Feng shui decorating living room
11 Feng Shui Living Room Tips
Believe it or not, your living environment has a direct impact on your overall wellbeing. For this reason, crafting a home that feels balanced and uplifting is key. And what better place to start than by embracing some basic feng shui living room tips.
The ancient Chinese practice focuses on Qi, a force of positivity that correlates to the way objects are arranged in a space. From ensuring that the back of your living room sofa doesn't face the entrance to arranging furniture around a fireplace, there are easy feng shui pointers to help your space flow better — and look good, too. Scroll down for a look at advice from feng shui experts, designer Anjie Cho, Reiko Gomez of Reiko Design and Amanda Amato of AMA Designs & Interiors. You'll appreciate their take on how to make your living room a relaxing haven that enhances your mind, body and spirit.
Set the Intention for the Space
Amy Bartlam
Living rooms are designed for a variety of purposes — some are cozy escapes for unwinding after a long day's work, others are designed with entertaining in mind. And while you may tailor the room's colors, layout and decor to its overall intention, keep in mind that the room should be treated as a gathering spot, whether it's just for your household or guests. "The phrase indicates that it's a place of living," Cho explains. "Often located closer to the front door, it's more public-facing room in your home as opposed to the bedroom or office, so the colors and layout should reflect that."
Amato prefers bold hues if guests visit your home frequently and calming tones for those with a more relaxed lifestyle. "If the living room is lively and often used for entertaining, adding hints of more energetic colors such as yellow and orange would be fitting. If your living room is primarily used for relaxing at the end of the day, then a restful and subdued color palette would be more appropriate."
Bring in the Five Elements
Max Kim-Bee
Feng shui uses the five elements — earth, wood, fire, metal and water — to describe the physical and energic world around us.
"It's important to balance the five elements to create a harmonious environment," says Amato. You can accomplish this with your decor or "subtly displayed in other ways with intention." For instance, as opposed to opting for the color red, consider using everything from animal prints to triangular shapes to represent the fire element in your living room.
Choose Colors, Textures and Shapes Wisely
Victoria Pearson
While, yes, you should always go with colors that you're naturally drawn to, there are a number of palettes, ranging from warm neutrals to crisp grays, feng shui experts lean toward in a living room. Plus, there are certain shapes and textures to watch out for when choosing furnishings. Here's what Amato says is worth keeping on your radar:
- Earth: low, square or rectangular furniture to ground the space, warm earth tones like brown, gold, yellow and clay; geometric patterns; pottery and porcelain materials
- Wood: tall, vertical lines; shades of green; botanical and floral patterns; live plants; tall furniture
- Fire: triangle shapes; leather materials; animal prints; lighting and candles; spiky objects and abstract art
- Metal: round shapes and arches; metallic colors ranging from white tones to silver or gray; shimmery fabrics; and circle patterns
- Water: irregular and curvy shapes; ocean-like blues spanning from light to dark; iridescent and reflective materials or fabrics
Let the Couch Take "Command"
Peter Molick
If possible, try not to have the back of your sofa face your living room's entrance.
"An ideal furniture arrangement is one where, as you enter the space you can see the sofa 'greeting you,'" says Gomez. "This will draw you into the room’s embrace."
But let's face it: There are some design schemes that aren't conducive to this layout. The workaround? Add a narrow console table behind your sofa to showcase decorative table lamps, accessories, an orchid or even a water feature. "This way, the person sitting on the sofa feels more protected from people coming up behind them while those who enter the room have a more appealing view," she adds.
Amato also likes to weave in a mirror if the sofa can't be placed in the "command" position. "Hang a mirror so that the owner can have a view of the entry if facing the door isn't possible," she says.
Create a Seamless Sense of Flow
August Oliver
Your home should feel cohesive in the world of feng shui. Flow matters. It can be as simple as being able to walk through the living room with ease or maintaining an attractive, clutter-free space.
"If you’re doing too much twisting and turning to get around pieces of furniture, or you find yourself squeezing between chairs, your arrangement is too tight," Gomez says. "Open things up, and possibly remove one or two pieces of furniture, to increase the flow of Qi."
Balance Lighting
Carolyn Barber
Illuminating an interior calls for balance. You'd be surprised how much a poorly-lit room can put a damper on your mood. On the other hand, if a room is too bright, it can be disturbing. For these reasons, Gomez likes to layer lighting. "The best solution is to have different types of lights, like low table lamps for mood lighting, along with recessed ceiling lights for overall illumination. And whenever possible, place light fixtures on dimmer switches."
Use Plants as Decor
David A. Land/Otto
"Plants bring in wood elements to a space," says Cho. "They bring in growth and vitality, but they are very healing.
