How To Use Feng Shui For A Soothing Room

10 decorating feng shui ideas for a soothing room. Incorporating feng shui allows the flow of positive energy ‘chi’, which in return, helps mood and quality of sleep.

1. Declutter

As part of feng shui, removing items that are unnecessary, old, or broken should be thrown away unless they provide you with positive energy ‘chi’, or sentiment.

This is similar to the concept of a ‘minimalistic room’, where rooms are stripped of unnecessary items unless they are sentimental or an essential necessity. This doesn’t mean rooms are purely functional and unpleasantly bare but have an elegant and simple aesthetic.

2. The Doorway

Entryways should be clear, where nothing blocks the doorway, so it doesn’t disrupt the flow of chi or energy. This means that furniture and belongings should be out of the way as part of feng shui practice. Open and clear spaces are aesthetically pleasing, minimalist and a feng shui principle.

3. Positioning of bed: The Command Position

Your bed should be positioned in the commanding position so that you can be in command of your life, have positive chi and reap the full benefits of feng shui. Beds should not face the door or be positioned directly in front of it but should be placed in a position where you can see the door.

The bed should also be king or super king size! If you have a big room, then buying this sort of size is ideal for feng shui as it maximises your sleeping space, enabling you to sleep more comfortably and switch off distractions from the world.

'The bed should not be in the path of the bedroom door; it should also not be in line with the toilet door either. If there is enough space, you can keep a screen – removable or fixed – to segregate the bed from the toilet.' explains Henry Fong, Feng Shui consultant, at Absolutely Feng Shui.

4. Positioning of mirror

The positioning of the mirror is also a part of the feng shui practice, where it should not be placed directly in front of the bed. This is so that ‘chi’ or energy does not reflect and bounce around which can disrupt sleep. Having a mirror will keep the flow of chi a continuous current, which can be disruptive when we sleep, we want to have little of it or preferably no flow of energy.

You could instead place the mirror above or behind the bed, opposite a window to maximise light or on a side wall!

5. Use Soothing colours – neutral colours

Use a monochromatic colour to create one central feng shui vision. As tempting as it sounds, do not use a myriad of colours in your room. The wallpaper, wall paint and furniture should all be in one colour. Neutral colours or pastel colours work the best for feng shui and create a soothing aesthetic. Vivid colours are too energic and dark colours are not ideal as they darken and gloom the bedroom. It is okay to add some spark of accent colours to give your bedroom some life, personality, and colour but only in small touches in the form of artwork, plants, candles, or bedsheets.

Some ideas for paint colour options for feng shui

• General neutral colours: white, brown, green, yellow, orange.
• Pastel colours: colours that are soft and pale such as lavender, soft millennium pink, champagne pink, light azure, creamy mint, and whimsy yellow.
• Earth colours: the five elements, such as water (blues, black), fire (reds, oranges, pink), earth (browns, beiges, yellows), metal (white, gold, silver), wood (green).
• White, off white, cream for peace and serenity
• Light blue like the soothing, flowing water. A colour for calmness and serenity like the ocean.
• Soft green or brown, a natural tone and element.
• Yellow, a positive and mood-boosting colour

6. Natural light and drapery

As part of feng shui practice, another key principle is natural light- sunlight. Even candles can be used but not artificial sources of light. Let in as much as possible, using open, wide windows and open curtains so that natural energy and rhythm can flow through the room. This will allow your space to look bigger, so you can create that serene and soothing atmosphere.

Use thick drapery or roman blinds as they can be easily opened and closed in the morning and night. This allows a deeper sleep, so your room can cascade in a soothing dark for a better night's rest. As well as a morning full of sunshine and natural light which has many health benefits: improves mood, reduces stress, fights depression, circadian rhythms, stronger immune system, and even improves your sleep by the end of the day! Your body has a stronger inbuilt internal clock.

7. Add natural elements

It is also recommended that you add some natural elements. Earthy touches such as spots of green by placing live houseplants, using natural materials, natural furniture, and wood can construct your bedroom to be pure, simple, and elegant. A minimalist bedroom style can create a soothing and simple environment, which creates a feng shui friendly bedroom

8. Spread art on the walls

Have art on the walls, where these pieces of art or pictures can give a colour accent to your bedroom. Keep it to a minimum so that the room is calm and not over the top. Choose images that are uplifting, sentimental and cheerful- pairings of two are great for feng shui. Try not to use images that are water-related as this isn’t ideal for feng shui- but if you are to use it, then use images of still water, not moving water (such as waterfalls or crashing waves) as this isn’t calm.

9. No heavy furniture

No heavy furniture! Have furniture that is simple, light, modern and fully functional so that you can have a good night’s rest and balanced energy in the room. Having heavy furniture, bulky furniture, and gym equipment, like weights, can create energy that is too chaotic. We want a calm and soothing atmosphere that offers a lot of space and functionality.

10. Symmetry

Symmetry is another beautiful aspect of feng shui, where your room is symmetrical. For example, think about mirroring the room where both sides have similar-sized artwork, bedside tables, or wall lamps. This balances the chi and the energy so that it can keep the room calm and grounded. This helps you with matching elements in the bedroom, adding to the décor that is similar.