Door colors feng shui
How to Pick a Front Door Color With Feng Shui
In feng shui, your front door is one of the most important areas of your home and represents the face you show to the world. Feng shui colors for a front door have practical, aesthetic, and potentially energetic implications. On a practical level, it is how you come in and out of your home. Your front door sets the tone for you and your visitors entering your home. It’s also the last thing you see when leaving your home to go out into the world.
On an energetic level, your front door also represents how energy and opportunities come into your life. Just like you want your guests to feel welcome when they enter through your front door, you also want opportunities to be attracted to enter your life. Your front door is the main portal for people and energy to enter your home. In feng shui, we call it the mouth of qi, or universal life force energy.
Your Front Door Color and Feng Shui
A feng shui practitioner looks at the colors and facing direction of your home to assess how the qi (life force energy) flows to your property. These factors offer information on how the qi is received inside the building.
- North-facing home: To activate the energy of your north-facing home, you can enhance the water or metal elements in your home's north sector. Water is related to the color black and dark charcoal gray. Metal element colors are white, gray, and metallics like copper and bronze.
- West-facing home: A west-facing home is enhanced by metal or earth element colors. Metal element colors are white, gray, and metallics, and yellow, brown, and earthy tones are all expressions of earth.
- South-facing home: The South is connected to fire, the summer season, fame, reputation, passion, illumination, and inspiration. It is related to red, purple, fiery orange, and yellow.
- East-facing home: Work with wood or water element colors to support the East direction. Wood is related to greens, mid-tone blues, and teals. Water is connected to black, dark charcoal gray, and deep navy blue.
One easy way to feng shui your front door is with paint. Look at things from a feng shui perspective based on your home's facing direction and work with the colors you are attracted to. Also, pay attention to what colors will work well with the house's exterior and your neighborhood as a whole.
How to Pick the Perfect Front Door Color
Red to Get Noticed
Red is the most auspicious color in feng shui, as well as a powerful color for protection and the transformation of negative energy. Red is also connected to the fire element, which represents warmth, passion, and inspiration. If you want your front door to be clearly visible from the street so that energy and opportunities can find you, a coat of red paint can be an effective way to do this. In the feng shui energy map, red is related to the recognition area. Red makes a bold statement, and it’s a great color to use if you want to get noticed.
Arthur Tilley / Getty ImagesBlack to Attract Good Energy
Black absorbs, attracts, and brings in positive energy, which makes it a great choice for a front door color. It’s connected to the water element, which represents wisdom and depth. The north direction is also tied to this element. Water is also connected to your social connections and network, so black can be a supportive color for building friendships and relationships.
David Papazian / Getty ImagesBrown for Support
In feng shui, brown and other earthy neutral colors are connected to the earth element and used to balance, stabilize, and nurture the inhabitants in the home. A brown door is perfect for connecting you and your family to the stability of Mother Earth.
moodboard / Getty ImagesYellow to Brighten
Yellow is a bright, energetic color for a front door. In feng shui, yellow is connected to the earth element. Earth represents stability and grounding, so yellow is an excellent choice if you or your family could use more of that.
FOTOGRAFIA INC. / Getty Images
Green for Growth
Green is connected to the wood element in feng shui, which is related to new beginnings and growth. If you intend to invite in new opportunities to help you grow and expand, you may want to paint your door green.
Feverstockphoto / Getty Images
White for Joy
Connected to the metal element in feng shui, white represents cleanliness and purity. The west direction is also tied to this element. The metal element is related to precision, communication, and joy. Try painting your door white to invite more of these metal element qualities into your life.
SondraP / Getty ImagesBlue for Knowledge
Like green, blue also represents the wood element, which supports growth and new beginnings. Deeper shades of blue are also connected to the "gen" area of the feng shui bagua map. Gen represents knowledge and self-cultivation, so dark blue can help support an intention to deepen your skillfulness.
Nico Tondini/Getty ImagesGray for Helpful People
Gray also represents the metal element, so it is a supportive color for inviting more metal element qualities into your life. In addition, it’s the color associated with the "qian" area of the feng shui bagua. Qian is all about helping people and travel, so a gray front door can support your intention to invite helpful people and benefactors into your life or to travel more.
TriggerPhoto / Getty Images
After you've chosen a color for your front door, make sure you use it. Many people don't use their formal front doors. It's essential to activate energy flow by opening and walking through them regularly. Even if it's not the entrance you use most often, try going out your front door when you go out to get the mail, for example.
Finally, don't forget to keep your freshly painted door clean. Part of having an inviting entryway is having a clean entry. When cleaning your home, take some time to wash your front door, including the hinges, knobs, and frame.
