Furnishing according to Feng Shui
Furnishing according to Feng Shui, the theory of harmony from China, involves more than just choosing the right colors and positioning suitable decorations.
There are rules as well as a lot of tips that should be followed when decorating according to Feng Shui. In the following we offer you a small guide to optimal furnishing, which contains everything there is to know about Feng Shui.
What exactly is Feng Shui?
A quick definition would probably be ‚Feng Shui is the doctrine of the harmonization of man with his environment’ (source: Everyday Feng Shui). But there is more to it.
The term Feng Shui means ‚wind and water‘ and follows a Daoist harmony theory, which originated in China. The goal is to set up the environment so that it is ‚inclined to the spirits of air and water’.
Accordingly, one wants to create an environment in which the spirits of air and water do not bump their heads and at the same time give them enough space to develop, to put it somewhat mischievously.
The doctrine of Qi refers to the life energy that surrounds us all and with which we animate and create. If rooms are furnished in certain arrangement, painted in given colors and decorated according to plan, a harmony is thus created, which is supposed to contribute to success and better health.
However, its origin is not within living spaces, but it once began in the planning of burial grounds. Later this also went over into the Chinese garden art.
In the meantime, the furnishing according to Feng Shui has reached a degree where not only interiors are aligned according to the concept, but entire houses at once.
Furnish according to Feng Shui – These rules you should know
If you want to furnish your apartment according to Feng Shui, you should also be familiar with the Feng Shui rules. A great advantage in the furnishing is that you can align all furnishing styles: whether Mediterranean, modern or country style – Feng Shui can always be combined with them.
In principle, Feng Shui is based on 11 rules, which are to be applied within the rooms. Here once clearly listed:
- Rule 1: Get light in the house.
- Rule 2: Create open doors and passages.
- Rule 3: No dead things.
- Rule 4: Plants bring life into the environment.
- Rule 5: Separate your areas of life.
- Rule 6: Rooms regularly up.
- Rule 7: Arrange your furniture correctly.
- Rule 8: Decorate.
- Rule 9: Use round and curved shapes in the furnishings.
- Rule 10: Hang mirrors correctly.
- Rule 11: Use water as a furnishing element.
The rules practically include a pleasant style of furnishing, which besides the Feng Shui room layout also includes the colors. With many rules it is already clear what is meant by it.
For points like rule 3, it is important not to integrate any dead things at all. That means, the prepared eagle of the grandfather is perhaps not so optimal for an interior according to Feng Shui.
It is also important to separate work from living areas. Also, the decoration makes you feel much more comfortable than when there are only cool walls or empty windowsills.
The thing with the mirrors takes a special place in the decoration according to Feng Shui. What is meant by this is that mirrors should not be placed opposite entrance doors.
Visitors feel on this way, for example, immediately as if they were thrown out again. In addition, they throw back used energy and are in the bedroom, for example, sleep disturbing. In the dining room, on the other hand, it is very welcome.
Rule 11 is also important: Thus, water provides the right ‚flow‘ in many rooms;. Aquariums, indoor fountains or similar furnishings ensure a wonderful element to realize Feng Shui.
The correct room layout according to Feng Shui
Regarding the room layout, a house is divided according to the so-called Bagua.
This means that you divide the apartment or house into a grid of 9 areas in total. The purpose of it all involves assigning a center, the Tai Chi, around which everything else is built.
All other areas are divided in the Bagua according to so-called houses. Included are:
- Career,
- Partnership,
- Wealth,
- Helpful friends,
- Knowledge,
- Glory,
- Tai Chi,
- Children,
- Family.
This grid helps to bring an optimal harmony and more quality of life into the home. Many undertake the subdivision in this way, placing the bagua over the floor plan of the apartment or house and then dividing it into the different living areas.
At the same time, each house represents a certain quality of life. The purpose of this is that the home environment balances strengths as well as weaknesses, thus creating a balance.
Choosing the right colors when decorating according to Feng Shui is complex but essential
Color also plays an important role in furnishing. Thus, it symbolizes different areas with which you can influence the general mood within the room.
Here is a small guide to the factors that can be achieved with the color, adding the houses of the Bagua:
- Career: shades of blue,
- Partnership: shades of yellow, white and pink,
- Wealth: green and red tones,
- Helpful friends: gray and silver tones,
- Knowledge: Shades of green with red accents,
- Fame: Red.
A special position is occupied by the center of the interior, which in Feng Shui is also called Tai Chi. Here all things flow together. This can be symbolized very well in shades of yellow and ochre. Other areas such as children or family, on the other hand, are not promoted with colors but with furnishings.
The color system of Feng Shui is very complex. Thus beside the so-called ‚house‘ also still another cardinal point as well as an element (fire, wood, earth, metal, water) is consulted.
Here are a few examples of good color combinations:
- two shades of brown and one shade of red,
- two shades of yellow and one shade of white,
- two shades of white and one shade of blue.
Unfavorable on the other hand are:
- two shades of white and one shade of green,
- two shades of green and one shade of yellow,
- two shades of red and one shade of white.
This list could be continued indefinitely.
Another factor that plays a role in choosing the right wall color is the color itself.
