Your bedroom should be a calm and soothing space that promotes healthy sleep. We spend one-third of our lives sleeping, so it’s essential to get it right!
You may have heard of Feng Shui, even if you don’t know much about it. But there’s a lot of wisdom in this ancient Chinese art of interior design.
Feng Shui aims to allow a free flow of energy throughout your home. It promotes balance, peace, and harmony in your home – and where better to start than the bedroom!
Although it has its roots in spiritual practice, anyone can benefit from feng shui rules. You can refresh your bedroom space with a feng shui bedroom layout.
So, let’s take a closer look at feng shui’s origins, principles, and practical tips. Read on to find out how you can feng shui your bedroom!
Image / Chastity Cortijo
What is Feng Shui?
Feng Shui is a Chinese art of balancing the energy and the yin and yang of any space. It advises on how to arrange furniture and other items in your home.
Feng is roughly translated as wind, while Shui means water. It dates back to around 8,000 years ago but continues to be popular today.
This ancient Chinese practice aimed to balance out the five main natural elements:
- Fire
- Water
- Metal
- Earth
- Wood
The goal was to achieve harmony in your home and allow chi, or energy, to move freely. Chi is the life energy in every living thing.
The Chinese belief is that if you cultivate chi, you can be healthier and happier. By removing any barriers to this life energy, chi can flow through your home and prevent any bad energy.
Whether you follow this philosophy or not, it’s clear that we are all affected by our physical space. It’s why so many people are interested in interior design and love to get inspiration for their homes. Clutter can cause stress, while a well-designed room can boost your mood.
Although Feng Shui originated in China, it became very popular in the West in recent decades. Many people around the world turn to feng shui for inspiration and wisdom. You’ll find that most bedrooms already follow the feng shui bedroom layout.
Feng Shui dives deep into the psychology of sleep. So if you feng shui your bedroom, you should be able to sleep peacefully.
You can easily blend Feng Shui rules with minimalist interior design. Both principles focus on open spaces and very little clutter. So, they complement each other, and you can combine them in your home.
10 Simple Rules for How to Feng Shui Your Bedroom
If you want to learn from this ancient art of interior design, read on! I’ll share some practical bedroom feng shui tips for creating a calm and relaxing atmosphere.
Choose a Sturdy Bed with a Solid Headboard
Your bed is the largest and most important piece of furniture in your bedroom, so it’s an excellent place to start.
Choosing a bed for your Feng Shui bedroom is a crucial decision! You should choose a large bed that will provide plenty of space to sleep comfortably.
But most importantly, look for a bed with a solid headboard. Ideally, it should be made with one material, like a whole piece of wood.
If that’s not possible, focus on finding a headboard without any slats or cubbies. A single, solid headboard promotes good sleep and will help you to relax at night. It helps to ground the bed and provide support for you as you sleep.
Image / Christopher Jolly
Select the Bed’s Position Carefully
Now you’ve got your bed, you need to decide where to put it. This is what feng shui is all about!
You should place your bed in the middle of a wall, rather than under a window or in the corner of the room. When following feng shui, you want to avoid placing your bed in a defensive position.
A feng shui bed should never be directly opposite the door to the room. Having a feng shui bed facing the door can unconsciously put you on edge when sleeping. You’re right in line if an intruder enters the room, which can make you feel nervous even if you’re not aware of why.
Instead, aim to place your bed diagonal to the wall with the bedroom door. If it must be on the opposite wall, make sure that the bed isn’t centered with the door.
The door shouldn’t open onto the bed, either from in front or to the side of it. There should be some space between the door and the bed for optimal energy flow.
You should also consider what’s on the other side of the wall. Feng Shui teaches you to avoid having your bed against a toilet or sink on the opposite side. That symbolizes a drain of energy (and it can be noisy as well). So, it could disrupt your sleep.
Image / Im3rd Media
Create symmetry in the bedroom
Once the bed is in position, you can think about the other furniture and bedroom items. The goal is to aim for a symmetrical room that creates harmony and a sense of balance.
For example, it’s better to have a nightstand on each side of the bed, rather than just one. That helps to keep the room feeling even and balanced.
You can also create symmetry through color, artwork, and the visual weight of the items. It doesn’t have to be perfect, so long as it all comes together cohesively.
Image / Erick Palacio
Remove screens and electronics from the room
There have been many studies that have shown that blue light from screens affects your sleep. That’s why you should avoid having screens in your feng shui room.
But feng shui takes it a little further and recommends having no electronics at all if possible. That means everything from your phone and TV to an alarm clock and lamps.
The idea is that unnatural light will disrupt the energy flow through your room. It can lead to disturbed sleep and mess up your natural sleep patterns.
Your bedroom should be as dark as possible so you can fall asleep quicker and sleep more soundly. So, you should leave your phone, laptop, and tablet in another room.
It might sound extreme, but if you can get away with natural light only, that’s the best solution. But not all rooms are bright enough without extra lighting, I know. In the next section, we’ll take a look at the best lighting for your feng shui bedroom.
If this principle sounds alarming to you, I understand. Many of us like watching TV in bed and can’t cope without our alarm clocks to wake us in the morning.
There’s a lot of wisdom in feng shui that can help to regulate our sleep patterns. But you can cherry-pick the aspects that suit you best. You don’t have to go all-in!
Even implementing a few feng shui tips could make your bedroom feel like a more relaxing space.
Image / mark champs
Go for soothing, natural lighting
If you’re feng shui-ing your bedroom, you want to let in as much natural light as possible. Don’t block your windows with heavy drapes or bulky furniture.
