This week on our Home Life Series, we’re welcomed inside the St Kilda home of Feng Shui Master Kelly McCloskey. Layered with dark timber details, vintage finds and meaningful objects collected from travels around the world, Kelly’s home feels deeply personal — rich in story, warmth and character.
Working as an internationally accredited Feng Shui consultant, Kelly helps homeowners, businesses and designers create spaces that support balance and wellbeing. At home, that same philosophy comes to life through intentional interiors designed for everyday family living.
Kelly shares how her journey from Melbourne real estate into Feng Shui reshaped the way she sees a home, the pieces she treasures most, and the small shifts that can completely change the energy of a space. Keep reading to see how.
Hi Kelly, thank you for welcoming us into your home in St Kilda. Could you tell us a little about yourself, how you found this home, and the life you’ve created here with your family?
I used to walk past our home when I was single and living in Middle Park. I’d always admire it and wonder who lived there. Fifteen years later, I’m here with my husband Tom, our two sons Harry (8) and Finn (6), our dogs Billy and Tadhg, and our cat Amigo who’s become a bit of a St Kilda identity.
I’m an internationally accredited Feng Shui Master with the International Feng Shui Association. I work with homeowners, developers, architects and businesses to ensure their spaces support the people living and working within them. Feng Shui is ultimately about creating environments that enhance wellbeing, prosperity and opportunity.
We bought the house when I was eight months pregnant with Finn and moved in during Melbourne’s first COVID lockdown. In many ways, this home has held us through some incredibly significant years. Six years on, I genuinely can’t imagine living anywhere else.
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Your home is beautifully layered with black wood and found objects from all over the world with real story. Did you make any structural or cosmetic changes to the home when you moved in and how has it evolved over time?
The previous owners had painted several rooms black, which felt a little too heavy for me, so one of the first things we did was paint them white to bring more lightness into the home.
We now have plans approved for a major renovation and extension, which is both exciting and slightly overwhelming - I really need to start packing.
Whenever I travel, I love bringing home something meaningful that captures the spirit of a place. Artwork is always a favourite, along with objects native to the country itself. I was recently in China and discovered a jade bi-disc tucked away on a shelf in a tiny antique store in Xi’an - one of those special finds that instantly feels meant for you.
I think the best pieces in a home are the ones that hold a story. Every time you look at them, they transport you back to a moment, a feeling or a memory.
How do you balance Feng Shui intention with everyday family life?
I always say, “You can’t invite good energy in if there’s no room for it.”
For me, Feng Shui starts with order and functionality. Beds made, dishes put away, shoes not piled at the front door - simple things that create a sense of calm and flow within the home. Family life is naturally busy and chaotic at times, but creating systems and maintaining a level of order makes a huge difference to the overall energy of a space and therefore the occupants.
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Before Feng Shui you spent many years in real estate with some of Melbourne’s most beautiful homes. Looking back, how did that chapter shape the way you read the energy of a space and what drew you to this path?
I genuinely loved my 17 years in real estate, but over time I began noticing patterns repeating themselves in certain homes.
I’d sell a property because a couple were separating, only for another lovely couple to buy it - and a few years later I’d receive the same phone call asking me to sell because they too had separated. I saw similar patterns with financial stress and health issues.
That was what first sparked my interest in Feng Shui. It made me realise that homes hold energy, and that energy impacts the people living within them more than most of us realise.
Feng Shui is often spoken about as something intangible. For those new to it, how do you describe its importance within the home, and where is the best place to begin when looking to create more balance and flow?
Feng Shui is actually an ancient science based on mathematics, direction and time. Through these formulas, I’m able to map the energy of a home and enhance positive attributes such as health, wealth and academic success - while minimising more challenging influences.
The transformation I see in clients once their homes or businesses have been optimised is the reason I’m so grateful I took what felt, at the time, like a very unconventional leap from a successful real estate career into studying Feng Shui professionally.
For anyone beginning, the best place to start is with decluttering and creating a home that feels calm, functional and supportive.
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There’s beautifully sourced pieces of furniture in your home and throughout your interiors. Can you share a few favourites, and what draws you to these pieces?
I think certain pieces of furniture have their own personality, they make you feel something simply by being around them.
One of my favourites is a cabinet from India we call “Peaches.” It has so much character. We also have two pianos, including a baby grand that belonged to my late mother and was one of her greatest treasures. Neither my husband nor I can play, but hearing the boys practise and slowly improve has become one of the great joys of our home.
You travel to China regularly to study Feng Shui at its source. What has that experience taught you that you couldn’t learn anywhere else, and how has it shaped the way your practice continues to evolve today?
Standing inside homes in rural China that were built in the 1500s, some once owned by former prime ministers, high-ranking officials and incredibly wealthy families and seeing the same Feng Shui formulas applied that I use in my own practice today is incredibly special.
It reinforces just how deeply respected Feng Shui was within Chinese culture for generations, particularly among those in positions of influence and power. These homes weren’t accidental in their success, every detail was intentional. The fact that these formulas have stood the test of time and are still producing results today is something I find incredibly powerful.
Those experiences deepen your understanding in a way books never can. I feel very fortunate that my work allows me to continue travelling, learning and studying with some of the world’s leading masters, while continually evolving my own practice.
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What are your top 3 do's and don'ts for perfecting the art of Feng Shui in anyone's home?
1. Your front door represents opportunities entering your life, so make sure it’s easy to find, clean and in good repair.
2. Declutter relentlessly. You simply can’t have good Feng Shui in a cluttered home.
3. Be mindful of your artwork and surroundings. What we look at every day impacts how we feel and what we attract into our lives.
