Feng Shui Rooms in House- Living Room

Feng Shui Living-Room

In feng shui, remember the acronym CANES:  Colour, Animal symbols, Number, Elements, and the Seasons as guidelines for your accessories, interior and architectural designs.

The living room, sitting room or you may call it a family room- this particularly important living space in your home is where family members and friends often gather to be entertained, pass the time, and share a variety of feelings and experiences.  It has to be conducive to feelings of welcome and comfort.

Here are some helpful hints:

• An unobstructed movement of cosmic energy, called chi, is one of the attributes of good feng shui and traditional Chinese medicine. To facilitate maximum chi flow and your good health, keep the design and décor of your living room functional and simple by using additional colour, lights, plants, reflective objects, blinds, screens and furniture arrangements.  Plus remove the clutter in your home in general to facilitate this flow throughout.
• Ideally the front door should not lead straight into the living room. If the living room leads directly onto the street or if several doors lead into the room, it can leave you feeling vulnerable. If the house or apartment is small, but if the living room is large, block the force of the incoming ch’i with a screen, bookcase, wall or some other such partition. In contrast a dark, confined living space creates oppressive conditions.
• Arrange your furniture to provide protection from the rush of energy that can enter through a doorway or large window and do not face them towards sharp corners or angular objects which cut through beneficial energy.
• Do not place the sofa directly opposite any door; you will be inundated with the rush of oftentimes negative ch’i each time that door opens. This will leave you feeling drained and vulnerable.  
• Nor should you place the back of the sofa directly in line with any door. This will leave you vulnerable and unprotected as well.  If this is unavoidable, at least placing wind chimes over the door will alert you when someone is entering the room.
• Do not position the sofa or chairs under a beam: this could cause financial ruin or ill health.
• Ideally the sofa, a key item of furniture that is used most frequently, should have the support of a wall or another piece of furniture such as low bookcase, shelving unit or screen behind it.  The same principle applies for armchairs.  This position allows you a certain security and control, as you are able to see the individuals entering the room.
• The height of a ceiling plays an important role in the living room. For instance, if the ceiling is too high in proportion to the size of the room, chi rises and disperses, and if the ceiling is too low, chi is condensed and cramped.
• If the room is full of alcoves and corners energy may be caught and trapped, so do not clutter these areas.
• I repeat, do not crowd the room with ornaments, sharp objects and angular furniture. Beneficial ch’i moves more freely around curved edges and symmetrical arrangements.
• Cramped passageways between furniture are to be avoided as they limit the circulation of beneficial ch’i and at the same time funnel negative ch’i. 
• Organize lights in a way to establish an easy, relaxing ambiance. Avoid using bright fluorescent tubes or bulbs directly above your head as this may cause headaches and vertigo.
• If an open concept dominates the floor plan, and the kitchen and living room are in plain view of each other, screen off the kitchen area to prevent smells and steam filling the area where you sit and relax watching T.V.  Clear away left-over food and empty the kitchen waste bins frequently.
• If the living room is L- shaped, do not crowd the narrower part of the room with furniture and ornaments. Instead, place lamps in these dark corners.
• Large windows or patio doors allows too much ch’i to escape the room, particularly if they are juxtaposed. (Opposite to each other). In this case, make good use of curtains or blinds to restrict the loss of energy.
• If the back door and front door face each other, it means that your wealth will fly away.
• You should not have a lavatory door opening directly into the living room.
• Keep your walls balanced with an equal amount of covered and uncovered space. Have the proper balance of male and female images in the artworks displayed.
•  Avoid displaying images of predatory animals and their fallen prey. Images of death and violence emanate negative energy.  Instead, decorate the room with uplifting art and images that inspire and calm you during your day. 
• Position the spines of the books so that they are all flush with the edges of the open (or closed) bookcase shelves.
• Keep lots of healthy green plants in your family room. They will keep the peace when everyone assembles there. 

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