Do you enjoy spending time in the living room? Do your guests feel comfortable when you entertain them in your living room?
If you answer “no” to the questions above, the Feng Shui of your living room could be the issue here.
Let me make two points clear first.
One, the purpose of the living room is for you to relax and to entertain guests. Unlike the bedroom where it is private and is more “Yin”, the living room is an area that is more “Yang”. It is where people are active, talking, and moving around. (Related: A Guide to Feng Shui Yin-Yang Theory)
Second, living room feng shui is only a small aspect of creating a feng shui home. It is not even one of the major areas of focus in Feng Shui. The 3 areas of focus are the kitchen, front door, and bedroom. Their locations, relative to the house’s orientation (and many other factors), has a much bigger effect on your life.
So when you go about following the Feng Shui tips and rules listed here, do NOT expect big changes in your life. What you can expect is that you and your guest will enjoy more comfort in your living room. This, in turn, can strengthen both your mental well-being and your social connections.
Here goes!
Living Room Location
1. Suitable Close to Front Door
When you enter a house, the first room to greet you should be the living room. Imagine the alternatives. How would you feel if you enter a house and see the master bedroom? Or when you enter you go straight to the kitchen or dining area? Something just doesn’t feel “right”, does it?
The living room is a place to welcomes guests. It is the place that you are ok with letting people outside your front door see. It is a public area of the house and doesn’t have much of a privacy requirement. This is why the living room should be close to the front door.
2. Suitable in the Front of the House
If your living room is not close to the front door, it is fine if it is located at the front of the house. This uses the same concept where the bedroom is suitable at the back of the house. The living room is suitable in the front of the house because it IS the place to welcome both you and your guests.
Again, imagine the alternative. If you’re a guest and you have to walk pass bedrooms to the living room, would you feel that you’re intruding the privacy of the host?
3. Location Based on Personal and House Kua
The living room is a place where you spend quite some time when you’re home. Therefore, it is best to have it at an auspicious area based on the house Kua. (just like having the restroom or kitchen area in an inauspicious area)
If the living room is not at an auspicious area, adjustments of the sofa can be made based on your personal Kua number. But remember – adjustments must be practically efficient first. Do not go about placing your sofa in a weird or inconvenient location just so you can tap into the auspicious energies of your Kua.
Living Room Design
4. Favor Standard Shape with Four Corners
A lot of new-age designs make living room round, triangular, or other kinds of creative shapes. Those designs are not the best. Irregular shaped living room designs are said to attract people that will complicate your social circle.
The ideal design is a living room with four corners, like rectangular or square-shaped designs. These designs will help you attract people who are more mainstream, or those who are more righteous or virtuous. But of course, the people you attract have a lot to do with your character as well.
5. Avoid Low Ceiling
Have you ever been to a place where the ceiling is so low that you’re afraid that you’ll hit your head, even though you know you won’t? How did the place make you feel?
Low ceiling gives a kind of negative energy that makes us feel compressed. It’s the same feeling some people get when they’re driving a sedan side-by-side with a 16-weel truck. A living room with low ceilings will give you and your guests invisible pressure and great discomfort. Further, because the space is smaller, it is also harder for the place to gather good Feng Shui energy brought by you and your guests. That’s why it is strongly suggested that you avoid this kind of design.
6. Avoid Slanted Ceiling
This uses the same concept as #5 above. The area where the ceiling is lower gives off the compressive energy similar to low ceilings.
If your living room is designed this way, try to avoid sitting and resting in the area where the ceiling is low.
7. High Ceiling has More Room to Grow
Higher ceilings, even loft areas as high as 2 stories, are favored for living room design.
Because of the extra space, higher ceilings have a tendency to attract more light and can gather more positive energies. In symbolism, high ceiling correlates to having more room to grow.
8. Must Have Windows
I think most people have at least one window in their living room. But imagine if your living room has not a single window, wouldn’t that just feel depressing?
Not only does a lack of window affect the living room’s circulation of Qi, it is also said to negatively impact the occupant’s ability to establish social connections. There’s a chance that the occupant(s) might become more of a loner and would shy away from human interaction.
9. Having a Balcony is a Plus
Living rooms with a sliding glass door to a balcony has the same effect of a large “window”. It has the ability to allow more fresh air and Qi from the outside to enter.
As for social connections, having a balcony door is said to bring stronger social connections. It brings more chances of getting help from friends or meeting the “noble man”, or people who would assist or motivate you in terms of career, relationship, or health.
10. Avoid Display Balconies
Display balconies are those that don’t have a balcony door. They are usually out of reach and can hardly be cleaned. They are rare and can only be found in high-rises.
