I have a feeling you’re either going to love today’s blog post, or you’re going to think I’ve completely lost it. (Hahaha, I just hope it’s not the latter. ) Feng shui is not everyone’s cup of tea, I know that, and many of us resent having an ancient set of rules (no matter how wise or highly endorsed) dictate how we decorate our homes to-day. Most western decorators (myself included) ignore these rules because they can be too confining, especially in smaller homes that have been built without our input and over which we have little or no control. As a disclaimer, I’d like to mention that I am not an expert on the subject, far from it. My interest in Feng shui, while long-lasting, is amateurish at best and stems from an almost obsessive need to make our household as efficient and as comfortable as possible. Since this is a subject I know many of you are fascinated by, I thought we could chat about Feng shui and share opinions in a kind and explorative manner. I’d also like to share my favorite feng shui rules and offer my two cents on them. To start the conversation, what is Feng shui really all about? Although its popularity almost makes it a trend, feng shui has been around for millennia. In Bali, a Feng shui paradise, all houses are built in a circular shape and follow very strict Feng shui rules; the city of Hong Kong is entirely built based on the principles of Feng shui for health and prosperity; and for years, American entrepreneur Tory Burch has been working with a Feng shui consultant designing her stores and products, and it’s clearly working. So what is feng shui, and how can we apply it to our own livest?
In its purest, simplest form, Feng shui is an ancient practice born in Asia, that is concerned with creating harmony in our surroundings through interior design and architecture. At its core, Feng shui is a set of rules that help us enjoy better, healthier & more fulfilling lives at home. The words literally translate to wind and water, which are both symbols of health and prosperity in Chinese culture and the premise of Feng shui is that our lives flow easier when our homes are set up to support us rather than weigh us down. Fascinating, isn’t it? The concept of chi, or life-giving force or energy, is crucial in feng shui. Similarly to acupuncture, where whatever happens within our bodies has a corresponding image on our skin, in feng shui all aspects of our lives have a corresponding area in our home, and that correspondence is further explored through a Feng shui map known as the bagua. According to Feng shui, to feel healthy, energized and replenished, the chi must flow easily and freely within our homes, but things like clutter, grime and too much stuff slow it down and lead to lethargy, malaise, and a general feeling of being “stuck” in life.
Although it takes years to practice and master the principles of Feng shui, the good news is that even without all the theory, there are a few simple, often common sense rules that we can apply to our own homes, and then sit back and watch what happens. Below are my favorite five:
1. Seek the Power Position whenever possible: This is one of the most intuitive Feng shui rules for me, and the easiest to test. Have you ever worked for a considerable amount of time with your back against the door? Have you ever felt like someone was watching you before actually turning around and then, when you actually did turn around, sure enough someone was looking at you? Well I have, too, and there’s a scientific explanation for it. When we’re in a vulnerable position, such as with our back against the entryway, our limbic brain (aka reptile brain, whose main role is to make sure we survive) will be working overtime and generate a standby for a fight or flight response, which in turn makes us feel anxious and uneasy. This happens in all situations, at work or during leisure time so to ensure more productive days and better sleep, we need to give our limbic brain a break and place our desk, bed or sofa in a power position whenever possible – with a clear, unobstructed view of the door.
2. Remove Clutter whenever possible, and this goes beyond Marie Kondo’s magic of tidying up. According to Feng shui, clutter slows down the flow of energy and the more items we have scattered about, even if it’s in an orderly fashion, the slower the flow of energy in a space and the more tired and lethargic we end up feeling. This is such an issue for me because I like to surround myself with a lot of nice things: books, photographs and objects, but I’ve learned that a few carefully chosen items that evoke happy times are enough to ground and inspire.
3. Use mirrors with care. Mirrors are an important element in Feng shui and should be used with care: no mirrors in bedrooms, no mirrors opposite the front door, no mirrors reflecting the stairs. I know, for most of us our homes have been set up in such a way that there’s very little room for flexibility. We can’t always reposition doorways and architecturally focal points but we can control where we place mirrors. Due to their reflective nature, mirrors generate a high-traffic zone energetically so, if we want a space that is peaceful, restorative and private (in bedrooms or family rooms), mirrors should be placed with care, or avoided altogether.
4. The imagery we bring into our home is crucial. Feng shui recommends choosing items and pictures that are evocative of happy times and harmonious with who you are and how you want to live. In other words, authenticity is key; Obviously everyone is different and this point will be personalized to each and everyone of us. In my case, hunting imagery, sad portraits or battle scenes have no place in my home.
5. The importance of bedrooms as safe heavens where we restore, feel most comfortable and at ease. For a good night’s sleep, Feng shui recommends keeping the bedroom extra neat and organized, and if possible free of electronics, dirty laundry or exercise machinery. If possible. We don’t always abide by these rules, especially the no electronics one, but we’re working on it. Progress every day.
Anyway, these are only a few of the many principles that guide feng shui. I hope you found today’s post interesting because it is certainly a fascinating subject, one that I’d love to hear your thoughts on in the comments below. Please let me know what you think about feng shui, and if you’ve applied any of its rules to your own personal spaces. As always, thanks for stopping by!
