Feng Shui: The basics

Having good feng shui in your life can make a big difference, not just to your home comfort but also to the aspects represented by feng shui – Career, spirituality, health & family, money, reputation, love, children & creativity, and travel.

There are two methods of feng shui that you can apply to your home; the Western method or the classical method. Both are equally beneficial. The Western method depends on the position of your front door, while the classical method uses the compass positioning of your house.

The house is then separated into the eight important areas of your life, and you can use particular colours, shapes and elements to improve each aspect:

Career and life mission

Area: North for classical method, or bottom centre of western method

Element: Water

Colours: Blue and black

How to incorporate: water features, paintings of water or mirrors are all great ways to represent the water element here. It is also represented by curvy shapes.

Spirituality and self growth

Area: North-East or bottom left

Element: Earth

Colours: Blue, Green, Black

How to incorporate: Include natural elements such as crystals, clay, salt lamps, terracotta and images/artwork of landscapes. Squares represent the earth element and fire nourishes earth so you might also want to include candles or diffusers.

Health and family

Area: East or middle left

Element: Wood

Colours: Brown, Green, Blue

How to incorporate: Plants are great in this area, as well as wooden statues & murals and images in wood colours or of trees and plants. Lucky bamboo plants and bamboo wind chimes are also a great feng shui cures, and rectangle shapes represent the wood element.

Money and abundance

Area: Southeast or top left

Element: Wood

Colours: Purple, Green, Gold

You can bring good feng shui to this area in the same way as you can to the Health and Family sector and by using purple, green and gold colours throughout.

Fame & reputation

Area: South or top middle

Element: Fire

Colours: Red

How to incorporate: Other than using decor and light fixtures in fire colours, a fireplace is of course a great feng shui cure for this area of the house. That may not be possible, so candles will do just as well. Red art and furniture is great, as are triangles.

Love & marriage

Area: Southwest or top right

Element: Earth (& Fire)

Colors: Pink, Red and White

Use the same techniques as we mentioned in the Spiritual and Self Growth sector to bring good feng shui to this area, along with pink, red & white candles and decor. Always try to keep everything in pairs – two candles, two photos, two cushions etc. 

Children & creativity

Area: West or middle right

Element: metal

Colors: White and Grey

How to incorporate: Art and photos in metal frames, metal decor and vases, metal wall art and textiles in the metal colours are great feng shui cures for this area.

Helpful people, blessings & travel

Area: Northwest or bottom right

Element: Metal

Colors: White and Grey

Decorate this area with the same techniques used for the Children & Creativity sector.

Improve your feng shui room by room and see if you notice a difference. You can also lay the feng shui map over singular rooms if you’re in a shared-house situation and only responsible for your room. In all rooms, be sure to clear clutter as it is a big feng shui barrier, and let in as much air and light as possible.