Feng shui, translated to wind water (the way of wind and water), represents the Ancient Chinese art of balancing harmony and positive energy (qi) in a space. Objects, buildings, living spaces, rooms, interiors, and exteriors all can be arranged to align with feng shui principles. Feng shui balance and harmony are represented by the flow of the space, its accessibility, and the equal balance of different elements (wood, fire, metal, water, and earth). While you can’t control every aspect of buying a new home, you can learn some feng shui principles to remember when perusing the neighborhood and floor plan.
Consider the Neighborhood
Feng shui principles can and do apply to the home’s exterior. Your stress, health, and happiness will be affected if you’re in a dangerous or high-crime neighborhood; this can make the overall home look and feel bad. Additionally, if the neighborhood doesn’t flow well or is confusing to navigate, it may cause frustration and energy (qi) to be unbalanced. Feng shui measures the effects of a space. If you consider a home in a less-than-stellar neighborhood, the feng shui won’t be ideal.
Exterior Harmony
The home’s exterior is often the first impression when considering a home for purchase. Based on the energy alone, how does the home feel? An open, inviting home with easy access and flow to the entryway door is a good start. Sharp or harsh edges or lines likely won’t be facing the entryway, as it should be inviting. Large trees can indicate positive feng shui, especially when balancing the wood element and protecting against negativity. However, if the tree is placed blocking the middle of the entryway’s line of sight, it can indicate a poison arrow (negative energy), similar to sharp edges.
Nearby Features
Exterior natural landmarks such as bodies of water or mountains are great near your home, as they can provide positive energy flow. Natural landmarks like these can provide adequate sources of feng shui elements. However, if these landmarks are far too close to your home, it can disrupt flow and harmony. The ideal qi flows from right to left. Flowing water or traffic will ideally move in this direction according to your home. If there is a body of water behind the house, it may be considered harmful, as it can block qi from flowing adequately.
Home Floor Plan
Generally, feng shui requires positive qi to flow; this is typically done well in symmetrical, square, or rectangular floor plans. Symmetry and shape aren’t strict rules; if you feel qi has enough space to flow in and out from the entryway and around the living space, that is important. Uneven or asymmetrical aspects can cause an excess of one element or energy type over another. Different feng shui faux pas to avoid are narrow, cramped hallways, L-shaped homes, and uneven ceilings.
Doorways
Doorways should be inviting and flow from one space to the next, and they shouldn’t be too narrow. Sharp edges or lines should not face or point toward any door to avoid the pointed arrow’s negative energy. You should be able to arrange furniture to face the exit without issues; facing the door is considered positive qi. Doors shouldn’t be too big or too small for the space around them.
Kitchen
The kitchen generally sees a lot of positive qi and elemental balance toward the back of the home. If you walk inside the house and are immediately greeted by the kitchen, it may overbalance the fire element of feng shui. Kitchens, due to stoves and other aspects, are primarily considered to represent the fire element. A reserved kitchen location brings good fortune. If you want to get serious about kitchen feng shui, the stove facing the front door is considered bad fortune (facing a toilet or bedroom should also be avoided if possible).
Bedrooms
The bedroom is where you rest and recuperate your energy for the next day. For this reason, positive qi is crucial in this room. Neutral colors will work best in a bedroom to avoid overflowing certain elements. Placing your bed toward bathroom or bedroom doors can cause bad fortune or sickness. Make sure the room isn’t too cramped or difficult to walk through, as qi won’t flow well here. Windows should be clean and unbroken.
Bathroom
Did you know that according to feng shui principles, a toilet shouldn’t ever be placed above the entryway door (as in a second-floor bathroom)? Toilets also shouldn’t be visible from the entryway door or located in the center of the room. Breaking these rules is believed to increase the chance of sickness or bad health to the home or its occupants.
Purchase Price
A central component of feng shui is prosperity, wealth, and happiness. If your home’s purchase price is unaffordable, it can disrupt these conditions, negatively affecting the home’s qi. It’s important to properly budget and understand your home purchase price limits before searching. An overpriced home is not compliant with your needs and, therefore, is not feng shui. If you live in an area with higher costs of living, such as California, Florida, or Arizona, you may need to secure a higher mortgage to afford a home. In such cases, be sure your Florida, California, or Arizona home loans are affordable without contributing to a high debt-to-income ratio. Financial happiness in your home is essential!
Conclusion
Feng shui involves balancing elements and energy in living spaces to create peace, harmony, happiness, and wealth. When buying a home, it can be ideal to ensure the space flows well and isn’t located too close to dangerous features like rivers, traffic, or mountains. Dangerous or confusing neighborhoods can also disrupt harmony. The home’s floor plan should flow well and be easy to navigate.