How it was made? Is it certified? Does it possibly contain pollutants? This can also significantly affect the flow in the apartment.
Our tips for the different rooms
For every area of life, there are details that can be used to significantly improve the quality of life, but also worsen it.
In the following we will take a closer look at each room and give some tips on how to arrange a good Feng Shui apartment.
Tips for the bedroom
The bedroom is mainly about relaxation and a good night’s sleep. Accordingly, it should radiate a pleasant atmosphere. In a Feng Shui bedroom it is basically tidy, moreover, it is important that there is nothing here that is not needed for sleeping.
clothes horse or computer have no place here. Here are a few key points that are good to follow:
- clear structures,
- clear number of furniture,
- no corners and edges,
- Plants are in order,
- light-transmitting curtains or roller blinds,
- soft colors promote the sleeping feeling.
If you want to hang a mirror, feel free to do so. However, it should not be positioned opposite the bed. The shape and orientation of the bed is another factor that plays a major role in the bedroom.
The headboard is always against a solid wall, which conveys security and protection. do not place it between two windows facing each other and do not install shelves above the bed, because it disturbs sleep.
Here is a detailed guide to the bedroom furnishings according to Feng Shui.
Tips for the living room
In addition to the bedroom, a well-designed Feng Shui living room is essential for daily well-being.
This is where the whole family moves, which is why it is so important to create the right atmosphere for everyone. If there are children in the house, it is of course a bit more difficult to create a tidy environment all the time.
But even in this case, a good feeling of well-being can be created, if you pay attention to the following things:
- Emphasize the center of the room,
- Align the seating furniture against a solid wall,
- create a lively atmosphere with appropriate light,
- create spring and summer feeling by means of suitable decoration.
The center of the room should therefore remain as free as possible and thus emphasizes the center. A round, cozy rug underscores the mood, as does the right lighting that shines in the center of the room.
As with the bedroom, the couch should also be placed in front of a solid wall, so that a wide view into the room is possible.
a sofa is ideal when facing the door. In addition to the ceiling lighting, lamps on armchairs or the like are also perfect to create a spatial ambience.
Colors such as white or earthy tones are very welcome in the living room. Liven up the place with some decoration, which generally loosens up the situation.
Tips for the kitchen
The element of fire plays an important role in the kitchen, but so does water. Therefore, it is not so easy to decorate a kitchen harmoniously, because both elements are opposites. Nevertheless, it is possible to set up the perfect Feng Shui kitchen.
- Neither in the center of the bagua, nor outside of it.
- Stove should not be located in close proximity to the sink.
- Use light and friendly furnishings.
- indoor plants loosen up.
- Knives and cutlery belong in the drawer.
Especially the latter causes many people a feeling of discomfort. Knife blocks or openly hanging or lying around dishes and cutlery spread unrest.
Therefore it makes more sense to put it in the drawer. As colors offer themselves bright colors such as white or beige. In a dark kitchen, on the other hand, you can set bright color accents.
Tips for the study
For the goal of Feng Shui, it is important that the study is a room as separate as possible from the others.
This means that it should not be placed in the bedroom or living room. The perfect Feng Shui study also meets the following basics:
- the desk should be placed correctly,
- provide for optimal lighting conditions,
- no cable clutter,
- Encourage creativity and motivation with accessories.
A stable wall in the back is important when setting up the desk. The light should fall sideways on the table top and a wide view into the room should be possible.
With the alignment of the light it is said ‚Attention‘: Right-handers profit from left light incidence, left-handers from right light incidence. Cable tangle makes nervous, which is why it should be avoided.
For this there are numerous measures that can be taken. freshness and energy is created by means of accessories. This can be a bouquet of flowers, as well as an uplifting decoration.
Tips for the garden
Who has a garden available and would like to furnish this correctly, can use also for this appropriate guidelines of the furnishing according to Feng Shui. Here are a few tips for a good feng shui garden:
- create beneficial cycles,
- apply them in a controlled manner,
- Yin & Yang are particularly strong here,
- Observe chi flow,
- consider colors also in planting,
- an appropriate decoration loosens up.
When creating the garden can in principle create a new bagua, which is located away from the one in the house or apartment.
In principle, all the principles of color and division can be derived from the rules in the house.
Ponds loosen up and bring up the element of water, also a beautiful decoration can provide more well-being.
Ideas for the apartment
Within a home, it is relatively easy to achieve the right well-being with different ideas that are also conducive to decorating according to Feng Shui. For example:
- carpets can lie quietly and quite freely in the middle of a room,
- Color accents may be oriented according to the seasons,
- Lanterns and bowls are a nice decoration,
- a touch of Asia can be achieved in the kitchen with a plate of wood,
- if you prefer rustic, use country style furniture with rounded corners,
- the kitchen front can be influenced by means of foils and the like in color,
- in the last point, alternating open and closed fronts are also appealing.
With all these little things it is very possible to create a better atmosphere.
Ideas for a house
If you are lucky enough to be able to build a house and would like to align it with Feng Shui, you can already have an influence on your later well-being during the planning stage by arranging the doors accordingly when furnishing according to Feng Shui, or by arranging the rooms entirely according to the Bagua.
More detailed tips for the proper planning of a Feng Shui house we have detailed on a special page.