FAQ
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Feng shui is based on Taoism, a Chinese philosophy, and since red is the most auspicious color in Chinese culture, it is the most favored color for a door in feng shui. It represents good luck, protection, and the fire element. Fire is related to exciting energy, such as passion, inspiration, and expression.
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Some of the most common colors in feng shui for a door include red, green, blue, and brown. Red is related to power and energy, green brings growth, blue brings abundance, and brown brings earthly grounding.
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Fire element red may be the most promising for attracting all good things. However, purple is also associated with wealth and royalty and can attract abundance and luxury into your life. Like red, purple is also associated with the fire element, attracting attention and change.
Best Feng Shui Colors for Your South-Facing Front Door
By
Anjie Cho
Anjie Cho
Anjie Cho is a certified feng shui consultant, professional architect, and author with over 20 years of experience designing spaces. She co-founded the Mindful Design Feng Shui School and wrote "Holistic Spaces: 108 Ways to Create a Mindful and Peaceful Home. "
Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process
Updated on 07/15/21
When working with a feng shui consultant (or someone with basic feng shui knowledge) they will almost always ask about your front door. This is for a good reason: In feng shui, the front door of a home is the “mouth of qi,” or the main gateway through which life force energy (qi) enters the space. A strong front door will help attract positive energy, opportunities, and prosperity to the people living in the home.
Feng Shui and the Front Door
In Feng Shui, the front door is one of the most important areas of the home. From a purely practical perspective, your front door allows you to come and go out of your home. It's the first thing visitors see when they stop by, and the "face" your home puts on for the world. Energetically, a front door can also represent how energy (both good and bad) and opportunities flow in and out of your life. Your front door is a portal through which these energies enter your home and thus, impact you.
One way to strengthen your front door's power is to paint it in a color that supports your intentions. Color is one of the simplest and most powerful ways to shift your energy, and it can be a great place to start if you are new to feng shui. There are many different schools of feng shui, all with different approaches. Some schools, including the Classical, Compass, and Flying Star schools, take into account the magnetic compass directions of certain features of a home, including the front door. In these schools, knowing the facing direction of your front door is one thing that can help determine which paint colors would be most supportive.
To find your front door facing direction, stand in the doorway of your home facing out. Use a compass to determine which direction you are facing—you can use a dedicated feng shui compass to do this, or simply open the compass app on your smartphone.
Feng Shui for South-Facing Doors
In Classical Feng Shui, the south direction is related to the fire element, as well as Li position on the feng shui bagua. Li is also connected to fame, reputation, and how you are seen by others.
When you’re deciding what color to paint your south-facing door, it may be helpful to choose a shade that supports the fire element. This can either be a color directly related to the fire element itself, or a color related to the wood element, which feeds fire in the five elements system used in feng shui. Fire also represents passion, inspiration, and expression, so painting your door a fire or wood element color can help you bring more of these qualities into your life.
Fire Feng Shui Colors
- Red: Red is the most auspicious color in feng shui. It is very yang, or active. It’s also very dynamic and can invite a lot of new energy, so it’s a great color if you’re feeling like the qi in your home needs a boost. Red is also protective, which can be beneficial for the entrance to a home.
- Orange: Like red, bright orange is a very active and uplifting color. Think of the way you feel when you peel a fresh orange or tangerine. If your intention is to add the fire element, stick to brighter shades of orange, as more muted, earthy tones are connected to the earth element.
- Vibrant yellow: Similar to orange, yellow is thought of as an energizing and uplifting color. It's best to opt for a brighter version of yellow, which is associated with fire, rather than a softer, more buttery shade that is associated with earth.
- Purple: Often thought of as the color of royalty, purple is used in feng shui to represent nobility, abundance, and dignity. It's also associated with intuition and spirituality and can be a great way to welcome abundance into your home.
- Pink: In feng shui, pink is the universal color of love and marriage, bringing soothing energy to a space. Opt for shades that have a bit of red mixed in (such as a vibrant fuchsia) instead of blush hues that appear slightly muddy.
Wood Feng Shui Colors
- Green: Green (as well as other wood element colors) represents healing, vitality, and growth. Choose a vibrant green that calls to mind the brightness of a new blade of grass or the leaves on a big, healthy tree.
- Blue: Blue is also connected to the wood element in feng shui. Different shades of blue go well with many house colors, and they can all be very soothing and healing. Like green, it’s a color we often see in nature, in the sky, or on the surface of the water on a clear day.
