There are many ways to use this design influence in your space. Some people, however, are a little lost when it comes to using Asian design in their own home. But, how to use the best?

Feng Shui is a Chinese concept of space and object placement. Feng Shui associates the home with both health and prosperity. There are various rooms in which Feng Shui is more prevalent. The kitchen is one of them. Couple this perspective with the role of the kitchen as “the heart of the home,” and you can see that any feng shui in this room can have a significant impact on your family. A few things you can try are to place Buddha statues at strategic places. Buddha statues are known to add vibrant chi power to your home. Especially the Laughing Buddha statue. Buddha statues can be made from various stones. Jade as well as bronze are the most popular choices. Quan Yin is the female version of Buddha.

Common Feng Shui gifts include Chinese dragons. These dragons are said not only to provide powerful chi energy, but also keep evil spirits from entering your home. For better wealth, riches and prosperity, one can turn to Chinese Feng Shui money frogs. These frogs are made from either jade or agate. They symbolize fortune and good luck with your hard work and clever mind. If you’re looking for a healthier frame of body and mind, an Asian Feng Shui crystal globe might be your answer. This is one of the most commonly used cures and produces amazing results. When sunlight hits these crystals, beams of colored light radiate in all directions activating chi energy, and can also be used to slow down chi. Incidentally, various Asian animal figures such as jade horses can also be used to the same effect.

The Japanese perspective of home decorating and home furnishings is quite different. Rather than concentrate on objects to attract or repel energies, the Japanese focuses on spatial matters. It uses room dividers known as Shoji screens to separate form and function within a living space. A single Shoji screen can transform a dull square room into practical, attractive living areas. These oriental screens are often made with rice paper and can have vibrant colors or symbols. Some common designs are bamboo tree shoji screen, cherry blossom shoji screen or Geisha shoji screen. Light also plays a vital role in Japanese home design. Japanese lanterns are known for their boxy shape which reflects strength and substance. The thin rice paper allows ample light to shine through while displaying the intended images, much like the way silk paintings are. In fact, Japanese lanterns are sometime made from silk.

In a survey conducted recently, 600 chief executives of multinational companies with businesses across Asia said a lack of qualified staff ranked as their biggest worry in China and South-East Asia. It was their second-biggest concern in Japan after cultural differences and the fourth-biggest in India after problems with infrastructure, bureaucracy and wage inflation. Across almost every industry and sector the situation is not different either. Old Asia-hands may find it easy to realize why there is such worry. The region’s swift economic growth has fished out the pool of existing talent, they would say. But, the education has been a letdown as well. Recent progress in many parts of Asia has been so enormous that it has swiftly changed the type of skills required by businesses. Schools and universities have been found wanting in keeping pace.

This is particularly true for professional staff. Airlines are one example. With rising deregulation, many new carriers are getting established and airlines are offering more services to live up to demand. But, there is an awful scarcity of pilots. According to a training organization, the commercial-pilot training arm of Boeing, India has less than 3,000 pilots today but will require more than 12,000 by 2025. China will need to unearth an average of 2,200 new pilots a year just to keep themselves afloat with the progress in air travel, which implies it will require more than 40,000 pilots by 2025. Meanwhile, with big international airlines training only a few hundred pilots a year, Asian airlines have taken to plundering them, often from each other. Philippine Airlines, for instance, had to give away 75 pilots to overseas airlines during the past three years. China has been trying to persuade pilots from Brazil, among other places.