Chi Wiz

***Many people work day after day in their offices without giving a second thought to how their surroundings might affect their performance.

Some workers might dress up their desks with photos, tchotchkes or other effects to add some personality. But they don’t usually consider how a change could improve productivity or comfort—likely because they don’t know how.

That’s where professionals such as Catherine Montague come in. She is an interior designer who helps people create positive spaces by applying the ancient Chinese art of feng shui (pronounced fung shway). “The idea is to surround yourself in a way that keeps you inspired, keeps you creative,” says Montague. “If you want to be at the top of your game, you have to give yourself the tools to make yourself successful.”

Montague, a Paris native who studied at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, is co-owner with her architect husband, Van Miller, of Green Design Innovation. Certified as an Everyday Feng Shui Practitioner and a professional member of the International Feng Shui Guild, she’s worked on projects in New York, Scottsdale, Ariz., Pittsburgh and Naples.

How well does feng shui work? Montague volunteered to link up with a local manager whose office needed some help. The two spent time together and came up with a completely different arrangement. We documented the effort, and we’ll check back in a few months to measure the results.

THE SUBJECT
Beth Sterchi-Skotzke, events and communications manager at the Economic Development Council of Collier County. Mother of Hannah Skotzke, 15, and Madison Skotzke, 13, and fiancée of Steve.