When it comes to feng shui, there are certain things you want to avoid in your bedroom if you want to create a peaceful and calming space. While you can arrange an appointment with a feng shui consultant to learn about the ancient Chinese art, many feng shui experts provide tips on what constitutes good and bad bedroom feng shui.
For the best feng shui bedroom rules, actionable feng shui bedroom tips and how to create positive energy and enjoy a restful night’s sleep while working to feng shui bedroom rules, read on.
What Is Good Feng Shui In The Bedroom?
Given feng shui is about positivity and good energy, it is helpful to consider some things which are deemed good feng shui in the bedroom.
Place Your Bed In A Commanding Position With A Straight Line To The Door
According to the principle of the commanding position, when you sit up in bed with a headboard at your back, you should be able to see the main door, but you shouldn’t be in a direct line with the door. Ideally, you should be in a diagonal position with respect to the door.
Create A Clear Pathway To And Around The Door
With energy coming in and out of doors, you want to keep a clear path to ensure energy can move freely. This is the same for every room in your house, and it’s no different for your bedroom.
Minimise Or Completely Remove Electronic Devices And Screens
A common tip for getting a good night’s sleep is to remove screens and electronic devices from the bedroom. Many people find that when they use their device shortly before bed, they are unable to unwind, relax or turn off, which means they get much less sleep than they want or need over the course of the evening.
So, even if you don’t focus on feng shui tips, there is a lot to be said for removing these devices from your bedroom. However, feng shui is quite strict on minimising these features. If you need your phone for emergencies or as an alarm clock, it stands to reason that you need it close to your bed. However, this is the exception as opposed to the rule, and if this is present in your bedroom, try to remove all other electronic gadgets and distractions.
Some of the feng shui reasons electronics are bad in the bedroom include:
- Electro-magnetic fields (EMF) emanating from devices cause natural unrest
- It is preferable to have yin energy in the bedroom to facilitate sleep but electrical devices, and the sound and images which arise from them are viewed as yang energy
- For most people, the primary purpose of the bedroom is sleep and relaxation while electrical devices stand against this outcome
For all these reasons and a whole lot more, it is best to minimise the use of gadgets, TVs, tablets, laptops, smartphones and more from your bedroom.
Avoid Clutter, Including Family Photos, Which Create Too Much Energy
Feng shui places a considerable level of importance on removing clutter, and this includes whatever is lying beneath your bed. Now, you might find yourself struggling for storage space, and if your bed has space beneath it, it is natural and understandable for people to place items beneath their bed.
However, the teachings of feng shui indicate this clutter might cause problems for your subconscious, and this can prevent you from enjoying a great night’s sleep. An example of clutter which might mess with your subconscious is love letters or photos of a former partner. Many people like to keep mementos of former relationships, and it doesn’t necessarily mean they are unhappy in their current relationship.
However, the presence of these items might subconsciously influence how a person feels, and acts, in their current relationship.
Another factor which might have a subconscious impact on your life is placing luggage beneath the bed. This could make some people yearn for travel, which means they’ll never feel settled in their current home. There is nothing wrong with aspiring to travel, but when it comes to feeling happy and content in your house, it is best to focus on this.
Ideally, for your feng shui bedroom, you should have nothing beneath your bed, and this space should be clear. If this isn’t possible, you should only store linens and blankets beneath your bed.
Try To Detoxify Your Bedroom
While detoxification is an important issue for many people, regardless of the feng shui benefits, it is worth considering these changes in line with a feng shui bedroom. Try to use environmentally friendly products, with organic sleepwear, linen and blankets being great examples of how you can make small changes which will have a positive impact on this space.
You can also make changes to the room’s energy by changing the smells associated with your bedroom. Many households add a diffuser or essential oils to improve the smell, and your favourite fragrance will help you feel more relaxed in this room.
Avoid Sharp Corners And Bed Points
Sharp corners are bad for any room in your home, but the space when you often walk around tired or in the dark? It is fair to say sharp corners are best minimised in the bedroom for pertinent health reasons, but with respect to a feng shui bedroom, there are reasons why sharp corners and bad points are harmful.
Harmful energy in feng shui is referred to as shar chi, and poison arrow energy is a key source of shar chi. This negative energy originates in sharp objects which point towards people and main doors. According to some feng shui specialists, poison arrows are directly linked to severe loss in life, including poor health, losing money or losing a job.
Ideally, you want to avoid these outcomes, which means you should look to minimise or cover up these points.
