This allowed the Chos to adhere to feng shui, an ancient
Chinese belief system that's a combination of art and science. According to dedicated practitioners, such as the Chos, feng shui is firmly rooted in architecture, astronomy, physics and design.

The Chos consulted with San Diego architect Alex Friehauf and feng shui expert Cathleen McCandless to get the energy flowing in the right direction for their 8,000-square-foot home. McCandless asked Friehauf to tweak preliminary plans by shifting the front door so it faced the ocean for the best energy flow; she reasoned the back of the house would receive protection from the hillside.

Friehauf says total adherence to feng shui principles was "a bit of a challenge," but he sensed the couple's high enthusiasm for the concept and literally went with the flow.

Along with the feng shui elements at work in the Tuscan-style villa, the home's stone façade and dramatic archways lead to many distinctive living spaces and intricate finishing touches inside. There's a media room with a concealed projection system for family movie watching. The great room showcases 15-foot ceilings adorned with stylized box beams and offers a view of the Pacific. In the back of the home, the master bedroom opens through pocket doors to a courtyard that features an outdoor fireplace.

Overall, the family is comfortable with and energized by their new custom home. "I could feel my chi being zapped from me, working for a high-tech, high-pressure firm in Silicon Valley,"says Ron Cho. He praises his building team for getting everything discussed up front. No surprises, just good energy, he says.

Chi, according to Chinese tradition, is the body's flow of vital energy. Cho says that prior to moving to San Diego, he was pouring his chi into an engineering job with a business-to-business software giant in San Jose. The Chos renewed their chi by relocating to San Diego, and their custom-built home, founded on feng shui, restored harmony to their lives.

They haven't looked back.
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