Best Tips to Consider For a Feng Shui Friendly Bedroom

     While I don't consider myself a feng shui expert, I am a fan of the art and have blogged about it here and here before.  What is feng shui?  Feng shui is the Chinese art or practice of creating harmonious surroundings that enhance the balance of yin and yang, as in arranging furniture or determining the siting of a house.


      Now I know a number of people might think this is a bunch of mumbo jumbo, but to each their own. I designed my bedroom using feng shui elements with the help of feng shui expert and author, Jayme Barrett for the one room challenge and I can tell you from experience that there is validity to the art.

     So, how feng shui friendly is your bedroom? 

That first pic above is a great example for one of the feng shui elements recommended for the bedroom which is your bed should be grounded by a wall or a great headboard to provide protection while you sleep. It is recommended that we use headboards that are solid and made of wood. In addition,  an upholstered headboard offers an extra layer of protection and support while softening edges.

In my own bedroom pictured above, if you look closely, there are a couple of feng shui elements that are incorporated; balancing items is important so two nightstands on either side of the bed is great and also allowing equal space on either side of the bed helps to facilitate the flow of chi around the room. To maintain a healthy relationship, make sure you have cleared clutter, place items in pairs to evoke the energy of a couple (two candles, two lamps, two photos etc).

    Bed Placement.  Once I styled my bedroom for a shoot and had placed the bed right in front of the doors as seen above. That is a big no no in feng shui. It is recommended that the bed be positioned as far from any door as possible. It’s also important that the bed not be in alignment with any door (bedroom, bathroom, or closet), or too much chi will flow toward the bed. This position is called the coffin or dead man position because when you lie down, your feet or head are facing the door. This is symbolic of how the dead are carried from the house through open doors. Yikes! So let's all try to avoid the corpse position if we can! In fact, I slept with this bed placement a few nights and could tell the difference. I didn't feel at ease at all versus when I sleep with the bed placement like in the pic shown above this one.

     If you must place the bed across from the bathroom door, hang a mirror on the inside of the door facing the bathroom. This reflects any negative energy back into the bathroom. Keep the door closed at all times.


    Although the door should be visible from the bed so you can see who enters your room, try not to position your bed so the door opens right into it or you're looking through the open doorway when you're in bed.

Mirror mirror on the wall or not...  Feng shui experts would rather you not have mirrors in the bedrooms as their energy can disrupt your sleep and invite infidelity. This can be a bit tricky though, don't you think? I don't currently have a mirror in our bedroom but it's not because of feng shui, but because I don't think I have the space for the one I want. I do have a mirror in our guest bedroom though.  However, not to worry, experts say if you do place a mirror or mirrors in your bedroom, just try not to have them directly opposite your bed as that type of placement can lead to bad dreams.

     Plants in the bedroom. This is probably the one feng shui rule I struggle with most. One of these pics above was taken from a recent plants in the bedroom  post and as you can see, I love to have plants in the bedroom.

     There is a bit of controversy about whether plants are allowed in the bedroom or not.  Some feng shui experts say no plants because they produce yang energy that disrupts sleep and the carbon dioxide they give off at night may further add to sleepless nights. Others say if your bedroom is big enough and plants are placed away from the bed, it's o.k. to have them, just not too many plants to overwhelm.

     Also per feng shui rules, sharp thorn is full of negative energy so plants like the cactus is not recommended.  They are said to give off negative energy.  Though I still have plants in the bedroom, I have removed all the cacti and reduced the number of plants for a lighter feel. What are your thoughts on this?- I know there are other plant lovers like me out there...

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Some other feng shui tips to consider for the bedroom:

• No  TV should be in the room
• Choose bedroom art that is happy and filled with positive energy rather than sad or lonely images
• Use candles or a dimmer to adjust the light levels in your bedroom
• Close the bedroom door at night

It would take at least 3 posts to cover everything but these tips are a great starting point to creating a feng shui friendly bedroom.


images: {1st-real living, 4th- gravity home, others of my home by Lea Hartman}

Feng Shui and The Front Entrance.

      If you've been a long time reader of this blog, then you know about my love affair with Feng Shui.  Back in 2013, I wrote a couple of Feng Shui laden posts(sort of a series) and this post could be considered as an installment to that series. In Feng Shui, how we treat our front entrances can either stunt or enable the flow of positive energy, health, prosperity, abundance, and tranquility in our homes and lives. The book Feng Shui Your Life by Jayme Barrett offers enlightening information on how to "Feng Shui Your Front Entrance." It was my source for the 2013 series and will be for today's post.

       The first step is to create a clear, open, and beautiful entrance for energy to move through and to circulate in your home. Feng Shui promotes the belief that your golden opportunities come in through the front door. The entrance above is a lovely example. The architectural hard edges are softened with the ivy growing upwards. The flowers also provide a welcoming show of color. Abundant foliage in the front yard is a natural solution for diffusing negative energy coming towards the door. In all other instances, keep trees and shrubs well trimmed so they do not block positive energy entering the home.