" In other words, they breathe life into a room. Amato recommends plants with rounded leaves — think jade, golden pothos, and lucky bamboo plants. But Gomez says steer clear of cacti. "Select soft, lush plants with feathery leaves rather than anything sharp or pointy," she says.
Be Intentional About Mirrors and Wall Art
Rachel Shingleton
There are a few guidelines to follow when hanging mirrors and art on the wall (stick to serene prints like images of the beach). In feng shui, placing these pieces too low can bring your mood down, so a good rule of thumb is to hang them an inch higher than you usually would. It helps to draw the eye up.
Place Seating Around Your Fireplace
Tessa Neustadt
A fireplace can certainly be the focal point of the living room (the command position). Arrange furniture around it for a warm and welcoming feel. To dress it up, a mirror or black artwork is ideal.
Open up the Windows
August Oliver
Clean windows are believed to help bring about more luck and success in your professional life. "Metaphorically, if your windows are dirty it is said that your view on life is clouded or that you are unable to see the opportunities that surround you," Amato says.
Keep Clutter to a Minimum
Jessica Glynn
Take your time clearing clutter that has taken over your space. "Maybe you've had some blocks with how you connect to the world and others and it's reflected in feng shui," says Cho. "Acknowledge and be gentle, try to tackle one thing at a time and ask for help if needed."
Amanda Garrity Amanda Garrity is a lifestyle writer and editor with over seven years of experience, including five years on staff at Good Housekeeping, where she covered all things home and holiday, including the latest interior design trends, inspiring DIY ideas and gift guides for any (and every) occasion.
Monique Valeris Senior Home Editor Monique Valeris is the senior home editor for Good Housekeeping, where she oversees the brand's home decorating coverage across print and digital.
10 Feng Shui Living Room Tips to Bring Good Vibes Home
Cathie Hong Interiors
You might have noticed that we're big fans of feng shui here at MyDomaine. From selecting houseplants that usher in good luck and fortune to finding artwork that inspires gathering with loved ones, we're constantly on the lookout for ways to bring the good vibes home using this ancient Chinese art. After all, if a few small design tweaks can boost your productivity or improve your quality of sleep, why wouldn't you decorate your home accordingly?
To learn more about making the most of the space that's arguably the most utilized in any home (aka the living room), we tapped expert Laura Cerrano. "Depending on the layout of your home or apartment, the living room tends to be one of the first rooms that greets you upon entering," she explains.
"This means that the presentation of your living room sets a certain feeling, emotion, mindset, and energetic frequency before you venture into the rest of your home."
Read on for Cerrano's fail-safe feng shui living room tips, including the best placement for your couch and the one accessory every living room should have—no matter how small it is.
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Sarah Sherman Samuel
Before you start moving or buying living room furniture, Cerrano advises that you first assess how you use the space. To get the ball rolling, she suggests asking yourself a few questions about function: "What activities will be taking place in the living room? Is it mainly used for enjoying leisurely activities, entertaining, working, or eating meals? Will guests use the space to sleep over? Or all of the above?
"Understanding the function of the room will indicate what type of furniture (and how many pieces of furniture) you really need," says Cerrano. "Then you can decide on the best arrangement for the overall room.
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Cathie Hong Interiors
No matter the function of the space, no living room is complete without a sofa—and, as it turns out, sofa placement can have a big impact. "As with any room you are applying feng shui to, it's best to establish a 'commanding position,'" Cerrano explains. "In short, this means the occupants sitting on the couch in the living room have a clear vantage point of who is entering at all times." To adopt the style in your space, arrange your sofa in an area across from the main doors that you use when walking in and out of the room.
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Cathie Hong Interiors
After you select a commanding position for your couch, you'll want to start focusing on where to place your television. "Most TVs these days are so slim that you could mount it on the wall, which helps keep a more sleek and neat presentation," says Cerrano.
When it comes to the question of whether or not you should hang your television over your fireplace, Cerrano advises against it, if possible.
"If that's the only location in the living room to place it, go for it," she says. "But if your intention is to create a space for greater connection and conversation with family, allowing the fireplace to be the main focal point is a much better option."
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Amy Bartlam
"Depending on which method of feng shui you are using, the best colors for your living room could be determined by the compass direction, the five elements, or the Bagua map method," says Cerrano. "Let's say your living room faces south: In general, the suggested accent colors are within the warm scope of options: Reds, red-oranges, yellows, or even pinks and purples."
Although Cerrano advises embracing color, she also cautions against using too much of it. "You don't need to paint your entire room one of these colors," she explains. You'll still reap all the benefits of a hue if you incorporate it into your space sparingly. "You could have a neutral wall color (creme or beige) and accent your living room with noticeably warm colors through light sources, artwork, an area rug, or accent pillows," she suggests.
