The Internet's Top 10 Feng Shui Living Room Tips
[REVIEWED]
Let’s stop for a minute and think about how much time you spend in your living room. Do you enjoy relaxing on your sofa and getting lost in a favorite book, but never seem to do so? Do you want to spend more time in your living room but find yourself attracted to other areas in the house instead?
When you have guests over, are they drawn to your living room or a different room in the home? These are all signs that your living room needs a Feng Shui improvement. A Feng Shui living room will create a better aesthetic and comfort level, and you’ll notice yourself spending more time there.
If you search the internet, there is a lot of agreement between the top 10 Feng Shui experts that there are some easy ways to make your living room better for comfort, have more friends and family visiting, and improving your relationships with them.
But do they even work? In this article, Dean will share and analyse with you Ten of the Feng Shui living room tips that fill up the search engines.
Here are the Internet’s top ten Living Room Feng Shui tips that we'll be reviewing:
- Ensure a Well-Lit Space.
- Create a Clutter-Free Room.
- Incorporate Color Therapy.
- Balance Furniture With Open Space.
- Display Feng Shui Art and Decor.
- Improve the Airflow.
- Hang Mirrors For a Larger Appearance.
- Apply the Feng Shui Bagua Map.
- Bring Balance to the Feng Shui Five Elements.
- Place Your Sofa in the Commanding Position.
Tip #1: Ensure a Well-Lit Space
The internet says: “Large, multiple windows in your living room are ideal. Big windows allow lots of natural light to flow in. You want your living room to be a well-lit space to provide you with energy and encourage socialization.
Light has an impact on our mood and if your living room isn’t well-lit, then it could cause you to feel tired and have other negative impacts on your mood and energy level. Try to allow as much natural light as possible but don’t hesitate to incorporate lots of artificial lighting as well.”
Dean Says: While this is a good ‘mood improvement’ tip, this has no bearing on traditional Feng Shui, apart from where the windows are located, that is, the directional qualities of the Chi that is carried by the wind into the home.
I personally disagree with having a lot artificial lighting unless the lights and lamps can be located in positive activation positions and you can adjust the brightness according to the situation. A snuggle on a rainy night isn’t really romantic with 20,000 lumens glaring down.
Air and light are invaluable to the health of your home and your family, and this is a good general tip. To take it further though, using methods such as San Yuen Yuen Gua, 8 Mansions, Flying Stars, Xuan Kong Da Gua and other schools will tell you which windows to open and where to place your light to bring maximum Feng Shui benefits.
Tip #2: Create a Clutter-Free Room
The internet says: “Clutter has a direct effect on our moods. A cluttered room can make you feel stressed, anxious, or even depressed. It also prevents you from having a clear mind and thinking straight. You should remove any clutter from your living room to ensure it’s a calming and relaxing place for your mind and body. A quick way to declutter is to create three piles: one for trash, one for donations, and one for items to keep. Invest in more storage options if needed to keep clutter at bay at all times.”
Dean Says: This is another tired Feng Shui meme that I agree is an important consideration but is not actually Feng Shui. The main issue I have with these de-cluttering tips is who determines what is clutter and what isn’t? After all, I’m not sure I’d be comfortable or relaxed in a living room like the one above.
One person’s idea of clean and tidy might mean that you can’t sit on their couch without a plastic covering. People with young children really have no choice but to have clutter in their living room unless they only want 2 or 3 hours sleep a day. Some things in life are more important than tidiness, and being judgy about the way other people live is probably going to be worse for your Fate than their untidiness is going to be for them.
Cleanliness is very important though, but this isn’t because of Feng Shui, it’s just because disease is harder to spread when things are clean. You can have a clean but “untidy” home if it brings you joy.
Tip #3: Incorporate Color Therapy
The internet says: “Now it’s time to evaluate the use of color in your living room. Take a step back and look at the current color scheme. Do these colors work well with color therapy? Different colors will have different effects on your mood and energy levels. Your living room should use Feng Shui living room colors that boost mood, socialization, relaxation, and creativity.