You’ll need to choose your window dressings carefully to maximize natural daylight. But you also want to cut out any artificial light from outside so you can sleep well.
So, you should think about whether you get a lot of light pollution from street lights. If so, then the best choice is a blackout curtain or blind in a natural, calming color. It should block that bright artificial light and harmonize with the colors in your room.
But if you live in a rural area without much light pollution, you can go with thinner curtain fabric. That will allow some natural light from the moon to filter through and encourage you to wake with the sun.
More natural light leads to a regular circadian rhythm. As a result, you should wake up feeling rested, energized, and ready to go. If you follow these tips, you may experience improved focus, productivity, and mood!
If you don’t get enough natural light, then go for soft, soothing light sources like table lamps. Even better if they are dimmable.
You can also enhance the ambiance with candles. The warm, golden light they emit is perfect for the feng shui bedroom and creates more energy in the room.
Image / khloe arledge
Boost airflow in your feng shui bedroom
You want air (and chi energy) to flow freely and unhindered through your room. Plenty of airflows is essential to keep your space fresh and prevent stuffiness. And the entire feng shui philosophy hinges on the movement of energy through your home.
You can achieve this by avoiding bulky furniture. Look out especially for any free-standing items in the center of the room or blocking windows.
Instead, opt for low-lying furniture and place it along the walls of the room.
You can also go for adjustable blinds rather than curtains to allow more air into the bedroom.
Cut the clutter (even bookcases!)
When it comes to feng shui for your bedroom, it has something in common with minimalism. That’s the principle that less is more!
It’s recommended to cut down on bedroom clutter by moving items to another room. The bedroom is for sleeping, rather than studying, watching TV, or video games.
The bedroom should be a relaxing environment without too much stimulation.
You can start with the obvious clutter, like cleaning your surfaces. But feng shui even advocates for removing bookcases from your room. You should only keep what you’re using in the bedroom, such as your current read.
You might even want to reduce any unnecessary decor, like cushions and blankets. If they aren’t practical, you’ll just end up moving them around. They could interfere with the energy flow within the room.
Don’t forget to close any drawers or cupboards when you’re finished with them. That keeps any visual clutter to a minimum.
The reasoning is that clutter will stimulate your thoughts and disrupt your sleep. Too many entertainment options can prevent you from drifting off to sleep.
A clean, simple environment will allow you to switch off your thoughts at the end of a busy day. If you follow this advice, your room will become a cozy space for relaxation and refreshing sleep.
Image / Andrew Neel
Use a calm, neutral color palette
The color palette is another important decision for your feng shui bedroom. Color psychology is a real phenomenon that artists use within their artwork. But it also applies to your home and can affect your mood and how you feel in a space.
For example, bright colors like red, orange, dark purple, or yellow are very stimulating. They create energy and encourage the brain towards creativity, passion, and even anxiety.
In contrast, your bedroom should promote calm, relaxation, and restfulness. The best colors for this are natural tones such as white, cream, beige, light brown, and pale green.
Paler pastels and light shades are preferable to saturated tones.
Choose 2-3 different shades and use them throughout the room for continuity. For example, if you go for cream walls, you could use beige and gray for your curtains and accents.
Opt for natural and environmentally-friendly bedding and materials
Let’s continue with the natural theme! I recommend using natural materials and colors for your bedding.
Go for high-quality linen, cotton, or wool sheets and blankets with natural tones. They will feel amazing and fit with your color scheme.
As for your bed, nightstand, and other furniture, wood is the recommended material. It’s warm, sturdy, and makes you feel secure.
Ideally, the best furniture for a feng shui room will have rounded corners. That allows chi to flow more smoothly around things. So if possible, look out for round bedside tables or softened edges rather than sharp corners.
Image / Ty Carlson
Be selective with artwork for your Feng Shui room
The final touch to your feng shui room is the artwork on the walls. Feng shui offers guidance on the placement and the style of art you should hang in your bedroom.
The artwork you choose should fit with the tranquil space you’re creating in your bedroom. Many people go for paintings of nature, both for the calmness and the muted color scheme.
One note is that while natural artwork is ideal, it’s best to avoid water paintings such as rivers or the sea. Water is constantly flowing and moving. But instead, you want to create stillness in your bedroom.
Another alternative is to hang abstract art that blends with your color scheme. You can use slightly contrasting colors, like lighter and darker shades. But it shouldn’t be too bright or demanding!
The best place for your artwork is opposite your bed. Then, you’ll get to see it as you wake for an inspiring and calm start to the day. If you only have one artwork, having it opposite the bed will also promote symmetry in the room.
You can also hang art on the walls on either side of your bed. Remember to consider the symmetry and balance of the room and try to line them up with each other.
It’s amazing how artwork can influence our mood. Choose the right artwork for your feng shui room, and you’ll create a serene space. It’s where you’ll feel at your most calm and relaxed!
Image / Angèle Kamp
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Final Thoughts
If you’ve been curious about how to feng shui your room, it’s not as complicated as you might have thought!
By following these simple tips, you can create a calm and relaxing space. It could lead to a better night’s sleep, so you feel more refreshed and ready to go about your day.
Not only that, but it will look and feel cozy and welcoming. Your feng shui bedroom is the perfect place to escape from life’s stresses and allow yourself to rest.
You can benefit by carefully using color psychology and the feng shui bedroom layout. And soon, your bedroom will become your favorite place in the house!
Let me know if you have any questions or comments below. Which of these tips will you use in your bedroom? I’d love to know!
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