Feng Shui Home Ideas

Adding harmony to your space isn’t as mysterious as it sounds. Here are some easy feng shui tips to add this ancient Chinese art to your kitchen and bath.

You might have heard of feng shui but don’t know exactly what it is. Well, it’s the ancient Chinese art of balancing a home’s energy flow to assure the health, happiness and good fortune of those who live there. It might sound mystical and complex — but it’s surprisingly easy to do. Here are some quick tips to incorporate feng shui ideas into your kitchen and bathrooms — two of the most important areas of the house, according to feng shui. We can all use more health, happiness and good fortune, so why not give it a go?

Feng Shui in the Kitchen

It’s a good idea to follow feng shui practices in your kitchen because it’s where you nourish your family. The ancient Chinese also felt it was tied to your wealth and success: Your stove draws in “chi,” energy, which deals with prosperity. (Who knew?)

Maintain your stove.

We already know it’s important to keep your stove in good working order, but here’s another reason: A properly functioning stove, particularly the burners, helps fire energy flow freely into your home. According to feng shui, this energy ushers in prosperity and can add some spark to your finances in the process.

Nix the clutter.

Got a junk drawer stuffed with takeout menus? Countertops covered with every gadget known to man? Much like a logjam in a river, kitchen clutter prevents money from flowing into your home, according to feng shui. Time to declutter and simplify. One trick is to create an area with open shelving. Be sure you don’t crowd those shelves or just toss everything from the countertops into cabinets. It might be out of sight, but feng shui will know it’s there.

Experiment with lighting.

Don’t rely on one glaring ceiling light. Add levels of lighting (over the sink, under the countertops) that you can turn on and off to create different options for ambience in your kitchen.

Feng Shui Bathroom Principles

The bathroom is a bit trickier to optimize, feng shui-wise, because drains are conduits for chi to escape from your home — flushing your luck down the drain in the process. Like the kitchen, it’s important to keep your bathroom clean and free of clutter. And, get rid of those ratty old towels while you’re at it. Beyond that, here are some more tips:

Close the lid.

Yes, guys, women have been right about this all along. It prevents chi from getting flushed away. In addition, plug your bathtub drain and get a plastic cover for your shower drain to keep both closed when not in use. Also, now’s the time to fix any water leaks. Feng shui practitioners say that your luck will trickle away with the leak.

Serenity, now!

Your bathroom is a place where you can relax, revive and renew. Install a dimmer switch to your lighting system so you can set the mood when you want to pamper yourself in the bath. Add candles, your favorite aromatic bath products and some soothing music, and you’ve got a feng shuied spa.

Use earthy colors.

Capture the feng shui colors of the earth and bring them into your home. Blue represents water, green means new life, and white signifies purification. All represent good feng shui and draw balance into your bathroom. Ditto for features like wood, live plants or a small bowl filled with decorative rocks.

With these simple changes, you and your family could be on your way to a more harmonious, healthy and prosperous home life.