a lot about feng shui and doesn't buy into the more "mystical" aspect" of the philosophy. But she does believe wholeheartedly in the power of energy flow through a person's living space and in the positive feelings that good energy flow can create. But unlike many interior designers and decorators, she also believes the best things for creating that flow are already right under her client's nose.

"I Use what people already have," she explains. "Good energy flow and comfortable living space are about being surrounded with what you like, not about making your environment look like a model home."

Not that the soft-spoken King won't ever agree to buying a new piece of furniture or rug if necessary, but she says clients ultimately get much more comfort and pleasure from surrounding themselves with objects that are special to them, such as a family heirloom, than they do from simply filling a room with new furniture.

Energy Flow Focus
There are two primary aspects to feng shui - the Chi, which focuses on energy that flows through mountains, rivers and valleys, and chi, which studies how energy flows through structures and how that flow affects the building's occupants. The chi has many tenets, such as seeking to create spaces that have each of the five elements of water, fire, metal, soil, and wood as a way of achieving balance in the environment. This could be as simple as an earthtone desk with a plant, a candle in a brass holder or a small desk fountain. Chi also discourages leaving sharp corners exposed (they block energy) or allowing dead plants to linger in their pots (dead plants give a feeling of stagnation). Clutter is a major no-no; curved pathways are a definite must.

King's adherence to feng shui principles centers on arranging a client's furniture, artwork and lighting in a way that's both functional for daily use and conducive for good energy flow. This requires a lengthy consultation with the client to gain insight into the individual's personal needs and tastes. Once hired, King requires that the client leave the home for the entire day while she works.

"This is for our mutual benefit," she says. "It can be so stressful for someone to see their things being taken from the walls or moved around the room. That creates a negative energy."

Overcoming Skepticism
Her clients can be skeptical, but they always come around the minute they see the final results. "I couldn't believe it," says Michael Cox, a neighbor and client who had King redesign a room off the main entrance into the home he shares with partner Mike Jeffries. "I knew that all of the stuff I was seeing was ours, but it was as if it was all new."

"The Mikes," as they are known in King's Fair Oaks neighborhood, have a vast collection of keepsakes and mementos gleaned from various trips all over the world, each having its own significance. They hired King to give the room a makeover unsure of what they would find when they returned.

"I figured that we could always just move everything back if we didn't like it," says Jeffries, "but when I saw it I was stunned. Not only did we not change anything, we have actually copied the style in other rooms."

Less Than a Coffee Table
King's talents go well beyond feng shui. She's formally trained in interior design, having studied at the School of Interior Redesign In Thousand Oaks, CA. She's also one of the few designers in the Capital Region to have earned membership in the exclusive Interior Redesign Industry Specialists, a networking and referral organization.

King, who has clients around the region and in the Bay Area, contends she's very affordable. Her services usually cost, as she put it, "less than you'd spend on a coffee table."

Jeffries' comment makes her smile. In spite of her success, "she says she knows that God gave her a special talent to help improve peoples lives through her ability to create safe havens that bring out the beauty in the world.

"That part (customer satisfaction) is more important to me than even the money," she says. "I'm not looking to make this a big business, but," she add quickly, "I would like to do more."