Whether one calls it the living room, the den, or the great room, according to Man-Ho Kwok, foremost feng shui master in Europe, the main living area of a home, where family and friends most often gather, is among the most important sites for creating positive feng shui.
The Eight Points
One thing to keep in mind is that houses are divided into eight key points: Career, Knowledge, Family, Wealth, Power, Marriage, Reputation, and Friends.
When someone walks into a room, Power is directly ahead; Reputation, centered on the right wall; Family, centered on the left wall; Knowledge, in the left front corner; Friends, in the right front corner; Marriage, in the right back corner; Wealth, in the left back corner; and Career, to the immediate right of the doorway.
Recognizing the various points is important because if a particular point is cluttered, it can cause unsettled conditions in that point’s corresponding area; or if furniture is arranged incorrectly, it can create obstacles in that point’s corresponding area.
Location of the Living Room
The main living area should be on the ground floor, not upstairs, and should not be viewable from the main doorway. Ideally, there should be a foyer or entrance hall, which is attractively decorated and the first thing people see upon entering the house, with common rooms close by and private rooms farther away. It’s important to note, however, that the main entranceway is not necessarily the front door, but the one homeowners use most often, which could be the back door or doorway to a garage.
The most important point in the main living area is Wealth, which is located in the left-hand corner when one is entering the room. According to the principles of feng shui, a door or doorway located beneath this point will result in the gradual loss of financial prosperity because one’s money will slowly seep away. So when considering the purchase of house or selecting plans for a new home, people should avoid this particular design if at all possible.
If the design cannot be avoided, though, homeowners can counter negative energy by placing a healthy plant in a large pot near the doorway; but any dead leaves should be removed immediately since dying leaves are considered a bad omen.
Furniture Arrangement in the Living Room
The furniture should be arranged so as to allow for easy movement throughout the room, not in such a way that it creates obstacles that people must maneuver around in order to traverse the room.
The couch and chairs should not be placed so that people sitting on them will be looking directly out the front door, nor should the furnishings be positioned with their backs to either the front door or a window. Instead, position the couch and chairs with their backs to a wall, although this does not mean they must be flat against a wall.
If homeowners have two couches, they should not position the couches so they are directly facing one another, for this positioning can induce stress in visitors who are unfamiliar with one another or perhaps uncomfortable in intimate settings. The ideal positioning of two couches is with one to the side of the other in a cattycornered layout.
In addition, if a house has exposed beams, homeowners should not place a couch directly under a beam because this will put undue pressure on the family’s main breadwinner.
Decorating the Living Room
The main living area should be warm, inviting, and comfortable since it is where homeowners most often interact with one another and with visitors. However, the incorrect placement of objects on tables or display of artwork on walls can result in a room’s being cold, uninviting, and uncomfortable, so certain guidelines should be heeded in order to create good feng shui.
- Avoid clutter since it blocks the flow of “chi,” or positive energy. As a result, homeowners should be selective regarding the items they place in a room. It’s far better to have a few items on display than a great many items, so if homeowners have an extensive collection, they should rotate the items on display.
- Place an especially appealing work of art, a large healthy floor plant, or perhaps even the television in the Money point of the room.
- Although a fireplace is desirable, especially if it is located in the Power point, do not hang a mirror over the fireplace since it impedes the flow of Chi. Opt for a painting instead or perhaps a tapestry, wreath, or some other artwork.
If homebuyers and homeowners keep these principles in mind, they can enrich their own lives and those of their family members with the benefits of positive feng shui.
Sources
- Kwok, M. & O’Brien, J. (1991) The Elements of Feng Shui; New York: Barnes & Noble Books.
- Simon, T. R. (1996) Feng Shui Step by Step; New York: Crown Trade Paperbacks.
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