This simple decor mistake is making you 'un-dateable': 'Remove immediately'

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The way you decorate your home can have a crippling affect on your love life - especially if you're the sentimental type who likes having photos of friends and family nearby.

Speaking to FEMAIL, Feng Shui expert Suzanne Butler warned your choice of decor can derail dating success before anyone's even entered the front door.

Surprisingly, family photos, pictures of friends and even snaps of friends can wreak the most havoc on a potential romance - especially if they are in the bedroom.

This, she says, is because photos indicate those in them are 'watching over you energetically', which is not something you want when intimacy is on the table.

'I liken this to voyeurism. They shouldn't be in your bedroom, your intimate area. Move them instead to the East of your home which is the 'family zone',' she said.

Speaking to FEMAIL, Feng Shui expert Suzanne Butler warned your choice of decor can derail dating success before anyone's even entered the front door 

A bed that's too big can create distance, while family photos are a huge no-no if you don't want to be single. Everything should be paired including lamps and bedside tables

She added that having photos of yourself alone in your room will have similar effect as it says: 'I am fine single'. 

The Brisbane-based expert, who is a finalist in the 'Beam 2024 Small Business Awards', Coach of the Year category, said bedroom décor doesn't start and end with family photos.

'It makes sense that your bedroom décor should be reflective of the kind of intimate life you wish to have. Your bedroom is your personal space and the Feng Shui of it should be welcoming to the partner you want in it,' she said.

Items such as lamps and bedside tables should be paired, even when it's only you in your bedroom, she advised.

'Bedside tables need to be matching if possible - anything uneven will give uneven energy to the relationship,' she said. 

This means tables of different sizes could be problematic, as are decor choices like love hearts.

'Some people put three hearts in their room because it looks better - this is fine if you are happy with a throuple,' she said.

Any reminders of past lovers should also be removed from the room. 

Having photos of birds which mate for life, a queen bed and matching lamps and bedside tables are important for relationships 

'It goes without saying that photos of your ex should not be there. remove soft animals they gave you for Valentines Day or ornamental swans for your anniversary,' she said.

Other items in the bedroom may be reducing opportunities for intimacy and dating, rather causing other unwelcome realities.

'Having your treadmill or exercise bike in your bedroom, right next to your bed, may initially seem like a good idea. You may have thought you could work out as soon as you wake up,' Ms Butler said.

But having exercise gear in the bedroom can make you feel tired and worn out as they are associated with feeling exhausted.  

The same goes for those who work from bed. 

'If you must have an office space in this area, ensure at the end of the day you can block it off with a screen or cover over with something like a sarong,' she said.

'Otherwise, you are literally taking work to bed with you. This will not create a space for good rest or the fun you want to inspire in your life.'  

Women should also avoid making their space 'too feminine' if they are looking for a man as it doesn't invite the right energy.

'Neutral colours work best in these spaces, it is about balance,' she said.  

Art showing single women could promote 'single' energy, while having someone walking away is never good couple energy. Neutral colours are good, however

She suggests a pair of quartz hearts and pictures of animals who mate for life - like cranes - not prey animals like wolves, and figures which show couples entwined.

Any photos or art of people with their back showing - or their faces covered - inspire people to walk away or hide their truth, she warned.

She also said a king bed could create distance in a romantic relationship. Likewise, photos or statues of Buddha should be avoided in the bedroom as he 'took on a vow of poverty and abstinence'.

Having family photos or pictures of friends is a bad idea if you want the space to promote intimacy 

Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese practice that aims to achieve harmony and balance. It operates under the principle that a home supports its occupants in a practical way. 

'The various areas of the home correspond to areas of it's occupant's life, such as relationships, money and health. The goal is to harness energy forces and establish harmony between an individual and their environment,' she explained.

The Beam Award winners will be announced on 1st June 2024 at the Fuchsia Fusion Festival event at The Island on the Gold Coast.