Introduction
Making even seemingly minor changes to the colors in a room can immediately change the feel and atmosphere of that room. This is because humans are highly visual creatures who form impressions of their environment largely based on what they see. This is why color is one of the easiest and most immediately effective ways to apply Feng Shui principles in your spaces.
Colors are especially useful for invoking the energy of the five elements, which are foundational to Feng Shui. Tones like yellow, orange, and brown generally invoke the earth element, while greys, whites, and metallic shades are associated with metal. Black and midnight blue symbolize water, and green, lighter blues, and teal symbolize wood. Lastly, the fire element is primarily represented by reds and vibrant shades of orange.
How strong is the influence of color on the flow of energy into your home? Are certain colors always ideal for particular areas or objects, like a front door? Uncle Dixer and Kartar Diamond, our Feng Shui experts, are here to provide honest input.
(1) Dear Kartar: I have a wooden front door and a metal security door to my house that face South. We have painted the front door red but the security door is black. Should l change the color of the security door? Thank you.
Answer: You asked about the impact of having a wooden door painted red, a black security gate in front of it and in the south sector of the house. You have illustrated a great example of how many people get totally confused about the Five Element Theory, as well as the warring schools of Feng Shui which have different priorities.
Firstly, when it comes to color: red is usually the only extreme color which can change an area’s magnetic field as much as real fire. In comparison, a black gate hardly approaches the energy of real water.
Next, the wood element is best represented by a live leafy plant, so any wooden furniture, flooring or doors can be considered a very dormant form of “wood” and therefore a wooden door can be anywhere and not have much influence. The location of the door is more important to consider, as this determines how well the door facilitates the flow of air currents into the house. Exterior doors also always serve as gateways for qi to enter the house. Whether these doors are made of wood, steel, or glass is not an issue.
Thirdly, there is also a difference between the colors on the inside of a house and those outside. The outside colors do not impact the interior magnetic field except in rare instances, which do not include what you have described in your question.
Additionally, a door facing south or being located in the south sector of a floor plan does not mean that red is an appropriate color. Sure, there is a notion that the south represents fire, but that is not how the Five Element Theory is put into action. In fact, years ago I reviewed all 144 Flying Star charts and
Kartar Diamond of Feng Shui Solutions® has a full-scale consultancy, including assistance with property searches, design phase and existing homes and businesses. She is the author of three books, 6 ebooks, 36 Cast Study Lessons and more to come. See the books she’s authored or browse through her online Traditional Feng Shui school.