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Sarah Sherman Samuel
When it comes to accessorizing your living room, you'll want to curate a collection of items that are meaningful to you, according to Cerrano. "Make sure what you choose to put out on display conveys happy 'energy anchors,'" she recommends. "When you see these items, you should feel a smile in your heart—or perhaps a sense of accomplishment, curiosity, or adventure. On a conscious and subconscious level, our environment is always influencing us."
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Amy Bartlam
For a particularly small living room, Cerrano recommends hanging a mirror—but placement is everything. "Mirrors have the capability to 'expand a room' by making it look and feel bigger," she explains. "Just be mindful of what the mirror is reflecting, as it doubles the energy of whatever it sees." You should also "select a mirror size that allows you to see your entire head, shoulders, and chest line to ensure you 'capture your aura,'" according to Cerrano.
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Amy Bartlam
Plants play an important role in curating good feng shui in any living room because they "add 'life force energy' to the space," according to Cerrano. "They can also help to purify the air and give the room a splash of unique texture with the leafy patterns," she says. Common plants with positive vibes "include English ivy, peace lily, rubber tree, bamboo, succulents, and the snake plant."
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Coco Lapine Design
"One of the easiest feng shui principles to remember is to not let clutter accumulate in your living room—or in any room for that matter," says Cerrano. "Some may debate this and say it doesn't matter, and yet science has proven the negative mental and physical effect excess clutter has on the human mind and body," she elaborates. "Whatever you do not need, use, or love, let it go."
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Calimia Home
Stimulate bright, uplifting energy with natural light and layered lighting.
Energy-efficient lightbulbs mimic natural light, and they'll also last longer (so you won't have to take up space with so many extra lightbulbs in storage). Light is also associated with the fire element; one of five elements that should be represented in the room for harmony and balance. To improve feng shui in the living room, try to illuminate dark corners and shadows.
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Katie Martinez Design
If feng shui is all about harmony, consider balancing décor materials so that one single material doesn't overpower everything else in the room. This might mean opting for a variety of textures and finishes. For example, if you've got a lot of metal going on in your living room, soften it up with fluffy pillows and throws, and a house plant or two.
10 Feng Shui Bedroom Ideas and Essential Rules
Article Sources
MyDomaine uses only high-quality, trusted sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial guidelines to learn more about how we keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.
Yang L, Li J, Spaniol J, et al. Aging, Culture, and Memory for Socially Meaningful Item-Context Associations: An East-West Cross-Cultural Comparison Study. PLoS ONE. 2013;8(4):e60703.doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0060703
Lee MS, Lee J, Park BJ, Miyazaki Y. Interaction with Indoor Plants May Reduce Psychological and Physiological Stress by Suppressing Autonomic Nervous System Activity in Young Adults: A Randomized Crossover Study. J Physiol Anthropol. 2015;34:21.doi:10.1186/s40101-015-0060-8
Aso Y, Yamaoka K, Nemoto A, Naganuma Y, Saito M. Effectiveness of a 'Workshop on Decluttering and Organising' Programme for Teens and Middle-Aged Adults with Difficulty Decluttering: A Study Protocol of An Open-Label, Randomised, Parallel-Group, Superiority Trial in Japan. BMJ Open. 2017;7(6):e014687.doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2016-014687
10 rules for creating a harmonious space - INMYROOM
To live in harmony with yourself and achieve comfort, you need to properly plan the interior.
It is better to start from the main room in any house - the living room, because the energy of the whole apartment largely depends on its arrangement. Creating a feng shui living room interior is easy - just follow our rules.
1. Choose the right room
Choose a large and well-lit room for your living room. Ideally, it should be in the center of the apartment and be of the correct shape. If your living room is too large or, conversely, too small or irregular in shape, this can interfere with the free movement of energy flows.
2. Consider the cardinal points
First, determine the cardinal points in the living room. In the south, set up a fireplace or light candles, because this is the Fire zone. The East represents family - make sure you have a large-format family photo. The West is the place for electrical appliances. North is the zone of influence of Yin. Here you can put an aquarium. The North-West is a place for home and family helpers: hang a metal bell or a talisman dear to your heart here.
3. Use light colors
Warm cream shades in the living room will give you and your household confidence, calmness and balance. Hang a picture in silver or gold to stimulate the mind and imagination.
4. Pay attention to lighting
The more varied the lighting scenarios in the living room, the better. The main thing is that not a single corner of the room is dark: according to feng shui, the lack of light prevents the movement of positive energy. Do not be afraid of multi-level lighting, even if the room is small.