Install A Headboard For The Bed
Having a headboard at the end of your bed is ideal to enhance the sense of stability and strength in the room. If you share the bedroom with a partner, this is an important outcome, so it is easy to see why incorporating this sort of feature will have a positive impact.
While there are many styles of headboards to choose from, ideally you should look for a single piece and solid-wood headboard. You can also opt for an upholstered headboard if this works better in your room. However, you should try to avoid headboards that have perforations in them or railings.
While it is good to have this headboard close to the wall, there is a compelling argument that you should move it away from the wall. This creates space for energy to move freely around the bed, and the room in general.
Placing A Bedside Table At Either Side Of The Bed, With Equal Space
Purely for symmetrical reasons, many people like to have matching bedside tables, lights or cabinets around the bed. There is also the fact that if two people share the bedroom, they both need these features handy to their side of the bed.
Of course, as you’d expect, there are also valid reasons to have these features in your home. If you only have one table or light, there is an imbalance in the room, and this can lead to the energy being disrupted or feeling off.
Allow As Much Natural Light In, With A Window On A Sloping Ceiling Or Sloped Ceiling Being An Ideal Addition
All these steps are considered suitable ways to improve feng shui in your bedroom.
We’ll now consider bad feng shui in the bedroom in more detail, expanding on some steps which are the opposite of good feng shui, and discussing separate steps which should also be avoided.
Bad Bedroom Feng Shui
Thanks to Psychic Advisor, an experienced feng shui consultant, here are some of the most common bad feng shui practices for bedrooms that you should be aware of.
Having A Mirror In Sight-Line Of The Bed
Mirrors reflect energy, which means these are not helpful if you are looking to enjoy a good night’s sleep. If you must have a mirror in your bedroom, in the commanding position, ensure it doesn’t directly face the bed. To enjoy good feng shui in a bedroom, make sure your mirror faces something you love, so you see it in the reflection.
Technology In The Bedroom
Screens, devices and computers are classed as being bad for feng shui in the bedroom, so wherever possible, do not have or use these items here.
Of course, many sleep experts advocate not looking at electronic screens in the lead-up to bedtime, as these can prevent you from falling asleep. In many examples, feng shui tips follow common sense or good practice for behaviour around the home, and this is a perfect example where feng shui and modern health tips align.
Promote Relaxation By Removing Electronic Devices
Of course, you need to be realistic when it comes to energy flow and technological devices. Your alarm clock is a vital component of a bedroom, and many people wouldn’t feel confident about waking on time without it. So, when you feng shui your bedroom, an alarm clock won’t hamper the energy flow of your bedroom layout too much, certainly not as much as the benefits it brings.
If you oversleep every day, you’ll feel negative energy from your boss, so there are some tough decisions to make with a feng shui bedroom. There is also an argument for finding balance, so if you have a digital alarm clock, balance this by removing other gadgets such as laptops or tablets from the bedroom.
A Cluttered Bedroom Is Bad For Feng Shui So Create Uncluttered Thinking
It is easy to see why bedrooms become cluttered, especially if you are the sort of person who is always rushing to get ready for work. However, clutter is considered bad form for feng shui in any part of the house, let alone the bedroom. If you have limited space in your bedroom layout, create a clutter free environment with a huge wardrobe and drawers. As always with feng shui, be sure to avoid blocking pathways around the room, and to the bedroom door.
Family photos are a great addition to any room of your home, because they create feelings of love, and remind you why you work so hard. The bedroom is an important room, and most interior design specialists will incorporate family features here, and you don’t need to overlook or discard this when you try to capitalise on styling your bedroom effectively.
Leaving Drawers And Doors Open When Not In Use
Following on from adding storage options to your bedroom to minimise clutter, you shouldn’t leave drawers or a closet door open when they aren’t in use.
Blocking Your Bedroom Door
A clear pathway is essential for creating positive energy in feng shui rules, and for energy to flow freely. Therefore, when you block the path to your bedroom door with bedroom furniture, you foster negative energy.
The same goes for people with an en-suite who have a bathroom door or toilet door in their bedroom. You want to create a clear path to the bathroom door, as feng shui principles apply here too.
Having Your Bed Facing The Bathroom Door
The feng shui rules regarding a bed facing the bedroom door are well known, but not everyone is as clear when it comes to a bed facing a bathroom door. With a growing number of homes having an en-suite facility, there will be many households in this situation, and as you’d expect, there are feng shui guidelines to follow when it comes to a bed facing the toilet door.
