Balancing cultural traditions, practicality, and personal identity
Creating a heritage honoring home that reflects you with 5 tips for blending culture, comfort, and functionality.
Author: Dan Truong
THE KEYS TURN and the door swings open into our new apartment. With two full cars’ worth of belongings, we eagerly anticipate the end of the moving chaos. But first, on the kitchen bench, we lay down a tray, adorned with fruits and snacks. One by one, we light incense sticks and introduce ourselves to the house spirits. We ask for their blessing and protection as we transform this dwelling into our new home. It’s a small ritual that grounds us and connects us to something greater.
Our next challenge? Balancing personal style with cultural values. For many Asian Australians who grew up in a blended culture, it’s a topic full of nuance. How do we integrate traditional principles like feng shui and vastu with contemporary interior design? How can we honour our cultural heritage while making a rented space feel like home and expressing our individuality? These questions shape our journey of turning a house into a sanctuary.
Spirituality undoubtedly plays a huge role in Asian culture, and many of us who grew up in Asian homes are familiar with the guiding principles of Feng Shui or Vastu Shastra. These ancestral disciplines seek to make our spaces harmonious, balanced, and in tune with our surroundings.
Laura Young
Trades & Trinkets, 2024, digital art
Vastu (dwelling, building) Shastra (science, teaching) originated in ancient India around 12,000 years ago and focuses on alignment with natural elements and spatial energy. Integrating architecture with nature and the functions of different parts of a building, the principles of this traditional Hindu system is observed and integrated into the basic design of spaces all over the world, predominantly in the homes of South Asian families. From small moves such as furniture placement or the inclusion of specific objects in a room, to larger gestures such as orientation and airflow, Vastu Shastra aims to enhance the positive flow of energy into and through people’s homes, ultimately working to improve sleep quality, reduce stress, and overall, have a positive impact on their quality of life.
Feng (wind) Shui (water) originated in China around 5,000–6,000 years ago and focuses on balancing and harmonising the flow of energy with the environment. This art of arrangement is used to optimise the residences of many East and Southeast Asian households.
While they are different practices in their own right with unique beliefs and teachings, the standout similarity between the two is their desire to improve the flow of energy in our spaces, creating homes that are peaceful and comforting. I’m not a Feng Shui or Vastu Shastra expert, so for those who wish to dig deeper into those topics, I encourage you to read up about them and find ways they can improve your living spaces. What I can speak to is how I’ve adapted these principles in a modern context, making my Pinterest boards come to life while honouring the culture I was raised with.
