Feng Shui Modern

by Cliff Tan, Dura Lee (Illustrator)

The ancient practice of feng shui is uncovered in this simple and practical guide, revealing the tools that will lead to a healthier, happier home for every budget.

How do you place a bed in an awkward room? How can your space help you be more focused and more productive? How do you set up your room to make you ready for romantic love? It's simple!

In Feng Shui for Modern Living, TikTok influencer Cliff Tan answers these questions and more, explaining the ancient practice of feng shui and how it can be translated to modern homes. Cliff has become an internet sensation with his videos demonstrating the principles of feng shui, and in this practical guide he shows how to apply these principles room-by-room in your own home. He takes you behind the mysticism to reveal the logic behind feng shui. This is the key to unlocking the power of this ancient practice: once you understand the logic, your application of feng shui will work every time. There is no room too challenging, no problem that feng shui can't unravel. That's why people have been using it for thousands of years.

In the tradition of Marie Kondo and Mrs Hinch, this guide will revolutionise how you think about your space. It's feng shui made simple, and anyone can learn.

Genres: Nonfiction, Design, Interior Design, Self Help, Architecture, Reference, Philosophy

192 pages, Hardcover

First published January 20, 2022

Reviews

[Cia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Now I know!

[Corrado · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was looking for a book on feng shui and noticed that this one had a lot of good reviews. Only later did I realize it was by a content creator I’d occasionally seen on YouTube. All the other feng shui books I found felt a bit outdated, with their concepts set in stone, but this one offers a much fresher take on the subject.

It’s a really nice little book, and the ideas are explained in a very clear and accessible way. I’m already applying the concepts to my home and, probably it's just placebo, but I actually feel the space is improving!

I think it could be a great gift idea for someone who has just moved into a new house.

[Marian · Rating 5 out of 5]

An informative, amusing, and beautifully illustrated companion book to the Dear Modern YouTube channel. This is for anyone who enjoys design (visual and interior), psychology, and decorating, and you don't have to be an expert because the explanations are so clear. I learned a lot in this little hardback and will be referring back to it often as I arrange and decorate my apartment! (A minor quibble - wish there had been a bit more info about bookcases.)

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

it was fun reading about feng shui in English and seeing the author try to explain 「太極生兩儀，兩儀生四象，四象生八卦。」 i like that this book took many modern adaptions so it's not just "put a toad at your entrance for good fortune". learned a lot with the examples of good and bad feng shui practices.

but i also feel like some of the more traditional/superstitious aspects were lacking. I'd love to read more about feng shui in chinese maybe from hong kong practitioners, i heard they go to great lengths for this

[edh · Rating 5 out of 5]

While Cliff Tan's TikTok account (@dearmodern) concentrates on quick fixes for both real and model spaces, his book fills in all the gaps that avid followers will want to know about the principles of feng shui. Starting from the very basics, he offers the reminder that while practicing feng shui in your spaces doesn't guarantee success, it never hurts to stack the deck in your favor - that having a well-designed, thought-out space to live and work in will definitely benefit you! With plenty of floor plans and illustrations, Tan demonstrates the dos and don't of designing for good energy flow, strength, and tranquillity. His writing is delightfully conversational, capturing the cheerful animation he's known for on TikTok, which will likely captivate a whole new fan base. Recommend Feng Shui Modern to those who are ready to make their environment match their ambitions!

[Ana Hata · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Modern and Practical Approach to Feng Shui

I remember I used to obsess about the “baguas” of my home and think I needed to paint certain rooms certain colors to improve my life. But then I read the intro to this book and realized Modern Feng Shui is about feeling good in the space you’re in and making the most of what you have. Cliff does a great job of summarizing Feng Shui for the modern person and now I feel much less pressure to make my home “perfect”, but instead, to optimize Chi and how I feel when I walk in. This is a great read for me because I just moved into a new house and I have to plan the furniture! I am now thinking about the flow of chi and command positions when I enter a room. Thank you, Cliff!

