Guest Blog: Using Feng Shui to improve your living room layout

There is something to be said about balance – whether it is a balance in your work life, balance in your personal life, and even balance inside your home.

The art of feng shui is a systematic approach regarding the specific arrangement of furniture, its orientation, and how it creates a well-balanced flow of energy. The literal meaning of feng shui is “wind and water,” and Chinese tradition says that a man’s destiny is bound to his environment. Therefore, to succeed, one must live in harmony in life by fixing their surroundings.

The Basics of Feng Shui – 5 Elements of Balance

To create balance and absorb energy in your living room, you must first understand the five essential elements that feng shui addresses: wood, fire, earth, metal, and water.

One of the first areas of your home to apply feng shui would be the living room. After all, your living room is where you go to relax, socialise with friends and family, and it is the heart of your living space.

Before you can start rearranging furniture for optimal balance, you must determine where the room lies on energy, also known as Bagua, map. These maps focus on nine areas of life: health, relationships, travel, self, career, creativity, fame, wisdom, and prosperity.

The Steps to Using Feng Shui Effectively for a Truly Balanced, Peaceful Living Room

Now you must follow the essential steps for creating a properly balanced living room using feng shui. Some of these steps you can do in one day, while others may take a few days of work.

1. Declutter Your Living Room as Much as Possible

Feng shui focuses on simplification. To build a good foundation and start the feng shui process, you must first declutter your living room.

You cannot strike a balance of energy if your living room is overwhelmed with clutter – in fact, it goes against basic feng shui principles. Use a clutter clearing system to remove anything unnecessary in your room, including moving children’s toys into their bedroom or designated playroom, using only décor that matches your feng shui plans and is necessary, and removing furniture that has no use.

2. Place Sofas in Correct Places

Any main sitting sofas or loungers need proper placement. As one of the more significant pieces of furniture in your living room, moving these first makes the process easier.

First, your sofa must be placed against a solid wall. You do not have to touch the wall with the back of the sofa, but the back must face this wall. Also, if you sit down on the sofa, you must have a clear view of the main door or entrance. If these are not visible, place a mirror large enough in the proper area so that if you were to sit there, you can see the entrance via the mirror.

3. Begin Creating Zones for Feng Shui

Now, your living room requires “zones,” which are separated by North, East, South, and West. Only certain decorative items and even furniture can go into these zones, and you must be cautious about what you place here; otherwise you risk balance.

For the Northern Side of Your Living Space

The Northern side of a living room is meant to bring prosperity and wealth.

An aquarium with red fish and one black fish is a good idea, but make sure you use a rectangular tank. You could also place a small tabletop water fountain in this area of the room, which brings luck and wealth, but the flow of the water must flow toward the room and not away from it.

If you do not want an aquarium or fountain, use a picture of water, such as the ocean or a beautiful river and point it toward the room.

For the Southern Side of Your Living Space

The southern side of the living room needs to focus on wood. Therefore, you could use wooden furniture pieces, or make sure the fireplace is located on the southern side of your living room.

Likewise, you can frame your TV with real wood so that you can still place it on the wall of the South side, but without harming balance.

When it comes to colours, use reds, pinks, oranges, and greens – as you see in nature.

For the Eastern Side of Your Living Space

At the East, you want to focus on the colours of green and brown. Plants in this area promote wealth if they face South-East, while plants directly East improve health. Adding décor such as a dragon painting can also promote wealth.

On the Eastern side, you would also focus on décor that includes lamps, books, shelving for books, and picture frames.

For the Western Side of Your Living Space

The West is predominantly focused on metal, such as metal bowls or trays. You can also add extra design elements like metal figurines, furniture, metal frames, and candle holders.

Colour-wise, you want to keep it neutral, and only in tones you would find in metal, such as bronze, silver, blue, gold, tan, or grey.

Do Not Forget What You Cannot Have

While you have a list of starting points for what you should include, do not forget what you must exclude.

Some items you can never have in a room designed with feng shui are:

• Windows sitting behind your main sofa;
• Unnatural or limited natural lighting;
• The use of L-shaped seats and sectionals;
• Mirrors that reflect clutter;
• Pictures or images that are negative in nature;
• Any images or pictures that depict turbulent waters or struggles.

Now that you know the basics for using feng shui in your living room, the next step is to start moving items around the room, adding in new pieces of décor, and then enjoying the relaxation and energy that your room will provide once it is done.

The living room is by far one of the most essential rooms to use feng shui in, but once you have mastered the art, you can move it to other places in your home – even your bedroom.

– Blog provided by HouseTipster