Feng Shui Wall Color Ideas

The practice of feng shui originated in ancient China, according to The Everything Feng Shui Book, written in 2002. Feng shui teaches that everything in an environment, including the use of color, has the potential to create positive or negative realities, depending on its location.

Significance
Minimizing clutter and placing certain objects, colors and shapes in specific areas and directions can enhance harmony and balance in a home, represented in the bagua or determined with a compass.

Bagua and Engergy Areas
The bagua refers to the eight energy areas (Thai Chi) and directions of any area, inside or outdoors. These areas include knowledge, family, wealth, fame, marriage, children and creativity, mentors and travel, and health. Find corresponding areas by centering the front door in or near the career area.

Five Elements and Color Symbolism
Five elements (fire, earth, metal, water and wood) correspond to the flow of energy in the environment. These energies can be represented symbolically through specific colors and correspond to areas on the bagua.

Best colors for each energy area
Career: Create a harmonious life path and improve social relationships by using black and dark blues.

Knowledge: Support self and spiritual wisdom by using blue in this area. Browns are also complementary.

Family: Boost family harmony, respect for the blessings of ancestors and a sense of personal power with green in the family area.

Wealth: Realize greater abundance by placing purple in the wealth area. Dark green also works well.

Fame: Experience inspiration to achieve goals and improve reputations with the color of fire, red. Bright orange also works well.

Marriage: Using pink helps improve the relationships of those who live in a home and between business partners.

Children and Creativity: White and metallic colors work best to support ideas, improve the ability to complete work and encourage fun.

Mentors and Travel: Encourage the ability to attract and offer help with gray. The element of metal is also mirrored with whites and metallics.

Health: Sustain the good health of all living beings in your home environment by using yellow in the health area.

Potential
As with any practice with a long, established history, feng shui has many applications for modern life. Those who apply its guidelines join the collective energies of all who came before, increasing the harmony for all.

Feng Shui Door Colors

Feng Shui is a practice that claims to use color and placement to affect energy, or chi, within the home. Choosing the right door color for the front door and other doors within the home can affect the Feng Shui balance of the building and is said to lead to positive effects for the individuals who live there.

Red
Feng Shui recommends painting the front door red if the house faces south. The direction of the home plays a major role in determining the best color for a door. Red is said to help improve fame and reputation. The front door is also called the mouth of chi since energy enters and leaves the home. Choosing a bright and auspicious color, according to Feng Shui, will fill the home with more positive chi and reduce negative energy.

Yellow
According to the Easy Feng Shui website, individuals with doors that face northeast, southwest, west or northwest should paint the doors yellow. Yellow is a bright color that attracts positive chi to the home and can influence the energy levels of the house, according to Feng Shui practices. The direction of the door is determined by standing inside the room and facing the door; the compass direction from that vantage point is the direction of the door.

Cool Colors
Easy Feng Shui recommends blue, green, black or purple doors, among other colors like turquoise and white, to individuals with doors that face north, northeast, east, southeast or south. These colors help to open the mouth of chi and make the door visible and inviting to new opportunities. An important factor in choosing a color is to ensure that it is kept looking fresh and neat as peeling or cracked paint can represent depleted chi, according to the website.

Feng Shui Nursery Colors

Feng shui revolves around the notion that interior design elements can help or harm mental, spiritual and emotional well-being in people. This can include the direction furniture faces in a room, room location and arrangement of furniture in a room. Parents want to start their newborns off on the right foot and may look for feng shui tips in order to do so. While objects in a room are important to feng shui, another aspect is the choice of color for walls and decorations.

Bagua Colors
Colors in feng shui are said to represent certain aspects of life in addition to emotions. You can decorate a certain area of the house to correspond with the eight areas of the bagua map. Using a bagua map involves overlaying a home’s floor plan with the bagua map, then trying to decorate the home accordingly. For example, if a baby’s nursery is located in the far right corner of the home, pinks should be incorporated into the design in order to correspond with the area of relationship, love and marriage.

Earth Tones
Earth tones give a nursery a feeling of stability, according to Tarot.com. Choose colors like beige, tan, pumpkin or rose to create a relaxing, warm and nurturing environment for the baby. Brown and shades of brown give babies a sense of security which can be important just after birth.

Pastels
Like earth tones, pastels are soothing shades for children and help them sleep well and feel calm. Light pinks, greens and blues stimulate infant development, according to feng shui expert Ken Lauher. Bedrooms should be decorated in colors representing a yin energy in order to promote a sense of relaxation. Yin colors are soft and muted, like pastels. The presence of pastels should help the baby sleep through the night and feel more rested.