The “no mirrors in bedrooms” rule is interesting because I have an antique mirror over my dresser. I really can’t see a reflection in it when I am in my room, only from the entry doorway. I never think about it, but when my daughter visits it scares her at night because from the doorway you see a reflection of an ivory colored female bust that holds my necklaces. She would be very happy if I removed the mirror. Or the bust. Come to think of it, every bedroom in my house has a mirror.
I too wondered about no mirrors in bedrooms and must say both my master bedroom and my guestroom have mirrors. The one in our room is a large one over my dresser and it reflects light into the room from the windows on another wall.
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Thanks for stopping by, Kathy! As far as I understand it, it helps improve the quality of rest and sleep. Mirrors bounce the energy around the room and are best used in rooms with high-energy and high-traffic, such as entries (as long as they are not placed opposite from the front door.) 🙂 xoxo, Eva
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Hi Gail, thanks for chiming in! It is an interesting rule for sure, especially since most vanities come with a mirror. The idea behind this rule, as far as I understand it, is that mirrors bounce around the energy within the space and that could cause difficulty sleeping and a feeling of restlessness. A quick and easy solution would be to cover the mirror at night with a pretty fabric 🙂 xo, Eva
I loved this post and appreciated your approach- Feng Shui is not for everyone. Like you said many aspects are natural or common sense and many things about our homes or office space are out of our control. I had not heard about no mirrors in bedrooms. Don’t most of us women have one over our dresser? I know what a mirror “reflects” is important in Feng Shui and that may be the reason. If someone is having an issue with a room or just feels like something is “off”, trying the Feng Shui approach may be fun to see if it creates a better flow of Chi and Good Fortune in their home.
I loved all of the rooms you used in this post, too. I would be happy in just about any of them.
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Thank you so much, Lynn! I appreciate your kind comment. You’re absolutely right about mirrors being such a ubiquitous item in bedrooms, especially above dressers and vanities. As far as I understand it, removing or covering mirrors at night may help folks with trouble sleeping as the mirror bounces the energy around the room creating a feeling of restlessness. xo, Eva
I LOVED this post, Eva – I’ve always been interested in feng shui and have studied a few books about it. Like you, I’m not professing to be any kind of an expert — I have come to realize, though, that our surroundings have a huge impact on how we feel. Surrounding yourself with things that bring you comfort and joy is reflected in your feelings. And like you, I cannot handle any violent imagery (hunting, battles, etc.) — I find it so disturbing — which is why I always can find a place for a gentle, pastoral scene.
Thanks for this article – and I love the examples you shared.
Linda
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Thank you so much for the kind words, Linda! Glad to hear we share an interest in feng shui (as well 🙂 ) xo, Eva
This was a great post Eva with lots to consider. I love all the rooms you included especially the first one. The colors and all the details of that room just speak to me and I love the desk. (I have to wonder how they balanced the pillow on the top of the chair!) In the pale green bedroom I see that the bed is placed in front of two windows. I never would have thought to do that but I think it works here. Even the picture placement is unexpected. The room appears balanced with the window treatments. Thanks for such an interesting post! I always use a mirror in my entry and probably will continue to do that.
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Hi Laurie, thank you so much for your comment! I appreciate it! I should have been more specific on the “no mirrors in the entry” rule, it refers to mirrors that are placed opposite the front door. That way as the chi enters through the front door, it bounces it right back out. Or so they say 🙂 xo, Eva
In my reading and application of Feng Shue, it seems one should avoid reflecting the bed, itself, in a mirror. In the past, I had a large principal light-filled bedroom with scenic views, tall windows and French door facing mountains.
Currently, I have a narrow full length wall mirror behind the door that reflects the back garden and an oval mirror attached to my antique dresser that is not directly across our bed. It reflects the art above my night table. Because it reflects more light for reading, there is a decorative round mirror above my husband’s night table with an attractive reading lamp in front of it.
While I don’t personally eschew mirrors entirely, I am careful about size and placement. I do like them in entries and living rooms when properly placed to bring in light, outdoor greenery, or reflect art. I too avoid the themes you mention and aim for uplifting, meaningful art. Really appreciated this topic. Thank you for your thoughtful blog.
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Hi Sandra, thank you so much for your kind words and comment! I am happy you found this topic interesting and that you shared so many great thoughts on feng shui. The one about mirrors in the entry refers I think to mirrors placed opposite the front door. As the chi enters, it is bounced right back out again… I too used to have a mirror in the entry but it was placed sideways with respect to the door. Interesting stuff, isn’t it? xo, Eva
I found Terah Kathryn Collin’s Western Guide to Feng Shui books life changing when it came to creating beautiful rooms. Instead of “just because” rules, her approach is about balancing the elements in every room, and she provides fantastic charts that show how the elements work with each other, either by enriching or diminishing. And elements go beyond the name, such as wood or metal or water, and she provides charts that sum up each element.
An example would hearken back to the Tuscan period a few years ago when so many people had dark out of balance rooms with the dominant element of wood. I would see friends futilely try to fix their rooms by adding red or a fire element. In reality the antidote to their problem, wood, is metal, which includes cream and metal objects, such as figurines or candlesticks. It is so easy to balance a room that feels off using her charts. I have purged a lot of books over the years, but hers I will keep. Highly recommended!