Feng Shui For Your Bedroom

If you had to pick one room in the home, you definitely want to feng shui your bedroom. The bedroom is the most important room of the home in feng shui philosophy. It is the room that you spend the most time in, and it’s the most personal to you. Besides that, you spend many hours sleeping in this room. You’re in a more passive state when sleeping, so you’re really affected by all the energies in the bedroom. 

Place Your Bed for Good Feng Shui

Here are guidelines for your best bed placement for good feng shui:

• Be sure your bed is in commanding position. This means that, in bed, you’re facing the door while not directly in line with the door. 
• You don’t want any doors to open up directly in line with the bed. Especially avoid the “coffin position” where your feet point out the door.
• Place your headboard against a solid wall, with space available on the other three sides of the bed (left, right, and foot). 
• Avoid placing your headboard against a wall that has a toilet on the other side.
• If possible, don’t place your bed under any low beams, soffits, or sloped ceilings.

Get a Headboard

A headboard represents stability and support in your life, and especially your romantic relationships. A solid headboard will help increase symmetry and balance in your bedroom. The best headboards are solid, without any perforations. Be sure to fasten your headboard securely to the bed so you can feel the most support and strength.

Remember to choose one that doesn’t disrupt the balance of your existing decor and you’ll be nodding off in no time at all.

Declutter Underneath Your Bed

Take a good look at what you have stored under your bed. The items under our beds affect you while you’re asleep in a passive “yin” state. Whatever you have under there may also represent or create subconscious blocks in your life. 

Letters from ex-partners may keep you stuck in your current relationship status. Shoes can keep you feeling like you’re moving rather than resting. Luggage might keep you on the go and never feeling quite at home.

It’s time to clear out the space under your bed. If possible, it’s recommended to have no storage at all under the bed. Then, the qi (life force energy) can flow freely all around and rejuvenate you while you’re sleeping. If you must utilize it for some kind of storage, stick to soft, sleep-related items like linens, blankets, and pillows.

Avoid Electronics Appliances in the Bedroom

In our busy modern lives, we spend a LOT of time hunched over a screen. Remove all TVs, electronics, appliances, and phones so that they do not produce any energy around you. If you have trouble getting a good night’s rest, try your best to keep electronics out of the bedroom. Buying an alarm clock and reading only books are two ways to keep you entertained and engaged without needing a phone or other electronics.

Set up a Pair of Nightstands

In feng shui, pairs are thought to promote loving, harmonious energy, so outfit your bedroom for two people—even if you’re not currently in a relationship. Leave a little extra room in your dresser and nightstand, and present everything in pairs. Two nightstands are better than only one, as the asymmetry can be off-putting. It also allows for each partner (or future partner) to have their own space and storage.

Nightstands should be sturdy but not overpowering or threatening. They should be discreet, ideally rounded, and lower and away from the sleepers’ heads. You don’t want anything sharp pointed at your face as you’re sleeping!

Set the Right Color Scheme

In feng shui, certain colors are thought to promote maximum sensuality and peaceful vibes in the bedroom and promote restful sleep. A general rule of thumb is to opt for skin tones or muted shades you’d find in nature. Here are a few:

• Off-white
• Creams
• Chocolate
• Browns
• Peach tones

One word of caution: Don’t overdo it on the peach! It is thought to be very effective at attracting a partner—so effective that we need to use it with care. If you paint your whole bedroom in peach, chances are that you will attract someone, and then someone else, and someone else… Consider instead using peach as an accent tone on pillows, throws, and small objects. While accent walls and wallpapers can be tempting, they should be kept to a minimum and also have gentle colors and limited pattern.

Crisp white walls should also be avoided because at night they can become too activating. Stark white is a color of the metal element (more on what each element represents here), which is mentally stimulating and not conducive to rest.

Accessories that are Meaningful and Nourish the Five Senses.

You’ll want to consult a bagua map to see what elements to pull into your space. For example, if your bedroom falls in the health and family area, where the dominant element is wood, try to incorporate greens and blues in order to sustain that element. After you consult a map, consider what other elements you could add that evoke the senses:

• Smell: I advise using essential oils in an ultrasonic diffuser or in a candle diffuser. Limit it to a few drops of oil in diluted in water, and don’t leave them diffusing for more than an hour or two. They are potent! Lavender and jasmine oils are both calming for bed. If you have a cough, go with ravintsara or eucalyptus. Looking to amp up the sexual energy? Check out cinnamon or ylang-ylang.
• Touch: In the bedroom, it’s best to go with soft, inviting fabrics when possible. I’d recommend velvet, satin, and Egyptian cottons for all sheets, pillows, cushions, and curtains. Your bed sheets should feel particularly soft to the skin.
• Sight: As mentioned before, Earthy tones are really what you want to be seeing in the bedroom. Fiery tones (reds, pinks, and oranges) can also be nice in moderation. Again, these accents should always be presented in pairs. In my bedroom, you’ll find a pair of small pink Mandarin ducks—a traditional Chinese symbol. I love these because the story goes that the ducks were always faithful to each other. Find accents like this that speak to you.
• Sound: The soothing tones of a small white noise machine can promote deep sleep.
• Taste: While you might not want to bring food into the bedroom, make sure to keep a small jar of water next to the bed. Place some lemon in there and drink it in the morning for a quick boost.

Move your Bookshelf to a Different Room

Perhaps difficult for the bookworms and literary enthusiasts but books are just another form of distraction when trying to sleep. The book you’re currently reading on your nightstand is okay. We’re talking about having stacks and stacks of books or a bookshelf in the bedroom. Books are active energy and stimulate our minds. For a more restful night’s sleep, try moving the books out.

Keep Your Workout Gear and Work Life out of Your Bedroom

Workout gear is very yang, meaning it is a source of active energy. While this can be great in other areas of your home, it’s not very helpful in your bedroom. You want the bedroom to be more yin to help you rest and sleep, so it’s best to keep exercise equipment in another area of your home.

Similarly to home workout equipment, the bedroom is also not the best place for a home office. Having your desk and work materials right next to your bed can make it harder to wind down in the evening, and can also make it harder to stay focused and alert during the day.

If you don’t have the space elsewhere in your home to create a dedicated office, do your best to create some separation within your bedroom with a curtain, folding screen, or bookshelf. If you don’t have room for that either, try covering your desk at the end of each day with a beautiful piece of cloth.

Source: dreams.co.uk, thespruce.com, mindbodygreen.com