Complementary Colors
Finding the right color pairs is helpful when decorating a nursery, as they can create a better feeling of nurturing and relaxation. Bella Online mentions green and blue, white and beige as well as pink and yellow as color combinations that promote restfulness and create a soothing environment.

Unwanted Colors
When considering colors to use, know which colors should be avoided. Red pops up often as a color that should be left out of a nursery. According to Chesapeake Family, red can cause children to have a hard time sleeping through the night. Colors associated with hazards, such as red and variants thereof, should be avoided. Strong, bright colors may be too stimulating for a nursery and create a chaotic feel to the room. In addition, black should be avoided, especially if white is used within a room, because the colors have too much contrast and disrupt the soothing feeling of a nursery.

Feng Shui Cures for the Wrong Placement of a Front Door

Feng Shui, meaning "wind" "water," is an ancient Chinese philosophy of designing space and items for beneficial influence, "chi" or breath of life. Today, an increased interest in Feng Shui has sparked books, articles and jobs, as Feng Shui consultants visit offices as well as homes, with the goal of helping the natural flow of energy. According to Feng Shui, correct front door placement and surroundings are a vital element in the entire dwelling.

The Direction and Colors of the Front Door
The first consideration is the direction that the front door faces: north, south, east or west, or a combination of directions. Each direction benefits from specific colors and materials. While many designers state that a door should be red, the red doors in China are also facing south. In northern climes, the doors face a variety of directions, which impact the Feng Shui design.

According to Easy Feng Shui, north-facing doors should be blue, black or white. Doors to the east should be green, blue or turquoise. South doors are painted warm colors such as red, pink or purple. West doors do well in white, yellow, gold or silver. Magenta is another option.

Front Door Surroundings
According to Feng Shui Prophet, careful designers consider the structural surroundings of the front door. One general guideline is that the front door should not look onto the back door, which means that beneficial energy will enter and exit too quickly. Beneficial energy is blocked if the front door is opposite a staircase, a corner or a post or column. Other undesirable views to avoid include a front door with a view of a toilet, of a stove or fire place, or a bedroom or sitting room. It's never good if the front door is lower than a toilet.

Regarding the door, be sure to place furniture so that no one is sitting with their back to the door. The door's size is important. Small doors require mirrors in the proximity, but not opposite the door. A large door could let in too much chi at once, a problem remedied with windchimes hanging near the door. The door should open without hitting furniture. When hanging a door, the hinges must be near the wall.

Appearance of the Front Door
In Feng Shui, the first impression and appearance of the front door sets the stage for the energy of the entire house. A clean, welcoming and uncluttered front door and area invites beneficial energy into the home. According to Feng Shui practicioner Lori Grear, a front door and area that appears neglected or unwelcoming deprives the dwelling's inhabitants of the beneficial energy, the life's breath of the house.

Lori first suggests making sure that the front door opens easily. Doors that stick or scrape upon opening will bring a negative influence that causes the inhabitants to work harder for what they want. She also advises removing clutter, including broken or unused objects, which bring a broken, cluttered energy. Make sure that the hardware on the door is shiny and clean. After cleaning the front door area, it's best to use the front door regularly, even if there are other entrances. Using the front door opens up the home to beneficial energy. For those who seek financial gain, Lori likes to place five new shiny pennies under a mat that says "Welcome."

Cures for Front Doors in Feng Shui

Feng shui is the ancient Chinese art of placement that determines the flow of positive energy, or chi, in relation to the objects, siting or construction of houses and businesses. Chi is responsible for health, harmony and prosperity. One of the key areas of concern in feng shui is the front door, where energy enters the home or building. There are cures for inauspicious conditions that can help to restore balance and good fortune.

Structural Problems
Several structural issues affect the flow of chi through the front door and can have a negative effect on health and prosperity. A door jamb that is rotted or is not flush with the bottom of the door for any reason should be replaced. If an exposed beam crosses the door, drop the ceiling to cover the beam so it will not block prosperity from entering. If the front door opens to a window, the chi will exit without circulating. If there are windows on either side of the door, good fortune is pulled out. Block the chi opening of a window with closed Venetian blinds, and keep the chi inside the front door by placing two round-leafed plants on the window sills next to the door. If the front door opens to a bathroom door, keep the bathroom door closed so the yin energy of the toilet does not drain the yang energy of prosperity as it enters the front door.