[Olivia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Of the stack of feng shui books i got from the library, this was the standout as an introduction. Tan explains the reasoning behind core feng shui principles and encourages the reader to adapt based on what feels best individually. Now that I have a base level of understanding, I’m curious to learn more. (Previous dabbling left me baffled by conflicting advice, so this is a huge step.)

Recommend picking this up if you’re looking for a thoughtful introduction.

[Lara · Rating 4 out of 5]

So now I know!

I discovered the author by accident on YouTube first. But seeing as I'm moving into my new apartment in a month, I decided to listen to his advice to hopefully learn something that would be useful. Then I learned he published a book and I jumped right into it!

Let me preface by saying two things.
First: This is a great introduction to all the Feng Shui basics (I think).
Second: You can literally learn everything that's in this book if you binge Mr. Cliff Tan's videos on YouTube/TikTok. That's why it's 4 stars for me.

Since I'd already done that, reading this felt slightly redundant and I don't think I acquired any new information. Infact, the videos might be even more helpful with the visual aid, especially regarding furniture placement.

That said, I do think this book can come in handy when you need a quick reference to something and if you prefer reading that watching videos, go for it!

[Megatron · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice lil book, very straightforward:)

[Antoni Karasiński · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, now I know!
Love your work Cliff

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just what I wanted from this lil book, so now I know!

[Adrienne Blaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy to read overview. I can’t speak to the accuracy of any of the principles outlined. The tone of the book is less humorous and frenetic than Cliff Tan’s TikTok videos where he is known for sharing Feng Shui tips. He ends each tutorial with his catchphrase, “So, now you know!” I could only watch so many of those clips in a row, so I am grateful for this compendium. I am inspired to learn more!

[Eda Asia · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 ⭐️ das perfekte buch um in die feng shui welt einzusteigen, hat genau meine erwartungen getroffen 🫶🏽
p.s. lesemaus ist back nach einer pause

[Jake Cooper · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tan's short videos are real examples, dissected with little models. It doesn't translate well to a book.

[Yves V.H. [Slow reading] · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good book to begin with if you would like to explore Feng Shui but it doesn't have the 'specific' rules if you are looking for that. This book is more about explaining why you shouldn't do it and why you should do it instead.

Though this is not a bad book, some parts are quite repetitive for me which sometimes I find unnecessary (sometimes because there are times that it is necessary to repeat some rules to explain how they are connected to each other).

I knew Cliff Tan from tiktok though during the time I was buying this book (I was torn between this book and Feng Shui by Katina Jones) I didn't realize that it was the same Cliff Tan that I know. I browsed both books and I find Cliff Tan's more comprehensive than the other, though this is just my own opinion. Though repetitive, I find this book more enjoyable to read because the way he explains it is the way he explains everything on tiktok; for the mass -- i think is the better way to describe it.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Cliff Tan’s social media videos and picked up this book for that reason, but I didn’t expect to get as much out of it as I did. My mom has nagged us about our furniture placement all our lives, citing feng shui rules, but this book made it seem less esoteric and more commonsensical, and I love that! I’ve been taking Mr Tan’s advice and moving things around in my apartment, and I’m feeling good results! Wish the book were longer!

[Alexandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first thing I‘ve ever bought because of TikTok 🙊 And I don’t regret it at all!

An enjoyable and informative read that gave me clear ideas about how to rearrange my furniture and make the most out of my space. Would recommend to anyone who is interested in an introduction to Feng Shui.

[Laura van Dijk]

Mooi boek met prachtige illustraties. Goed om erbij te pakken als je een kamer of woning wilt inrichten volgens de principes van feng shui

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read a *TONNE* of Feng Shui guides and history, and I really liked this one. This is the first time I've had/read the compass symbols explained in a way that I understand.

[Rilee vanBerkel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Learned a lot, wasn't all that entertaining as it was literally just a book about feng shui and interior design.

[Anne (ReadEatGameRepeat) · Rating 5 out of 5]

So....now I know.