- Teal: In between green and blue, teal is another great choice for a wood element paint color. Choose a softer shade or something more vibrant, depending on your style and the color of the rest of your house.
saulgranda / Getty Images
Colors to Avoid for a South-Facing Front Door
As a general rule of thumb, try to avoid any colors like yellow and black that are associated with the earth and water elements. The reason: at their most basic nature level, these elements deplete fire—earth can weaken it, and water can extinguish it altogether. Since fire is the energy of the south sector, if fire supports you, you may not want to do anything that may diminish its power.
If You Can't Repaint Your Door
If you can’t paint your door, you can still incorporate fire and wood element colors into your front door decor. Here are a few ideas to get you started, but feel free to get creative!
- Place green plants outside your front door to represent the wood element. You can also put them in a blue or green planter to add even more wood energy.
- Spice up your front step with a fiery red welcome mat.
- Add plants with red flowers, like petunia or begonia, to bring in more of the fire element.
- Hang a wreath on the front of your door to bring in your favorite shade from the fire or wood element color family.
Content:
- unfavorable factors on Feng Shui
- door opposite the door
- Placement of the mirror opposite the front door
- Selecting the front door color according to Feng Shui 9000,
- Placement of the door 9000
The favorable location of the front door is a means of obtaining a positive energy flow. Even in the teachings of Ancient China, the door at the entrance was considered the “mouth of the house”, where all energy was concentrated. The location of the front door, its material and color, as well as the opening depends on what kind of energy flow will pass through it.
According to Feng Shui, a door concentrates a powerful energy flow in front of it, and people passing through the door distribute this energy throughout the house. That is why it is important to know the features and characteristics of the placement of the front door.
Unfavorable Feng Shui factors
First of all, it is necessary to exclude the placement of doors opposite the corners of buildings, lampposts and satellite dishes. Any rectilinear objects must be placed away from the front door. Even a lonely tree that grows in front of the door is considered an unfavorable source of energy.
There must not be any obstacles in front of the entrance that will only accumulate energy. That is why it is necessary to arrange high-quality light sources before entering the house. Undesirable is the location of the door directly at the stairs or the entrance to the elevator.
In this case, it is necessary to make an additional threshold, which will delimit these spaces from each other.
An undesirable option for placing a restroom opposite the front door. In this case, all incoming energy will flow away. If such placement cannot be avoided, it is better to keep the door of the closet always closed or hang a small mirror on the door.
Door opposite the door
Placement of the room door opposite the entrance is another unfavorable factor for the energy of the house. Guests, upon entering the premises, should enter a spacious area in the form of a hall or hallway. If a living space is located immediately after the front door, it is necessary to isolate it with at least a screen that will retain energy. This can also be achieved with a rug that will be placed in front of the entrance to the room.
The front door is the gateway between the environment and the living space. There should be no barriers here, including doors that will close the prospects of the outside world for the owner of the house.
Placing a mirror in front of the entrance door
It is the change in the movement of energy that is considered the main reason why it is not recommended to place a mirror opposite the entrance.
A mirror placed in this way will lead to disruption of harmony, failure in business and misfortune to family members. The mirror redirects energy and the flow that constantly feeds the household is simply lost. It can be placed on the wall that borders the front door or the door itself. Also on the mirror you can use "neutralizers" in the form of frames made of wood or forged metals.
If, however, such a mirror is already installed right in front of the front door, you can change the flow of energy. To do this, simply change the angle of inclination from the floor to 90 degrees. Such a small change plays a huge role in the teachings of Feng Shui and in the harmonious distribution of energy.
Choosing the color of the front door according to Feng Shui
When choosing the color of the door, its placement in relation to the cardinal points plays a huge role. In the case of the southern placement of the door, the green and red option is considered the optimal color scheme.
Yellow and brown will also be acceptable, but black and blue should be strictly excluded.
In the South-West direction, a red door would be an ideal option, which will emphasize the stability and prosperity of the owners. Again, a yellow and brown door would be a valid option.
The east facing door is a good reason to choose blue, green or black. In this case, white shades are the forbidden option.
Yellow and brown would be a good option for a door facing northeast. Let's say a red and orange tint, and white will become undesirable for use.
For a western door, white, gold and even silver will be optimal. Brown and yellow are also allowed in this case, but black and red are strictly not recommended.
For the northbound door, choose white, black and blue. Brown and yellow are not recommended in this case.
Placement of the door on the cardinal points
It is not always possible to place the front door on the side where it is preferable according to Feng Shui. However, if the house is at the planning stage, such a nuance can be taken into account.