Start deciding on what color schemes you want to use and be sure they flow well with one another. It’s beneficial to choose a light color for the walls to keep the room bright (beige, cream, or shades of white will do). Then, start adding in your accent colors (earthy tones of brown or grey, blues, and greens are all great choices).”
Dean Says: While actual controlled studies of Color Therapy are relatively thin on the ground, I think that we all can agree that the choice of colors can help or hinder our feelings. A house painted bright red will have different feel to it than if it was painted beige or white.
You should be aware that color therapy is not Feng Shui, but Feng Shui uses the colors associated with the Five Elements to adjust the Chi of the room. In the tip above, the colors recommended are beige = Earth Element, cream/white/grey* = Metal Element, blue = Water Element and green is Wood Element.
You’ll notice that every Element apart from Fire is represented, which is OK since Fire colors will instantly energize a room. Sometimes the Feng Shui may actually need that boost depending on the Flying Stars and other methods to provide some warmth and balance. Read the Feng Shui Colors of Christmas to find out why I can’t use red in a large part of my living room due to the Feng Shui.
In essence, I agree with the use of Color Therapy, but I overlay BaZi Chinese astrology and Feng Shui calculations to ‘fine-tune’ the final color selections.
*Grey/gray can be Metal or Water Element depending on the blend of white and black.
Tip #4: Balance Furniture With Open Space
The internet says: “The placement of your furniture should add to the functionality of the room, not take away from it. You want to create balance with your furniture pieces. There should also be a good amount of space between each furniture piece to improve Qi flow (allow you to easily walk between). If your current furniture placement prevents you from being able to easily walk from the living room to another room in the house, then you’ll want to make some changes. When rearranging the furniture, always keep stability and peace in mind.”
Dean Says: This tip appears in nearly 80% of the top ten internet results, but really, it’s a complete no-brainer. Who likes getting their little toe stubbed because you didn’t leave space to walk around the coffee table?
This tip literally has nothing to do with Feng Shui apart from a vague idea of Chi flow. All I can say is be sensible with the space you have available, it actually is nice to have a balance between space and coziness in the living room, it does something to the ‘caveman’ part of our brain stem (similar to Tip #10).
Like this article? Tap to share
Tip #5: Display Feng Shui Art and Decor
The internet says: “The artwork and decor pieces you choose should promote harmony. Avoid decor and artwork that brings out any negative emotions such as sadness or depression. Instead, focus on nature pieces such as animals or flowers.”
Dean Says: Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and I personally never advise specific art styles. It all comes back to the materials, colors and the Five Elements represented within the art piece for Feng Shui.
I agree in principle on using nature and avoiding negative images, but each to their own on this tip. I like pop culture, I have a client that collects Australian Indigenous art, another has Yoni art on proud display. Stick to the Feng Shui Five Elements and take personal taste out of the equation, or just don’t worry about it.
Tip #6: Improve the Airflow
The internet says: “When you arrange your furniture with Feng Shui in mind, the room won’t feel cramped or stuffy. Feng Shui promotes optimal airflow. You’ll improve the airflow in your living room and home by sticking with an open-plan room design. You should be able to see all of the corners in your living room.”
Dean Says: This tip is a vague description of Chi flow concepts used in Form School Feng Shui. The diagram below shows air and Chi flow through an apartment. Feng Shui Compass schools narrow down the qualities of the Chi entering from each direction so the best windows and doors are used. Forget the idea of seeing all the corners, that isn’t Feng Shui and it’s impractical.
Tip #7: Hang Mirrors For a Larger Appearance
The internet says: “Mirrors can help open up the living room by giving the appearance that the room is larger than what it actually is. Mirrors do this by creating an illusion that there’s more space. When hanging your mirrors or placing them in the living room, try to align them with an incoming beam of natural light. When the sun shines through the windows and hits the mirror, the mirror will then reflect the light and radiate it through the room.”