Basically, it shouldn’t. Feng shui principles suggest a bed facing this door leads to health issues, and a loss of money. If you have no option but to position your bed facing this door, there are steps you can take to minimise the problem.
Leave the bathroom door closed as often as possible, which you’ll likely do for health reasons. You should also consider installing a mirror inside the bathroom door, which will help to refocus the negative energy from the bathroom back inside the room, and not into the bedroom.
A Bed Positioned Under A Sloping Ceiling
While having a sloping ceiling is helpful in allowing as much natural light into a bedroom as possible, it poses a challenge or two when it comes to styling this room. You shouldn’t position the bed beneath sloped ceilings, as this will disrupt the flow of chi here.
So, think about how you can optimally position your bed with this constraint, and the other constraints associated with feng shui.
A Bed Positioned Under A Beam
Depending on the design of your house, there might be beams running across the ceiling of your bedroom. If this is the case, try to avoid positioning your bed beneath these beams. Beams create pressure and they disrupt energy, and with beams cutting across you above you, some feng shui specialists believe this will lead to injury or harm to people sleeping beneath the beam.
If you have no option but to position your bed in this way, one solution is to position two flutes with red ribbons above the bed. The open ends of the ribbons should point upwards, as this ensures the energy from the beams float into the flutes, not you.
A Bed Beside The Window Can Disrupt Sleep
While it is helpful to have as much light in your room as possible, you don’t want it to disrupt sleeping patterns. So, try to move the bed to a position where light doesn’t flow in, so it won’t disrupt your sleep or distract you. If you place our bed closer to the wall opposite the window, you should find it is more helpful for avoiding this light.
Don’t Forget The Five Elements And The Bagua Energy Map
While there are certain aspects of bedroom feng shui to consider, there are also many general tips to consider when you feng shui your bedroom. Yes, a bed placed in the commanding position is vital, but what the five elements and what bagua represents, you can do more to create tranquillity in your own bedroom by following tips from the ancient practice.
Whether you focus on adding earth energy or cultivating a health and family area, following an energy map provides a platform to create better balanced energy in this room. The simple act of bed placement and using good quality bed linens make a huge difference.
Utilise The Capabilities Of The Five Elements
The five elements of feng shui are:
- Wood
- Fire
- Earth
- Water
- Metal
Fire, as you’d expect, is extremely passionate, and it is also associated with fame and action. If you are keen to feel inspired and driven, a fiery red can be a great addition, but it is easy to see why many people avoid this in the bedroom.
Earth energy is linked with security and stability, things which most people crave in life, and aspects that are right at home in the bedroom. Colour-wise, browns and creams might not be overly exciting, but if you’re keen to create a grounded and humble environment, neutral colours are a brilliant choice. When it comes to accessories, crystals are a cool way to connect with earth in a bedroom.
Adding Elements To The Same Wall Will Transform The Life Force Energy Of A Property
Given that water is closely linked with purification, cleansing and prosperity, it is easy to see why many people are interested in harnessing this element. It is easy to add a water element to your home, with any water feature achieving this outcome. When it comes to colours, blue is a fantastic choice.
Given that many people find water to be soothing, it is a good element to have in your bedroom, especially if you need a calming environment to fall asleep in. Bear in mind, everyone is different and the ideal surroundings to help you sleep might be different. If you are in a relationship and you share a bedroom with someone, you will know that this is the case.
The trick is to be flexible, and to try things. There is no harm moving furniture and items around the room to see if it works for you, and whether it leads to more positive energy in this space. Unless you start changing structural elements of the home, there are few issues which cannot be changed or improved on, so feel free to experiment when creating the ideal environment which helps you relax and feel at ease in the bedroom.
Good Interior Design Can Sit Alongside The Main Element’s Energy
With metal, you have clarity and focus, and in terms of feng shui, it helps to deliver love, wealth and health. These are natural goals for most people, and are likely to feature in the bedroom for those who follow the guiding principles.
No matter where you shop, you’ll likely have metallic furniture which is capable of feeling at home in your bedroom. However, you can also add accessories which have a metallic sheen, such as throws, cushions or pillows. It is not as if you need to make your full bedroom gold or silver to tap into this outlook, you only need a couple of key features to create this identity in the bedroom.
It is not as though you can only focus on one element at a time, you can enjoy other elements at the same time. However, you want to avoid cluttering a room, and this is why it is often best to focus on a singular element, as opposed to focusing on harnessing the energy of other elements.