The reason why these balconies are not preferred is mainly because they can hardly be cleaned. As dust, trash, and dirt gather, they can be a sight for sore eyes and create negative Qi that can enter through your window. Conversely, having these balconies is totally fine if you can easily have this area cleaned.
11. Must be Brighter than Bedroom
As previously mentioned, the bedroom is Yin and the living room is Yang. Brightness and light is a form of Yang energy that keeps us awake and gives us vitality (and the lack thereof can get us sleepy). Because of this, the living room should be filled with light, preferably sunlight if possible.
Lamps For Living Rooms: Buy Using Your Amazon Account
The brightness of the living room is said to affect our mood and energy level. Not only a dimly-lit living room drain the occupant’s energy to go to work, it can also cause unnecessary conflicts within the household because of how it affects mood.
How bright should the living room be, then? The living room is bright enough if you can read without turning on the lights during the day and brighter than the bedroom’s lighting during the night (assuming your bedroom is not extremely bright).
12. Pillars are NOT Recommended
This is using the concept from the Form School of Feng Shui. For example, light poles, electrical poles, and other pointy objects have a form of Xa Qi (negative energy) and shouldn’t be located right outside your front door.
The same goes with pillars because their “Form” is not the best. Chances are that these pillars will bring more negative than positive. If you really desire having pillars inside your living room area, it is better to install the ones with round edges.
13. Location of Fireplace
There are some restrictions on the location of the fireplace, assuming that you use it frequently. If your fireplace is just a display or rarely used, then the concerns below do NOT apply to you.
If the living room is at the house’s Northwest sector, frequent use of the fireplace is said to affect the health of the male head of household. This includes heart and blood related issues, such as high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, and even stroke. This should definitely be avoided if the male head of household is old or have health concerns.
For living rooms at the house’s West sector, frequent use of the fireplace can affect the ability to attract wealth and to save money. That’s because West is correlated with Metal and the ability to accumulate wealth, and the fireplace’s correlation with Fire destroys Metal in the Elemental Phase relationships. If you have this problem, the simple solution is to use the fireplace less frequently!
Furniture Placements
14. Command Position of Sofa
Just like the bed of the bedroom, the desk of the work area, or the stove of the kitchen, the sofa is the centerpiece furniture of the living room.
As such, the same concept applies. Sofa is ideally placed with a wall behind. When seated, you should be able to see the door, similar to what we call the “command position”.
15. Use Large Furniture Behind Sofa for Support
If you can’t place the sofa against a wall, you can place furniture behind the sofa to mimic its effects.
The furniture is ideally the same height as the sofa. It can be a cabinet or something sturdy and heavy so your movements on the sofa won’t move both the sofa and furniture around.
All these things can cost you a bunch of money. There are many financial options you could check if you don’t have an emergency fund for these expenses. Find out more about it: https://asapfinance.org/blog/no-credit-check-furniture-financing/
16. Front Door Shouldn’t Directly Face Sofa
This is a similar concept with the bedroom door facing the bed. When you enter from the front door and go straight, you shouldn’t run into the sofa.
This situation is worse if your front door leads to a narrow hallway that leads to a sofa. That’s because this form is similar to a poison arrow, commonly seen in the form of a T-junction. The easy remedy for this situation is to place the sofa elsewhere or place a divider or some type of furniture in between.
17. Identify a Master Sofa for yourself
Keep in mind that doing so is NOT meant to bring out the desired Feng Shui benefits. Nevertheless, it does ease some anxiety for your guests. For instance, let me ask you: are you comfortable taking other people’s seat? Have you ever noticed that when you’re a guest in someone’s house, you kind of notice which sofa is more appropriate for the host, similar to the seats in a corporate meeting room?
That’s what you should do for your own living room if you have frequent guests. This reduces anxiety and promotes comfort for your guests. Usually, the sofa that’s against the wall should be identified as yours. One way to do this is to place a small cover on the seat or on the back of the seat that you claim as yours.
18. Avoid Walkway Behind Sofa
If you have a walkway behind the sofa, it is said that there’s a tendency that you might attract people that might be of harm to you (in different ways). Also, it may be harder for you to get help or assistance from friends.
The remedy here is similar to the remedy for sofa that’s not against a wall, which is to place a heavy furniture behind the sofa. (see #15 above for more details)
19. Avoid Sofa Under Beam
This concept is the same as having the stove or bed under a beam. What the beam brings is a form of negative energy (Xa) that can cause issues to your health. Others say that this will put you in a situation where you are “forced to bow, submit, and/or concede”.