Dean Says: My wife likes to have a mirror in the living room, not for Feng Shui, but so she can check her hair and makeup when she is leaving the house.
Mirrors are useful in some Feng Shui applications such as toilet sha, but don’t rush out just to create an illusion.
Tip #8: Apply the Feng Shui Bagua Map
The internet says: “The Feng Shui Bagua Map helps you understand the energy in your home. Use the map to determine the Bagua of your home. Then, use this information to establish where your living room fits into it. You can then decide which Feng Shui elements you need to use in your living room. For example, the direction your living room is facing will determine what colors to implement in its design.”
Dean Says: When people say Bagua Map, they tend to refer to the “Black Hat Sect” or “Life Aspirations” schools interpretations of the Lo Shu Later Heaven diagram. All of the colors, art and furniture tips from earlier are packed into this tip if you know how to read the Trigrams and Elements held within the Lo Shu.
The Lo Shu Later Heaven and it’s Early Heaven counterpart are the basis for all the directions. 8 Mansions takes it a few steps further, then Flying Stars divides 8 into 24 directions, Da Gua then steps into the 64 Hexagram directions.
Use this tip at your own peril, adding Fire to a fame corner that has a 5 disaster star can spell big trouble. At least use an online Flying Stars calculator first to see which colors are taboo.
Tip #9: Bring Balance to the Feng Shui Five Elements
The internet says: “The five elements of Feng Shui are wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. A living room that feels off could use a balancing of these five elements. When your living room balances all five elements, it’ll feel more comfortable. This is because each element provokes a different type of mood. To implement wood, add flowers, plants, or wood furniture. To implement fire, add candles or shades of red. To add an earth element, use earth tones and images of landscapes. To add the metal element, use rocks and stone or shades of grey and silver. To add the water element, use reflective surfaces and water features.”
Dean Says: This tip is in a whopping 90% of all the top search results, and is one of the functions of Feng Shui. It’s a good general tip since it will provide a better feeling to the room, however it is better to narrow down the Five into the two or three that will make the biggest difference to the Chi.
Tip #10: Place Your Sofa in the Commanding Position
The internet says: “Last, be sure to place your sofa in the commanding position. The sofa is the centerpiece of the living room and should be placed with a wall behind it. When seated on the sofa, you should be able to see the front door of the house. You should also avoid placing the sofa under a beam, which could collect negative energy.”
Dean Says: The Commanding Position in any context, not just the living room, is the place in a room that offers the person protection from behind and a wide field of view of any oncoming threats. You are the Emperor.
I feel that this is a hardwired brain function from aeons of evolution and the fight or flight response. It is a real thing, just look at where many men choose to sit in restaurants, and does actually work to make you feel more comfortable in your space.
Let's Build Your Feng Shui Living Room
In this article we learned that you should think logically about what you read online about Feng Shui. If you start learning and using traditional Feng Shui and BaZi Chinese astrology, you’ll find out that you can use these living room ones to create a Feng Shui living room layout that will help boost mood, promote relaxation and offer comfort, but do you want to take it a leap beyond?
Are you ready to get started? Register here for Feng Shui consultations and professional advice on creating a Feng Shui home.
Feng Shui Resources
Learn the Ancient Chinese Arts of Feng Shui, Lunar Chinese Astrology, and Solar Chinese Astrology with Dean’s Comprehensive Bundle!
Get everything you need to start learning these ancient arts in one convenient bundle. This bundle includes detailed course notes and examples covering everything from the basics of Feng Shui to the more advanced concepts of Lunar Chinese Astrology and Solar Chinese Astrology.
They are clear, concise, and easy to follow, especially for beginners. You’ll learn everything you need to know to improve your life with the help of these ancient arts.
Limited time offer: Get a $150 bundle discount ($747 down to $597) when you purchase all three courses today!
One thought on “The Top 10 Feng Shui Living Room Tips [REVIEWED]”
Very descriptive post, I enjoyed thatt a
lot. Will there be a part 2?