Rules for choosing a color
When choosing colors for the interior according to Feng Shui, you should take into account several nuances:
- All colors according to Feng Shui have their own energy: red, for example, is considered the most powerful shade – it is used to attract finances and love. Blue, on the contrary, dampens energy, pacifies – it is not suitable for offices.
- Each side of the world is fed by its own element and, accordingly, palette: there is a main and supporting element. For example: the main element of the south is fire (yellow, red), the nourishing one is wood (brown, green).
- There are forbidden tones for all cardinal directions and rooms: for example, blue extinguishes fire and is not suitable for southern rooms, and in the bedroom, overly bright, flashy tones are undesirable – at the very least, they run counter to the main purpose of the space.
Features by cardinal directions
The energy map Ba-Gua will help you choose the right color for your walls according to Feng Shui. This is a diagram divided into 9 sectors (8 directions + center), each of which is responsible for its own sphere of life, is fed by its own element, and has a limited range of shades that can be used.
In design, the grid can be “imposed” on both the entire apartment and individual rooms in particular, enhancing the desired zones with suitable elements.
- South. The glory zone, the main element of which is fire. Suitable colors according to Feng Shui: scarlet, orange, warm yellow, green, beige, brown.
- Southeast. The zone of wealth and money, is fed by wood. Shades of green (foliage), brown (trunk) are applicable in design. It is acceptable to use purple.
- Southwest. Zone of love, passion, the main symbol is earth. Materials of chocolate, coffee, earthy colors are suitable for harmony in relationships. The interior can be complemented with red, pink.
- West. In the design of the creative space (the main element is metal), objects and materials of metallic colors are actively used – white, gray or silver, yellow or gold, copper.
- Northwest. The same Western shades have a positive effect on the travel area (metal): white, silver, gold.
- North. White, black, dark blue, calm blue help in career development (water).
- North-East. The color combination in the zone of wisdom and knowledge (earth) should include shades of brick, stone, soil, fire.
- East. Natural shades of foliage, grass, clay, walnut, terracotta are responsible for harmonious relationships in the family (wood). Shades of water feed the zone: blue, black.
- Center. Another earth zone, responsible for health. To make all the residents of the house feel good, add beige, orange, dark yellow or brown to the central part of the apartment.
How to combine colors correctly?
As in any practice working with colors, Feng Shui has its own successful and unsuccessful combinations.
See recommendations for the correct combination of colors.
Successful
The right colors enhance each other, promote the unimpeded flow of Qi vital energy. To avoid mistakes, remember the rule:
Fire feeds the earth, earth feeds metal, metal feeds water, water feeds wood, wood feeds fire.
If you think about it, it all makes sense: fire burns on wood, wood grows thanks to water. Accordingly, in the fiery glory zone you can use wood shades, perfectly combining orange with green, red with brown.
Unsuccessful
The destructive cycle looks like this:
Wood spoils the earth, the earth spoils water, water extinguishes fire, fire melts metal, metal ruins wood.
That is, in the same glory zone (fire, red) you cannot use water (blue, black, light blue). And in the water element (north) earthy, terracotta tones are prohibited.
What to consider in the decoration?
When choosing colors according to feng shui, special attention should be paid to the decoration: furniture or decor can be rearranged, but repainting the walls or laying the floor will be much more difficult.
Walls
It is logical to choose wallpaper or paint, guided not only by the rules of Chinese philosophy, but also by common sense. For example, anyone will feel uncomfortable in a completely red room.
When decorating walls, give preference to light, pastel, neutral shades. Exception: accent surfaces (behind a sofa or bed, for example). Replace indigo with sky blue, canary yellow with crème brulee.
Another fundamental point is the area of the room. The walls should not be oppressive, so in small rooms light tones are preferred to dark ones: beige instead of chocolate, gainsboro instead of wet asphalt.
Floor
In addition to the cardinal directions, the surface itself has a great influence: for example, the floor is a symbol of the earth, since it is essentially the foundation of the room.
Accordingly, any earth tones are suitable for its design: coffee, chocolate, nut, sand. A win-win option is classic wood-like coverings.
Ceiling
According to the logic that the floor is the earth, the ceiling is the sky, that is, air. The ideal solution is a flat white ceiling. If you want color, a soft blue will do.
There should be no complex structures, beams, mirrors, or dark shades on the ceiling — all of this interferes with the smooth flow of Qi.
Doors
The main influence on the shade of the doors is their location — determine where exactly the doors face and select a suitable shade from the “Features by Cardinal Directions” section.
In addition, the color of the doors helps to “enhance” the necessary energy in the house: select the area that needs to be worked out and order interior doors of this color. For example, beige colors help to create strong family ties, red colors help to achieve success.
Choosing the color of textiles
Such large details as curtains or bed linen deserve special attention.
Curtains
Since Qi energy enters the apartment through the windows, curtains should not interfere with its flow, but enhance it. The easiest way is to choose by room: pink will create the perfect atmosphere in the bedroom, green in the study.
Bedding
There are 2 options: charging for activity or promoting rest and peace. In the first case, a blue, black, orange set will work great. In the second – any calm tones – soft pink, cream, beige, blue, white.
Recommendations for choosing a color for different rooms
When recommending a room color according to Feng Shui, the teaching relies not only on the location, but also on the functionality of a particular room.
Kitchen
The main task here – preparation and consumption of food. The element of fire in the kitchen is usually already strong due to the stove and oven, so there is no need to pump it up additionally with the red palette.
It is also not recommended to use excessively dark shades of gray, brown, black, blue – they will negatively affect your appetite.
The best options are white, green, beige, yellow.
Living room
The shades of the main room of the house directly depend on the location:
- earthy, yellowish tones and red accents are relevant in the wealth zone,
- in the direction of travel, preference should be given to metallic cold range.
Hallway
Renovation in the hallway should balance the shortcomings of the room so that everything looks harmonious in the end. A too large and well-lit room is covered with dark wallpaper, a small shaded room – with light wallpaper.
Choose accessories to match the color of the sector: a doormat, a picture on the wall, a mirror frame.
Bathroom
An excess of water energy provokes energy leakage, so you should not additionally enhance the bathroom with shades of blue. The water element should be diluted with a cozy tree in the form of a tabletop, a green or yellow curtain, a rug under the bathtub.
Toilet
The rules for the bathroom are the same: do not enhance the water, but do not extinguish it with fire (no red, orange). Nude, greenish, sandy shades are suitable.
Children’s room
Since the room is intended for sleep, choose colors like for the bedroom: light, pastel, non-stressing. Beige, peach, sand, mint, sky promote relaxation, relieve excessive stress, and soothe. But if the child is already melancholic, dilute the neutral decoration with bright accents.
It is not easy to furnish an apartment according to all the rules of Feng Shui, but you cannot ignore the meaning of color. Now you know how to choose the right color for any area: and this is already an important step towards harmony.