This only applies if the beam is directly above your head when you’re seated on the sofa. If that’s the case, just move your sofa or couch away from the beam. As for cure, some experts suggested placing large tree-like plants underneath the beam as its upward growth is said to counter the beam’s compressing Xa energy.
20. Places to Put Rarely Used Furniture
Is there an ideal place in your living room to put your bookshelves, plate stands, wine cabinets, or other furniture that’s not used frequently? The answer is yes.
Just as how restrooms and storage rooms are ideally located in the inauspicious locations based on your Kua, the best places to put rarely used furniture are where there’s negative Form energy hitting that area. These places include areas under a beam or the area that’s at the end of the front door.
21. Furniture Placement should Allow Qi to Flow Smoothly
Qi flow is sometimes similar to how we humans walk around an area. When placing furniture, make sure their placement will not make you feel like you have to walk an extra mile to go somewhere. Convenience is more important than following the tips and rules laid out in this article, depending on the severity of the issue.
As Uncle Dixer said: Feng Shui classics said it very clearly: be practically efficient first, THEN ritually correct.
22. When Furniture Placement Rules Conflict
What if you want to put your sofa in an auspicious location, such as in one of the Feng Shui wealth areas, but doing so would place your sofa under a beam?
Just as I mentioned in When Bed Placement Rules Conflict, the rule of thumb here is the avoid the negative Xa first, and then consider the positive. Seek peace and stability first, and then go after growth. Think about it. The effects of negative Feng Shui energies are like carrying dead weight. They’re the barriers and obstacles to your goal. How fast and far can you go when you’re carrying all those dead weight? Eliminate them first before anything else!
Items in Living Room
23. Artwork Should Promote Harmony
In other words, avoid artworks that bring negative emotions such as sadness, despair, or anger. Even motivational artworks that include inspirational quotes are not best suited in the living room (but more suitable for the study room or workplace). Artwork that depicts flowers, animals, or nature are quite common and are great additions to your living room. Consider adding wreaths at Christmas too as a way of really tying the room together as a staple piece alongside your existing artwork.
24. Location of Artwork and Feng Shui Items
Location of artworks and items depends on what they are. It is common to see artworks like paintings hung on the wall right behind the wall of the sofa. Do not be afraid that the artwork will fall on your head!
As for other types of artworks and lucky symbols, like horses, they should be placed with a solid wall behind and NOT have it face towards the outside of the house. The idea here is that wealth should come in the house and not to the outside.
Other items, such as the rooster, can be used as a cure for electrical lines (“Centipede Xa”) by having it pointed towards them. If there’s no Xa, or negative energy outside, then there’s no need for the figurine to point outwards.
25. Living Room Generally Not Suitable for Mirrors
Some like it in the living room, and some don’t. Here’s an excerpt I took from my previous article about Feng Shui mirror placements:
“Some say that mirror placement in living room makes parties and gatherings more festive because it feels as if the amount of people have doubled. However, others are concerned about the mirror amplifying the energy brought by the guests, especially those with negative energies.”
I personally would place something else other than mirrors in the living room, such as a painting or a figurine. Empty space looks great too and is easy to clean!
26. Suitable for Large Potted Plants
Placing a large potted plant in the living room is said to attract wealth (but placement restrictions apply, see below). The plant should have large round leaves, and avoid those that have pointy, needle-like leaves.
Some say that the health of the living room’s plant is an indicator of luck of the household. If the plant is blossoming, that means the luck of the household is on a good path. If it is dying, it may indicate that luck is declining.
However, I would take this with a grain of salt. I have no case studies about this. Nevertheless, indoor plants are a great addition to your home, and they bring more than just Feng Shui benefits.
27. Restrictions for Large Potted Plants
Although large plants are great for the living room, not all areas of the living room are suitable to place them.
If the living room is at Southwest or Northeast sector of the house, avoid placing large plants at the Southwest or Northeast corner of the living room, respectively. That’s because Southwest and Northeast are correlated with Earth, and plants, which correlates with Wood, destroys Earth.
If you place a large plant at the Southwest corner of a Southwest living room, it is said that the health of the female head of household would be affected. Even small plants should be avoided in this area if the female head of household has health concerns.
If the large plant is at the Northeast corner of a Northeast living room, the digestive system of the family is said to be affected. The family may feel more fatigued than usual.
Don’t forget, you can always put something else other than plants in those areas!
Conclusion
The purpose of the living room is for you to relax and to entertain your guests. Unlike the bedroom which prefers Yin energy to assist with sleep, the living room prefers Yang energy so social activities can be more lively and fruitful.
