The Feng Shui Significance of the Living Room: The Center of the House’s Energy
Just like humans, houses have different parts. The center of the residence is akin to the human heart, known in Feng Shui as the “eye of the dwelling.” This eye gathers the entire house’s energy. For a home to have strong energy, the eye is key. Ancients called this “Imperial Extreme,” highlighting its prestigious status in Feng Shui.
Given its importance, this area should be designated as the living room, a place to receive guests and enhance the family’s fortune. The eye typically lies at the center of the living room, so heavy furniture like sofas or TV cabinets should be avoided there to prevent suppressing the energy, affecting the home’s fortune and daily life. Remember to arrange the space to keep the energy flow unobstructed.
If one person lives in the house, the living room’s Feng Shui only concerns the homeowner. If multiple people share the house and living room, it should be arranged favorably for the person whose personal Kua matches the living room’s direction. If this person’s fortune is boosted, it benefits everyone else too.
Living Room Shape: Square and Rectangular Living Rooms are Best for Feng Shui
The living room plays a vital role in the household’s fortune as it’s where the family gathers and guests are received. A narrow or irregularly shaped living room not only gives visitors a feeling of the host’s narrow-mindedness but also represents poor Feng Shui.
In traditional Chinese aesthetics, square and rectangular living rooms are considered best for Feng Shui. They not only improve the household’s fortune but also convey an impression of the host’s openness and integrity.
Sometimes, developers design L-shaped living rooms for architectural reasons, which is inauspicious. An L-shaped living room, whether wider at the front or back, can feel narrow and distorted. It’s better to divide it into two square or rectangular rooms.
If dividing the room seems to reduce its size, consider using cabinets or screens as dividers. If that’s not satisfactory, installing mirrors on the missing corners can create an illusion of expanded space, symbolically compensating for the missing corners.
Living Room Floor: Symbolizing Foundation, Must Be Solid
The living room floor, symbolizing the home’s foundation, must be solid and promptly repaired if damaged. Cold floors like marble can be covered with rugs to mitigate the chill.
The floor should be even, without steps or unevenness. A visibly layered floor design, though chic, is considered inauspicious in Feng Shui. An uneven floor not only poses a hazard for children and the elderly but also symbolizes an unstable family fortune.
Living Room Ceiling: Symbolizing the Sky, Should Have Ample Light
Feng Shui sees the living room ceiling as the sky of the home. Just as the sky is a source of light in nature, the ceiling should brighten the room through lighting and color.
Lighting Arrangement
If the living room is dim, add more lights to the ceiling. Lights should be directed upwards, scattering light throughout the room, especially fluorescent lights which closely resemble sunlight.
Color Arrangement
For ample light, avoid dark colors for the ceiling. Just as the sky is blue or white and the ground is black or brown in nature, the same principle applies indoors to align with natural laws.
False Ceiling: Self-Inflicted Troubles
Installing a false ceiling to beautify the living room actually disrupts the unity of the space, akin to cutting off a part of the house, a very inauspicious act in Feng Shui. Hiding lights in the false ceiling creates oppressive beams, a feeling of oppression.
Living Room Lighting: Brightness Brings Prosperity to the Family
A bright living room enhances the family’s fortune. Keep windows open, especially if they lead to a balcony. Use bright wall colors, and if natural light is insufficient, compensate with artificial lighting.
In a large living room, use lighting to define areas, like warm-colored pendant lights over the dining table, adjustable floor lamps by the sofa, and small spotlights for display shelves and TV backgrounds.
Living Room Facing the Kitchen: Excessive Yang Energy Causes Unstable Fortune
Modern small houses often have the living room facing the kitchen, creating Feng Shui issues. The living room, a gathering place with Yang energy, directly facing the kitchen, a place of intense Yang, can complicate the household’s fortune, leading to fluctuating luck. Installing a constant light in front of the window can stabilize the living room’s Yang energy.
Living Room Corners: Sharp Angles Create Pressure
Architecturally, sharp angles in the living room affect visual appeal; in Feng Shui, they create pressure and impact the house’s Feng Shui. To mitigate this, use wooden cabinets to cover sharp corners or hang a painting of sunrise at Mount Hua to counteract negative influences.
For larger spaces, consider a curved wooden flower stand in the middle of the angle, adorned with green plants and spotlights, reducing Feng Shui impact and adding depth to the decor. Placing evergreen plants or aquariums at sharp angles is also an effective solution.
Living Room Pillars: Avoid White Pillars, Which Can Affect Family Fortune
In modern European-style decor, pillars are common in living room entrances. However, in small living rooms or narrow entrances, these pillars can restrict space and air flow.
Also, avoid white pillars, which resemble white candles associated with death, potentially bringing fear and negatively affecting family fortune.
Living Room Columns: Smart Design, Clever Concealment
Columns in residences, essential for structural support, should not be forcibly removed if they impact Feng Shui. Instead, use smart methods to conceal them.
If a column is attached to a wall, cover it with a wine cabinet or turn the space between the column and wall into a display cabinet to naturally counteract negative energy. If the column is standalone and too far from a wall, use it as a natural partition in a large living room or decorate it with plants in wooden troughs at its midsection for aesthetic appeal and Feng Shui balance.