I have watched Cliff's videos for a while now and wasn't ever really interested in the book --- until I bought a house recently and decided I really should try to delve a little bit more into design and try to get some practical tips to apply when creating my new home. Luckily for me, this book is completely filled with those. I decided to take my time with this book and really try to absorb the knowledge which I think is a good way to read it - I also ended up tabbing/marking a few sections of the book that I can refer back to as they become relevant in my house renovation project. Overall, this book gives you a lot more theoretical knowledge on the building blocks of Feng Shui which are easy to apply in real life when looking at basically any project. It was just really interesting to read about how certain design choices can affect you and then going to the office or a friends house and seeing how those apply in real life as well.

I also really want to read more random non-fiction books like this, that are more like introductory courses on a specific topic written by someone who is clearly very knowledgable on the topic and also very passionate about it.

I will say I was a little apprehensive that this woud be a bit redundant to read when I've watched so many of Cliff's videos but I think this is a nice companion, but im glad to say that this is just more of a deep dive of the principles he talks about & then you can use the vidoes to see real life examples or applications of this theorietical knowledge.

Also just to add: I did read the dutch edition of this book - the edition is fine but there were some odd translation choices that were made which led to some interesting discussions between me and my partner.

[Ruth Yao · Rating 4 out of 5]

picked this book up because i was complaining to my sister that i didn’t know how to arrange my living room furniture and she had this book on hand. for some reason i felt kind of bad if i rated this 3 stars, so i rated this 4 stars, but its a very average nonfiction book. still fun and interesting though! it got kind of repetitive after a while but also i did read it in one go.

the beginning was very interesting, but the applications were not super helpful? it makes a lot of sense that the author is an architect because a lot of the advice was like “don’t put the sink next to the stove” like thanks but nothing i can really do about that. if you’re an architect though, i think this is a great book. some of the advice was a little silly but it did a good job of breaking down the concepts of feng shui into digestible pieces. will i actually implement any of these practices in my life? tbd. but at least now i don’t think feng shui is nonsensical superstitions (the five elements and the flow of chi kinda makes sense now).

[Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

Always nice learning something new! There are tips I would definitely love to incorporate in my house. It seems to be a great introductory book to feng shui but unfortunately a lot of the book was not applicable to the home I live in. There was a lot of explanations of rooms and doors vs windows etc for rooms made in funky ways and apartments so it’s great that there’s that for other people but hard to apply for me personally. I think to get the concepts down after the first read is a little hard to do as well so from now it’ll be great reference when decorating. Took me almost a year to finally read this book but took two short sits over two days to get it finished!

[Troy Nevitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Taking out the common mystical elements that make people (reasonably) cautious of this practice, Tan takes the time to explain the why's and what's for how to decorate a room for function and form. Helping you to give language and explanations for why rooms feel off, or why they feel good.

This was a fun and enjoyable read for both specifics, which can be taken or left, and for theory, which was very insightful.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve always loved watching Cliff’s videos online but never understand the background of why the suggestions he makes look so much better! I was so excited to finds out he had a book as I’ve been going through Marie Kondo’s tidying process and I think that this book will be extremely helpful once I’m ready to move all my things into their final positions.

Sometimes books like these don’t hold my attention the whole way through or I skip around but this one was fascinating and I really enjoyed going through the whole book as concepts built on each other.

Would absolutely recommend (and I already have!)

[Doug · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a lovely book! Well formatted and clearly a passion project, this is a simple introduction that doesn't mystify or claim to be tapping into magical energy - it's mostly common sense and reads clearly and consisely. I'll definitely be thinking about parts of this in future.

[Hanna (Hanna.k_draws) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant book. Now I know why my house feels so good! Without even realising I’ve arranged most of my spaces according to feng shui rules. Written in an easy to understand way :)

[Kenzi Popovich · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved this book. It was so interesting how what naturally feels good or makes sense in a home seems to follow the rules of Feng Shui. I’ve been interested in the concept ever since Tik Tok and this book did a great job of breaking down the principles and applying them to modern circumstances.

[Jenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

PRETTYYYY and fun to read. It doesn't solve all of my problems, but if you like his content, it's a great read :) yay for fellow Tans

[Alyssa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve always been curious about the great art of feng shui & now, weeks before I move, I feel well informed thanks to this book! Will be referencing this often while rearranging my furniture in my new place! :)