The tips given here can transform your living room into a more comfortable place for both you and your guests. However, if you’re looking for Feng Shui benefits such as attracting love or wealth, following these tips can barely help. For that, you’ll need a full Feng Shui audit and consultation of your house.
Have you followed any of these living room Feng Shui tips? How has it worked for you? Comment below and share your story with us!
Feng Shui practitioner and blogger of Feng Shui Nexus. I’ve witnessed the efficacy of Feng Shui, astrology and divination. Here, I share my knowledge and experiences with you to get you closer to your goals and dreams. Subscribe to get email updates or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.
There should be thoughts posted regarding small living areas, as many people are in studios type settings. How to setup these type environments would be helpful.
For example. I live in a 400 sq foot area and I do not have a bedroom…I sleep in living area at night and it is living room during the day. My closet area is a work space and closet.
Hi Sondra,
Thanks for letting me know. This is a great idea for a separate blog post!
-Victor
I have a deep set entry way to the front door to the house. What can I do to make it safe and welcoming?
Hi Yvonne,
There’s many that you can do! Keep the place bright, place plants or flowers, touch it up with colors, and of course keep the area clean! Always do what makes you comfortable in the first place.
-Victor
Thanks for these interior decoration tips, were helpful to me.
Thanks for sharing with us.
Thanks Manish!
-Victor
Hello,
I find your post very informative. I have an open plan living room and due to space issue one of my couch is facing the front door. What remedy should I do to have good feng shui?
Thank you
Hi Selene,
One way is to have something in between, like plants or furniture. You can be creative here.
-Victor
My living room is in the Southwest, colors are mostly beige, yellow and orange. I would like to place two armchairs with a deep green upholstery fabric (I like the contrast). Would you think that’s OK? I understand that green is of the Wood element and weakens the Earth element of the SW. But is it an absolute no-no or can it be used sparingly? Thanks.
Hi Lea,
Yes, it can be used sparingly. You should put more emphasis on the colors you like than using colors associated with the Five Elements using the Bagua.
-Victor
Thank you Victor. I love your answer! Very wise! 🙂
I’m wondering about a space that’s completely open near the stairway at the end of a living room. It feels like an open void. A family member removed a wing back chair from this space because it felt crowded. I see it as an empty spot; incomplete.
Hi Carole,
An empty spot is not necessarily a bad thing. The important thing is that you don’t place anything that makes it inconvenient for you to traverse around the area.
-Victor
Hi Master Victor,
My main door open up facing the kitchen directly, near is thing and there is no kitchen door, is there any remedy to it? Should i install the kitchen door?
Thanks,
Jeff
Hi Jeffrey,
You should be ok, as long as the stove and the door doesn’t form a straight line. https://fengshuinexus.com/feng-shui-rules/kitchen-feng-shui-rules-tips-location-stove-basics/
But even if it forms a straight line, some practices thinks its ok (as do I). That’s because kitchen Feng Shui concepts should be updated – see the last part of this article: https://fengshuinexus.com/feng-shui-rules/outdated-kitchen-feng-shui-rules/
-Victor
whta cure should i put on a bedroom door near the main door pls help thanks
Hi Gregoria,
There’s no blanket response for this. For instance, some questions you should be asking are: Are the doors a straight line? What’s in between? Is the bedroom close to the end of the house?
-Victor
Hello,
I loved reading your post. I have a quick question. If i stand at my house entrance facing in, door is in extreme right corner( if we consider a square drawn on a paper) and it opens into the living room; and diagonally on extreme top left of the square is the door opening to my bedroom. As per the Modern Feng Shui Bagua map this area is my wealth corner! How do i take care of this situation? And design my room?
Hi Tabitha,
Keep the area clean and tidy. Plus, don’t just use the Bagua map: https://fengshuinexus.com/blog/find-feng-shui-wealth-areas-methods/
-Victor
Hi Victor,
I have my living room dining room combo located in the northwest corner of the house. Can I place small potted plants like orchids, and small decorative plants such as peperomia (not related to feng shui) in this living room (NW area) . When you say the directions of living room, are you ONLY considering the four corners of a specific room as such; or the entire home? For instance, I have the living room in the NW side of the home, the dining room in the center (north side), and then a small family room in the NE corner. Does that mean I cannot place any plants on this side of the house?
Hi Zenitha,
Both directions (whole house and living room) should be considered if you’re using the Bagua. Either way, I don’t see why you cannot place small decorative plants in those areas.