Wood And Water Features Create A Sense Of Life And Harness The Element’s Energy
Wood is an easy feature to incorporate into the bedroom, and given the wood element is associated with new life, creativity, growth and health, it is a fantastic way to create positive energy in a bedroom. Wooden features, and plants, work well and of course, brown is a natural choice with this style.
No matter the outcome you want to achieve in your bedroom, bearing the five elements, the associated characteristics and colours in mind will ensure you have a bedroom that a feng shui specialist loves.
Don’t forget you can use your bedroom walls to tap into these elements, either through colours, shapes, finishes or the overall sense of space in this part of your home. Just because you follow the ideals associated with this system doesn’t mean you have to drop or discard your ideas or originally. There are many ways to incorporate a sense of personality and innovation while meeting the main principles associated with creating positive energy in this part of your home.
How Do The Bagua Rules Apply To The Bedroom?
One of the most important things to consider when laying out any room are the Baguas, or energy areas. Followers of feng shui will likely have this map, imposed over the floor plan of their home and in relation to their front door. Laying out your home and belongings to correspond with a chosen factor, or factors, of health and wellness can provide you with a range of improvements.
Know What The Bagua Represents In The Bedroom And Other Rooms
When laying out your bedroom, have Bagua rules in mind, but equally, bear in mind you cannot satisfy all eight areas in one go. It is best to consider which areas are most important to you, and you can tailor your room to help you achieve a positive benefit in one or a small number of these areas.
The eight Baguas are
- Career
- Children
- Fame
- Family
- Health
- Helpful people
- Knowledge
- Partnerships
- Wealth and prosperity
You can impact on each area with colours, fabrics and materials, which is helpful if you are planning on decorating or styling your bedroom in a specific manner.
Whether you paint a solid wall or add artefacts to this space, you can positively impact the aesthetic appearance and energy in the room with bedroom feng shui. If you have only considered a solid wall in the bedroom as a place for storage shelves or art which will promote relaxation, it is time to think about what feng shui can do for you.
For example, if you want to enhance the master bedroom, and the key relationship in the house, you have a number of great options to consider. Earthy and neutral colours are effective in developing this area of your life, as are green plants. You can also consider the use of strong shapes, with squares and triangles being a good addition to the style of your bedroom.
Should You Consider The Compass School When Styling A Bedroom?
While there is a lot to focus on when it comes to feng shui, the compass school is an extremely traditional form of thinking. Early examples of this method used a needle and bowl but over the years, it evolved to a complex system which provides a considerable amount of information.
It is possible to view the bagua in this system, bringing compass directions into the overview of the map, with actual North reflecting the North side of the floor map.
If you have an interest in this system, there is no reason why you cannot incorporate elements into your design and layout, but there is a lot to consider. This system not only focuses on the layout of the property, the direction your main door faces links top decisions you make in life. The system also ties in with the date and time of your birth, so if you are looking for a comprehensive system, this is well worth checking out.
However, there is no need to go this in-depth when it comes to creating a bedroom style that helps you achieve more from life.
Improve Sleep Patterns With The Best Sleeping Position
Finding the best sleep position is important, but difficult, especially when you share the bed with someone. What is good for romantic relationships might not be the best in aligning your room, so there will be times when you need to strike a balance in what is good for the energy of the bedroom, but also for the needs of the people sleeping here.
The most effective ways to enjoy a good night’s sleep includes the following factors:
- Receiving proper support from a comfortable mattress
- Using inviting fabrics made from comfortable material
- Having a solid headboard behind you
These are all crucial components of enjoying a good night’s sleep but there is another critical factor to consider. You should attempt to fall asleep with your head pointing south. Feng shui scholars believe this creates positive energy, and ties in with the instruction not to sleep in the coffin position, or to place your bed directly in line with the bedroom door.
In this position, your feet face towards the door, with your body in the same position it would be in if you were dead and people were carrying your body away in a coffin.
Bedroom Feng Shui Principles Make A Big Difference In Banishing Negative Energy
When it comes to bedroom feng shui, knowing the difference between good and bad helps you remove negative energy. You don’t need to be a feng shui consultant to understand feng shui principles which promote positive energy. With a feng shui bedroom, you can enjoy restful sleep, balanced energy and feel content every time you shut your bedroom door.
With so much to consider when it comes to bedroom feng shui, it is easy to see why many people turn to a feng shui consultant. Anything which helps you enjoy restful sleep is worth considering, as the benefits of this are apparent in the short and long term.
Not every bedroom has equal space, or even the same wall space, so the solution for one household might not be a suitable solution for another house. This is why it is vital you consider what you need, and what is going to work best for you.