5. Opt for a smooth floor
In the living room, smooth floors are preferable to rough ones to create a sense of balance and harmony.
If you have a two-story house, it is better to choose a flat staircase shape. From a feng shui point of view, spiral staircases and rough floors adversely affect the energy of the house.
6. Arrange furniture correctly
It is advisable to arrange furniture in groups: an armchair, for example, should not huddle in a corner, its place is next to a sofa.
Do not place chairs with their backs to the door, the sofa should also be turned towards the entrance to the room. Place a low coffee table in the center of the soft corner.
And don't forget the armrests - they create a feeling of comfort and security.
7. Close the doors
Keep the living room doors closed when you leave the room: open doors release positive Chi energy.
8. Keep order and cleanliness
Do not clutter up the space. Let each item have its place. Give preference to low cabinets and shelving. Low furniture contributes to a harmonious spiritual life.
9. Decorate the room with live plants
Arrange several pots of live plants in the room for healthy Chi energy. Flowers are best placed in the eastern sector of the living room. But try not to clutter up the room with them: everything is good in moderation.
10. Make a real or fake fireplace
The fireplace is a symbol of the element of fire, which at all times gathered for conversation and dinner.
This is the main item in the living room, so the furniture should be turned in its direction, so that the energy from it does not accumulate, but spreads freely throughout the house. If you do not have a fireplace, you can make an imitation of it or just light candles. Feng Shui living room
At all times, the living room has been and remains the center of attraction for the family - family, friends and relatives gather here. The well-being of the whole house depends on the harmony of energy flows in this room.
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Pictured:
Location
Space and sun. Ideally, the Feng Shui living room is located in the most spacious and bright room with a beautiful view from the window. This room should not be a walk-through or be located next to the front door, otherwise life in the house will be unstable.
Layout
Simple geometry.
Feng Shui in the living room recommends that this room be in the shape of a square, oval, circle, or not too elongated rectangle. These figures provide an even distribution of qi - positive energy. An L-shaped or very narrow long room can be “fixed” with screens, partitions or furniture.
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Architects are not against Feng Shui: a room with a bay window can always be "made" rectangular with the help of curtains.
Without projections and recesses. These are places where negative sha energy stagnates. If there are niches in the living room, place lamps in them or next to them - they harmonize the space. Stairs leading anywhere are absolutely out of place in the living room; open space is most important here.
Keeping positive. Positive energy should not only freely enter the room, but also remain in it. Therefore, it is optimal if the door in the living room is in the center of the wall.
If there is a window or door on the opposite wall, they should be slightly off-center.
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Pictured:
If the door and / or window openings are on the same axis, a large-leaved plant near the door or window will help to delay the outflow of positive energy.
Lighting
Lamps and candles. For artificial lighting, hang a round chandelier on the ceiling in the center of the living room, and several lamps with lampshades made of natural materials on the walls: they will disperse the negative sha energy and harmonize the qi flows. The flickering of fluorescent lamps cuts off the flow of this energy, so it is better to prefer incandescent lamps to them.
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Round chandeliers are ideal for Feng Shui.
Daylight. In Feng Shui, natural light is highly valued.
Windows should be proportional to the size of the room: too large windows will drain energy and well-being, while too small windows will lead to energy stagnation.
Natural materials and natural shapes are important for feng shui accessories.
Color and decor
In the cardinal directions. In order not to provoke a clash of the elements, it is necessary to distribute color spots in the living room in accordance with the cardinal points. In the southern part, black, blue, white and metallic are undesirable. In the northern one - all shades of red and orange (and, by the way, a fireplace). Failure to follow these rules will provoke family quarrels.
Be careful with symbols. Any image symbolizes something, so there should not be gloomy or abstract drawings in the living room.
Give preference to paintings of wildlife (landscapes), flower arrangements, aquariums.
From the point of view of Feng Shui, wallpapers with floral patterns are preferred.
- wallpapers DOFL-9 by Magamax-Decor factory.
- wallpaper Poppy 81/1003 Cole & Son.
- wallpaper More is merrier by Mr Perswall.
- wallpaper York Collections Waverly WA7761 by York Wallcoverings.
- wallpaper Flowering Tree ZTRA05003 by Zoffany.
Furniture and interior details
Active items. TV, computer, speakers, pendulum clocks and other "yang" objects in the living room is the place. Just do not put them against the wall bordering the bedroom, so as not to provoke insomnia.
The smooth flow of life. Allow energy to flow freely from the door to the center of the living room. Do not place chairs and large objects near the door, choose furniture with rounded corners.