Appearance
The path to the front door should be nicely landscaped, open, clean and inviting. An overgrown collection of greenery can scramble or deflect the good chi. Be sure the house number is clearly visible so friends and good fortune can easily find you. The color of the door should correspond with the direction it faces and the element for that direction. The wrong color will soak up good luck every time you pass through the door. If your door is the wrong color, repaint it. Paint southwest- and northeast-facing doors yellow or brown; west- and northwest-facing doors white, silver, copper or gold; north-facing doors black or blue; east- and southeast-facing doors green; and south-facing doors red, pink or burgundy. If anything angled is pointing at your front door, like the sharp corner of a building or the edge of a roof, it will transform good energy into harmful energy. This is known as a "poison arrow" and is countered by hanging a flat bagua mirror over the door. The bagua is an octagon that contains the feng shui design for the nine categories or life areas of a space, and the flat bagua mirror will protect everyone who lives in the house from negative influence in any of the categories.

Flow
If you walk in the front door and can see directly out of the back of the house, through large windows or glass doors, there is nothing stopping the good chi from rushing in and straight out of your home. Hang a faceted crystal or a faceted crystal globe in between the front door and the back of the house to catch and hold the good energy or you will not experience prosperity. If there is a mirror facing the front door, it will reflect the abundant chi right back out, repelling prosperity. Move the mirror to another wall. The front door must open inward to allow chi to flow easily into the home. The cure for a door that opens out is to re-hang the door so it opens inward. If your back door is larger than your front door---or if the front door is extremely wide or very narrow---hang a faceted crystal globe inside the front door to balance its energy, create harmony and prevent opportunity from slipping away.

Bathroom Feng Shui Tips & Cures

Feng shui is a Chinese philosophy based on the idea of using spatial arrangement to affect the flow of energy. According to the philosophy, this arrangement creates a balance that positively affects the practitioner’s lifestyle in numerous ways. Each room in the host adheres to feng shui principles in its own way. Traditionally, the bathroom presents some energy-related problems. Luckily, feng shui practitioners can fix this with a few simple tips and cures.

Placement
Much of feng shui is based on the ba gua, a traditional Chinese map of balanced spaces. As the map predates modern plumbing, it does not illustrate bathroom placement. This raises the question of what makes a well-placed bathroom according to feng shui. Keep in mind that bathrooms have a constant draining effect, displacing important energy known as “chi.” Author Stephanie Roberts of Fast Feng Shui.com says to avoid a bathroom in the front hall or close to a home's main entrance as it drains chi before it can enter the home. Likewise, a second-floor commode above the front entrance cycles negative chi downward, while an upstairs bathroom above the kitchen funnels extinguishing water energy onto the fire energy of the hearth. Avoid bathrooms in the home's center, as they drain chi at a central point. If given the choice, place your bathroom in locations near the rear of the home or in secluded non-central locations that don't affect the chi of nearby areas.

Cures
Many of us don't choose the placement of our bathrooms; luckily, feng shui cures exist to counter troubled locations. If you feel your bathroom is draining chi from an important ba gua area—such as family, creativity or wisdom areas—place a long mirror on the bathroom door to redirect the energy. To prevent further loss of chi, close all the bathroom drains and the toilet seat when not in use. A bathroom at the center of the home calls for red-painted walls and a large “earth object”--something of stone or crystal, such as a ceramic vase—in each corner. Bathrooms located over the kitchen may benefit from earth objects in all corners, a three-inch round mirror on the ceiling and a faceted crystal hanging from the room's center. Downstairs rooms affected by downward funneling negative energy can use images of birds or trees to lift energy upward.

Aesthetics
Perhaps most importantly, keep your bathroom clean, well-ventilated and well-ordered. The constant flow of chi can affect the rest of the home, and a dirty space will negatively affect said chi. Consider accenting the bathroom with earth objects and bamboo, which grows upward and represents profit. Allow natural light and air to flow into the bathroom using windows and mirrors, and avoid keeping family pictures in this space. Keep a screen or curtain between the shower and toilet areas and avoid decorating with sharp objects. When it comes to colors, choose earth tones—to absorb and maintain the bathroom's water energy—light grays, creams and light blues (unless located on the center portion of the ba gua, which calls for red colors to inhibit the drain of wealth). Use a black or red rug at the base of the toilet to prevent the draining of wealth.

How to Use Feng Shui to Choose Color for Your Room

If you want to create a certain mood in a space, you may want to use Feng Shui to choose color for your room. Feng Shui is the ancient Chinese art of placement that focuses on enhancing the flow of positive life force energy called chi. This energy is influenced by the five elements: earth, fire, wood, water, and metal. Each of these elements corresponds to a color, and knowing which color symbolizes which element will help you create the right feeling in your room.

HALLS AND ENTRANCES. According to Feng Shui, you should use neutral and earth-tone colors in hallways and entrances. Whites, browns, and even blacks have unifying effects and are easy on the eyes. Each of these shades will affect you differently: Pure white represents truth and can lead you to higher spiritual knowledge. But used in excess, it can feel sterile. Earth tones like the color brown represent nature and fertility. Brown is also a "balancing" color that can help you overcome depression. But, as with white, too much brown will make you feel stagnant. Black, while associated with grief, can be dramatic when used sparingly.