- When the door is located in the north, there is peace and harmony in all household members. The main thing is that excessive calmness does not develop into apathy. This can be solved by adding the elements of Earth to Water, choosing a brown door and hanging a small crystal in the hallway.
- North - west placement of the door helps confirm the leadership qualities of the head of the house, increases the level of trust in him and his family.
- The northeast entrance door is characterized by rather contradictory opinions. In this case, households will often be exposed to external factors. This option is more suitable for the younger generation who want to expand their capabilities and horizons.
- The door to the east has a favorable effect on a young family with ambition and determination. This is an ideal option for those who want to improve their financial situation and wealth.
- The door, which is located in the south direction, affects the activity of the household and their social activities.
- In the Southwest direction, the door has a beneficial effect on motherhood and family values. Although, in some cases, this can lead to the dominance of maternal feelings and responsibilities.
- West facing front door is the best option for couples with children. This direction has a positive effect on romance in the family.
The front door serves as a protective field for the family. With its correct placement in relation to surrounding objects and cardinal points, you can increase the harmony and success of households. That is why it is better to stick to Feng Shui tips that are aimed at concentrating positive energy in the house.
Feng Shui tips - what the front door can tell you.
1. Feng Shui and the harmony of life
2. What is a Feng Shui door?
3. Entrance door and sides of the world
4. Color of the entrance door
5. Shape of the entrance door
6. And if the door is not according to Feng Shui
7. Correction of incorrect location
8. Mirror in the hallway
9. Staircase and entrance door
10. Tips and Recommendations
West and East interpret the principles of harmony and human happiness in different ways. Western culture focuses on functionality, practicality and external beauty. The East is trying to get to the bottom of things. Feng Shui, with its oriental aesthetics, offers us, people of a different culture, a fresh look at familiar interior solutions. One has only to plunge into his philosophy and see how the world around us is changing.
1. Feng Shui and the harmony of life
How do well-being, prosperity and good luck come to the house? Just like the people living in the house, they enter through the front doors. According to the laws of Feng Shui, space, people and everything that surrounds us consists of energy, in China it is also called Qi. The human body and soul cannot live without constant replenishment of Qi, as well as plants and animals. Qi is invested in us from birth, it comes to us in the form of food and water. It enters our homes with air currents. In order to feel strong and happy, we must not hinder its free penetration. From the point of view of Western culture, the door is only a necessary element of a human dwelling. Its dimensions, color, opening side, location relative to the cardinal points - these are just small nuances that can be neglected for the sake of comfort, beauty, functionality. But if you think about it, a door is what connects two different worlds. It is the link between the inner and outer life of man.
2. What is a Feng Shui door?
According to Feng Shui, the front door should be of medium size. It is believed that too large an entrance to the premises can create financial difficulties, a small one leads to family quarrels. The door itself should be of a regular rectangular shape, open and close easily and freely, and have a beautiful appearance. The color is chosen depending on the direction of the world - the north, east, south or west direction in which the door is facing. In the hallway, as well as in the outer corridor, if it is an apartment, there should be no extra things, untidy shoes and clothes. Clutter, blockage of a direct passage to the dwelling block the flow of energy. But in order to understand this, it is not necessary to be a follower of Feng Shui. Aesthetics, purity and freedom of space make our thoughts and feelings cleaner, more consistent and clearer.
Feng Shui consultants advise to install the front door in the form of a single solid leaf without glass inserts. Also, an absolutely glass version will be undesirable. The entrance to the house must be reliably protected and hidden, which is why it is not recommended to make a door from fragile delicate materials. For free penetration of energy into the dwelling, the door leaf is hung so that it opens into the room. It is believed that the opening outward allows the dissipation of Qi, its loss. If there are windows on both sides of the front door, it is necessary to decorate the window sills with pots of live plants or beautiful curtains, so the energy will remain in the house.
3. Entrance door and cardinal directions
- If your entrance door faces north, this contributes to a calm, measured and stable life. To dilute the regularity with bright events and interesting meetings, it is recommended to paint the door brown.
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The Northwest direction favors men as masters in the house, contributes to a sense of respect for them by other family members, as well as their career success.
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Successful learning, education helps the northeast direction of the front door. Active external forces bring changes to the house and the desire for new horizons.
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The door of the south direction gives its owners an activity and a rich social life. According to Chinese tradition, the entrance to the house should be facing south. This contributes to gaining recognition and honor, helps to establish the necessary connections. Fire, as the main element of the southern direction, gives the inhabitants of such a house energy. On the advice of Feng Shui consultants, a painting depicting water will help soften the fiery character of the apartment.
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The southwestern direction helps to strengthen family and marital ties. And also, in general, it has a beneficial effect on relationships between people, friends, neighbors, colleagues. Good luck will surely look through such a door.