If you have the space for it, Feng Shui expert Jayme Barrett advises that placing chairs on your front porch both symbolically and practically invites your guests to feel at home. 

Placing a wind chime outside your door promotes good luck and good fortune while redirecting negative energy.

Trees add stability, healing, and vibrant energy to the home. Keep plants and shrubs well manicured. Your entrance should offer a welcome embrace to you and beckon on in positive energy filled with unlimited opportunities.

     What kind of first impression does your front entrance give? xx


images: {tumblr, bhg, pinterest}

Feng Shui Your Life Review Series: The Prosperous Stove

Before we delve into today’s post, I noticed there was a question about spiky plants versus ones with rounded leaves(yesterday’s post). In the book, it’s noted that rounded plants are the best ones to use to uplift and harmonize energy in any room. They should also be upward growing plants with rounded leaves. So far in reading the book, feng shui your life, it seems as if anything with a sharp edge denotes negative energy…

Onward to today’s post as the review series continue. We’re going  to look at feng shui and the stove as discussed in the book, feng shui your life by Jayme Barrett.

All of the following text is taken from the book:

In feng shui, the stove holds the energy for prosperity and abundance. From the beginning of time, many cultures have used food as an indicator of wealth and generosity. The amount of food a person lavished upon his family and friends was a measurement of his success. Accordingly, the stove, which facilitates the feasting process, contains prosperity energy. This energy encircles the stove and overflows the entire kitchen. You must keep your stove clean and ensure all burners are working correctly. The fire energy emanating from the stove stokes your home’s financial abundance. Since the kitchen combines the fire and water elements represented by the stove and sink, you need to keep them separate. If a sink is located directly across or next to the stove, the water will extinguish the fire which is not a desirable circumstance. To repel the water energy, place a small convex mirror on the front or side of the stove with the reflective side pointing towards the sink. Correct placement of these two elements will stimulate abundance for everyone living in the home.

The position of the stove is a major factor in securing affluence. You should face into the kitchen and towards the door as you prepare meals on the stove. Installing a stove in a center island provides ample space and places you in the power position.(which I knew this when I was building…). However, if the stove is located in the center of your home, there may be too much fire energy, creating instability between people living in the home. In this case, add a water element to the stove to subdue the fire. In addition, if your back is to the kitchen when you cook, place a small mirror above you to heighten your awareness of what is going on behind you. A vase with fresh flowers or a teapot or glass bowl filled with water is sufficient, provided you change the water once or twice a week.

If the refrigerator is next to the stove, place a convex mirror on the side of the stove to deflect the cold energy. A plant placed between them will further harmonize the two energies.

It’s a great idea to also remove all knives from the top of the stove and from the area next to it. Sharp objects should not point towards the stove since they project negative energy.

To create loving energy, burn a stick of rose incense on the stove daily. This is some interesting information, right? I have to admit I breathed I sigh of relief when I looked in my kitchen and realized that my stove and sink were separate from each other and my refrigerator is not exactly beside my stove. There’s a bit of separation between the two. Any thoughts on today’s post? Blessings and happy Wednesday! XX

{images: via, via}

Feng Shui Your Life: Review Series; Plants

via, first spotted on sfgirlbybay

The art of feng shui has always appealed to me and I’ve always referred to its foundation/premises when I decorate my home. In fact, when I had Zion, I used the information I learned about feng shui to determine the placement of his crib and the design of the room, etc. I learned during my research to never place a bed or crib on a wall that shares plumbing(toilet etc.). Needless to say, when I received an email about reviewing the book, “feng shui your life” by Jayme Barrett, I was beyond ecstatic!



The bestselling author, Jayme Barrett is a feng shui expert and in the book, she reveals how to transform your home with feng shui so that it enriches, nourishes, and changes your life. Did I mention that just a couple days before receiving that email, I was eyeing that same book at Barnes and Noble? Feng shui was on my side for sure. I’ve mentioned many design books to you before, but feng shui your life is so wholesome and teaches you how to harness happiness, health, wealth…ultimately leading to a more fulfilling life. There is so much enlightening information in the book that I’ve decided to do a mini series that highlight aspects of feng shui that the book covers…

Today, we’re going to look at feng shui and plants while showcasing this gorgeous home sprinkled with plants on the inside.

Excerpt from the book:

Life force within nature uplifts and harmonizes the environment. Plants give oxygen and recycle air, evoke serenity, and circulate healing energy. The more plants you have the better. They affect energy by: uplifting, harmonizing, increasing, stimulating, circulating, and dispersing. In feng shui, healthy plants and flowers bring in new opportunities. With specific placement, plants enhance health, love, success, and wealth.

Enjoy the rest of the home..

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While I love the palm plant that’s in the house featured above, it’s actually better to have plants(like that fiddle leaf fig tree above) with rounded leaves. Avoid the spiky ones. There is more invaluable information regarding placement of plants, etc. that is also covered in the book. Do you have plants in your home? Stay tuned for more enlightening information as the feng shui review series continue…XX

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