-Victor
I’m finding this all very interesting, my daughter moved to a house, her daughter, my granddaughter she’s 8 her bedroom is large with a full wall to wall ceiling hight wardrobe with massive mirrors facing her bed and also facing another mirror and also facing a massive window, I said from day one it was the mirrors I felt it in my gut honestly she’s never been the same since she moved there, she argues with her mum all the time aggressive, swearing, never sleeps, won’t wash or have clean clothes, will not connect with me at all, we were very close till she moved there, me and my daughter are trying very hard with her I’m going to change her bedroom thank you
Hi Shirley,
Thanks for sharing your experience with us. Hope everything is ok now!
-Victor
Hello. I have a split floor plan in my 2 bedroom apartment that faces West, with my front door facing south. My living room has 3 windows facing west and north. I only have 1 empty wall that is in the same wall as the front door. I am limited on walking paths from door to kitchen & bedrooms. Is placing the sofa against the wall with the windows better or the blank wall. Also is it OK for my t.v. to be directly in front of a window. Or should I caddy corner my t.v to face the kitchen? I am at a loss .I can’t seem to find a position that allows a space behind the sofa . Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Thank you for your time
Sincerely,
Corrine
Hi Corrine,
Correct positioning and placement requires a full audit of the layout and directions. In your case, I would just start with practicality first. As Uncle Dixer said: The Feng Shui classics said it very clearly: be practically efficient first, THEN ritually correct.
-Victor
Hi Sir,
I would like to know if i can also place a sofa under a staircase. Because this is the only place where I have space for our sofa. I this location is not ok for feng shui what should I do to cure bad feng shui. Than you.
Hi Rein,
I’m not exactly sure of your setting, so I can’t comment more on this.
-Victor
Hi, Victor!
Your post has been very informative to me as a first time house owner. I have one question please. Is it okay to place a sofa or any type of chair underneath the stairs? There is a glass window under our stairs and I can see the view of our garden if I would be standing there. It would be a shame not to be able to hang out on this particular side. The space underneath the stairs is at the side of the house which doesn’t hinder anyone from walking to and from the front door to our dining area.
Hi Cory,
Underneath stairs? Not too sure about your setting, but if it is not directly under the stairs then you’re ok.
-Victor
Hi Victor,
What about a nature picture (mountains/hills, stream, trees) on a South facing wall over sofa?
Hi Victor,
My main door opens up facing sofa set directly, sliding glass door to a balcony at my right hand side and a walkway to other room area at my left hand side. I am wondering where to put my TV? Will it be okay if put on the wall of the walkway?
Hi KL,
Yes, that is totally fine.
-Victor
Hi Victor,
first of all thank you for all the amazing tips!
I’m currently wondering where to place my sofa:
Commanding position but under a slanted ceiling (when you’re looking at the sofa the ceiling is high on the left side and low on the right. To see the door I have to sit at the side with the ceiling being lower)
Or
Also backed by solid wall, no slanted ceiling, directly opposite a west facing window (I’m kua #1). If I look to the right I look in the direction of the entrance but can’t see the door.
Hope that makes sense 🙂
Hi Jan,
If I were you, I would go with the 2nd option.
-Victor
Dear Victor.
I love reading your posts. It’s so logical and reassuring. Thanks.
Could you please advise me on the following:
1. I live in Australia and recently downsized to a single storey house in the rear block of land. My front door facing SE. To enter the house, there is a Step up onto a 2 m x 2 m Portico, then turn right to the front door.
Unfortunately the portico is partly enclosed with a 1m wall which faces the front door ( part of garage wall). Hence the view from the glass front door is partially blocked.
A) – what can I do as the wall is part of the structure. I also noted that there will be a new double storey built in the front block about 11m front my front door. Either way, my view front front door is partly blocked.
B). Is a see through glass front door bad fung Shui? If so, would tinting the glass to dark colour help?
C) I can also enter the house via Garage door which faces NE, next to the portico. Would NE be a better position to enter than SE?
2) when I enter the house I can see to the end of the open plan scheme. It is part of the scullery and the wall is overhead cupboards and windows, looking out to the garden. How to remedy bad fung Shui here?
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Hi, thanks for your post. I am looking for remedies of kitchen at front of house as my living room is toward the back of the house (or rather in the centre of our home as we then have a conservatory on the back). Guests pass the kitchen to get to the conservatory and the living room feels more like a walkthrough area.
Eventually we would like to open the whole room out by turning conservatory into an extension, but in the meantime how can we remedie the living areas being at the back?
Kitchen is currently being remodelled, but too expensive to move to the back.