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If the door faces southeast, it means that the planned plans will be carried out slowly. But the house will always be accompanied by material well-being. According to Feng Shui, the Earth element, the most conservative, reliable and restrained, is responsible for the southeast direction. Adherents of the doctrine recommend decorating such houses with living plants so that stability does not turn into dullness.
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The east direction of the door promises a career take-off and success in your endeavors. It also contributes to the health and prosperity of all the inhabitants of the house.
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West according to Feng Shui is responsible for the younger generation, their success in education and knowledge of this world. For a young family, the western direction promises a big strong family. And if talented people live in the house, new creative opportunities will open before them.
4. Entrance door color
The Feng Shui direction of the door must harmonize with its color.
- North. Water patronizes this side of the world. A fast cold current, sobering the mind, contributing to career success. Choose cool and contrasting shades, such as black, white, blue, cyan. Warm earthy colors such as browns, yellows, greens and their shades should be avoided.
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Northeast. Suitable beige, brown and yellow shades. Do not paint the door green.
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Northwest. Good colors will be - silver, gold, copper. Avoid blue, red and black.
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South. According to the principle of opposites, the patron saint of the south is fire. The door is chosen in red, green or brown shades. Accordingly, cold water colors should be avoided.
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West. For western doors, all metallic shades are suitable: silver, bronze or gold.
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Southwest. Desirable colors - yellow, pink, beige.
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Southeast. Choose green and purple. White color is better not to use.
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East. This direction is responsible for material wealth. The “correct” door should be green, but white shades should be avoided.
5. Entrance door shape
Feng Shui door shape is determined by the element that corresponds to each cardinal direction.
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The elements of fire are usually pointed forms that are present in the decor of the canvas. It is good to decorate such a door with milling in the form of rails, stars and zigzag lines.
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The elements of the earth - clear geometric correct forms. Squares, rectangles, restrained and calm, will complement the image of your door.
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The element of water - rounded shapes. The flow of water in the river - the smoothness and streamlining of the contours. You can use milling without sharp corners or decorate the door with wavy lines.
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The element of wood is a symbol of upward movement. Elongated shapes, rectangles will be appropriate.
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The element of metal - the expression of bizarre forms. The doorway can be made in the form of an arch. A combination of regular geometric shapes and smooth lines.
6. And if the door is not according to Feng Shui
- Opposite the bathroom. It is recommended to install partition screens between the door and the toilet.
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The door should not look into the mirror. According to Feng Shui, mirrors have a powerful energy that can both positively and negatively affect the well-being in the house. The location against each other in this case can lead to financial difficulties in the family.
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In front of the door itself, this applies to private houses, there should be no drains, forks, sharp protruding corners or roofs of neighboring buildings, as well as poles and antennas. It is good to illuminate the door with pendant lights.
7. Correction of incorrect location
When buying a ready-made housing, we cannot make the front door where we want. But, if you still really want to observe the principles of harmonious home improvement, Feng Shui invites us to outwit the Qi energy.
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Live plants. Lovingly arranged flowers in pots will have a positive effect on the atmosphere in the house and cheer up the household. The main thing to remember is that all plants should reach for the sun, and climbing creeping flowers should not be in the house.
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Rugs with special ornaments in front of the entrance doors. If it was not possible to choose a door of the appropriate color, a rug purchased in the correct color scheme will partially correct the situation.
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Folding partitions. It is good to fence off the door with them from the negative influence of other rooms or parts of the interior. For example, you can put such a partition between a toilet and a door, or a door and a staircase.
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Talismans. These are crystals of various shapes, horseshoes, Chinese lanterns. They are placed in the hallway near the front door. If you doubt their effect, they can serve as a decoration.
8. Mirror in the hallway
You can not place a mirror in front of the door, and the best location will be the same wall on which the door is located. It is believed that in this way the Qi energy entering the house will not only not run out, but will also increase. In extreme cases, one of the side walls next to the door can be mirrored.
9. Stairs and entrance door
The location of the apartment opposite the entrance stairs is considered unfavorable. In private houses, you should also not place steps to the second floor opposite the entrance to the house. According to Feng Shui, this prevents the Qi energy from flowing freely. You can correct this problem by installing a barrier screen. If this does not work out, and in multi-storey buildings this is simply impossible, you need to qualitatively illuminate the area in front of the door and use Feng Shui talismans.
10. Tips and Tricks
1. Do not place paintings with battle scenes or collectible weapons in front of the front door. It is believed that such elements will bring discord between family members and the people around them.