Top Tips to Feng Shui Any Room in Your Home

Known as “the art of placement”, objects and elements are positioned accordingly to optimise energy or “chi”. In interior design, feng shui principles can be applied to promote greater health and success. We share some of our top tips to help you feng shui any room in your home.

What is feng shui?

An ancient Chinese philosophy, feng shui aims to find balance and harmony to improve mental and physical health, relationships and success through positive energy flow. “Feng” means wind and “shui” means water, and as these elements flow across the globe, they are considered essential to human existence.

There are five elements to consider in feng shui - wood, metal, earth, water and fire:

Wood – this symbolises growth and vitality. By placing wooden items into certain areas of your home, such as furniture, family heirlooms, ornaments and plants, will help to promote personal growth.

Metal – this element symbolises logic and intelligence. Adding metal items, including furniture frames, vases, games, toys or sculptures, will help to sharpen your mental focus and knowledge.

Earth – this symbolises balance and stability. Bringing the outside into your home in the form of crystals, rocks, books, and images of landscapes and mountains will help to ground and stabilise the space.

Water – this element symbolises serenity and wisdom. In some rooms (not the bedroom) use reflective surfaces, including mirrors and aquariums to bring water into your space to promote clarity and relaxation.

Fire – this symbolises passion and energy. Add red objects, flowers, lamps and candles to your dining room and bedroom to encourage positive feelings of expansion and transformation.

How can I use feng shui?

As well as adding symbolic objects to your home, there are a series of feng shui techniques you can apply. Below are just a very small sample of the types of actions you can take:

• Natural light and air – look at ways to increase the amount of natural light in each room because this will encourage positive energy and a sense of rejuvenation. As air is a key feng shui element, find ways to allow the air to flow in and out of your home.

• Declutter to allow chi to flow – messy, untidy spaces cause chi energy to stagnate. So, reorganise your home by hiding clutter away in items such as storage stools or bedroom ottomans. Tidy rooms will allow chi to flow freely around your home.

• Move furniture to unblock chi – check that sofas and armchairs aren’t in the way of doors and logical pathways around your rooms. Imagine the chi as running water flowing through each room and remove any blockages. Avoid overcrowding rooms.

• Remove sharp angles in your living room – choose a round or oval coffee table or try to contrast the shape with other elements. Make sure your largest piece of furniture faces the door and is against a wall, but with a few inches of breathing space for chi.

• Dining room mirror to encourage abundance – place a mirror in the dining room to reflect the dining table, as meals symbolise nourishment. But make sure it doesn’t reflect an exterior door because this can bounce away money and opportunities!

• Create calm energies in the bedroom – aim for balance, soft linens to offset wood or metal bed frames. Green and blue hues can help to evoke a restful atmosphere. Both masculine and feminine details need to be present to perfect a sense of harmony.

• Remove TV and mirrors from the bedroom – ancient feng shui traditions say that mirrors reflecting the bed will encourage infidelity as this is an invitation for a third party to enter the marriage bed. If you can’t remove the mirror, cover it up with a cloth.

• Home office desk position – by placing your desk to face the door to your office, you will be moving it into the “command position”, which can help to improve your finances and work. Do not sit with a window behind you as this won’t help a career.

Feng shui helps you to feel better about your home. It’s an ancient way to introduce more positive energy into your living spaces, so you can enjoy your downtime in harmony. At the very least, by decluttering your home and rearranging your furniture, you will enjoy a better energy flow around your home.

Choosing the right sofas and chairs can help you bring feng shui into your home. And if you need any advice, contact our friendly, expert customer service team by using our online web chat tool.