BEDROOMS AND BATHROOMS. Cool colors like blues and greens are best to use in bathrooms. In Feng Shui, the color blue reflects love, heals, and relaxes. It has a calming and soothing effect---something you definitely want to have in your bedroom as you rest---but is sometimes also associated with adventuring since it is the color of the wide open sky. Crisp greens are also a good choice for your bed or bath as they also make us feel calm and balanced and remind us of abundance in nature.

MEDITATION ROOMS. Purple is the way to go for meditation rooms. The color purple symbolizes a connection to spirituality in Feng Shui. It is said to promote relaxation and enhance intuition, wisdom, and dignity. As with any color, use it sparingly as overuse of the color purple is associated with fatigue, physical and mental illness, and even snobbery.

KITCHENS, DINING ROOMS, LIVING ROOMS. Since these areas are the main places in your home where people will congregate, you want to use Feng Shui to choose warm colors that uplift and stimulate. Red is a great choice for a dining room as it promotes digestion and is associated with joy, love, and strength. It is a very lucky color in Feng Shui. Just be careful to pick the right red as overly bright shades can generate fear and excessive anger. Orange is also a great color for these gathering spaces as it is a social color that promotes optimism, energy, and creativity. Uplifting yellow colors will also have a mood-lifting effect, promote digestion, and be lucky.

What Do Colors Mean in Feng Shui?

In the practice of Feng Shui, colors are used in specific ways to affect the energy of a space and promote the well-being of those who dwell there. According to Feng Shui, each color is believed to have either healing (yin) or inspiring (yang) properties. Rooms are supposed to be painted or decorated with specific colors depending on what the room is intended for.

Facts
In Feng Shui, colors have a significant impact on areas of everyday life (such as career, money or romance). Colors are used in combination with various Feng Shui elements while decorating to balance the energy or "chi" of a living space.

According to Feng Shui, there are "yin colors" and "yang colors." Yin colors inspire relaxation and therapeutic properties, whereas yang colors are supposed to motivate individuals and create positive energy.

Blue
Blue is a yin energy and is the primary calming color. In Feng Shui, blue refreshes energy and eases pain while promoting peace and positive feelings of love.

The color of the sea, it promotes a calming water element. Feng Shui connects blue with feelings of adventure and inspiring intellect.

Red
Considered a strong yang color, red represents good fortune, fame, confidence, joy, love, relationships and money. However, using too much red can lead to aggressiveness, angst and fear.

Black
In Feng Shui, the color black symbolizes career and money. It is used to promote strength and skills. Considered a water element color, it symbolizes strength and emotional protection. It is important to use black more as an accessory, as it can be too overwhelming and negative in large amounts.

Yellow
Yellow is a yang "earth" color in Feng Shui. Since it represents sunshine, it is associated with joy, creativity and wisdom. It inspires good health. However, it is important to remember that exposure to large doses of bright yellow can lead to negative energy and nervousness.

Purple
Purple, a combination of red (a good luck color) and blue (soothing and intellectual), signifies prosperity, abundance and intuition. In Feng Shui, it inspires creativity as well as mental and physical healing. Purple is also believed to motivate prosperity.

Orange
Orange has yang energy and is often used in Feng Shui to aid concentration. A combination of red (a good-luck, passionate color) and yellow (a warm and comforting color), it inspires creativity and confidence. Orange represents high ambitions. It is also believed to amplify chi when added as an accent.

Feng Shui Bathroom Colors

Feng Shui is the Chinese art of positioning objects and selecting colors based on the flow of energy to achieve maximum harmony. The practice revolves around the belief in the opposite energy patterns of yin and yang; yin is passive, and yang is aggressive. Feng Shui bathroom colors should be taken primarily from the yin palette to create a calm, relaxing space.

Pale Blue
The color blue has yin energy and is significant in the practice of Feng Shui. Blue reflects love, creates a feeling of peace, heals and relaxes. Feng Shui translated from Chinese to English means wind and water. Blue is the color of the ocean and the sky, making it a good color choice for the bathroom. In Feng Shui, the bathroom is connected with release and renewal. The element of water is already present in the bathroom, so use a light shade of blue to keep the feel of the space open.

Light Gray
Gray is the combination of black and white, two yin colors that can also bring healing and relaxation. Black symbolizes money, power and emotional protection. As wealth is another important aspect of the bathroom in Feng Shui, a shade of black is an appropriate color for the bathroom. White represents purity, confidence and poise in Feng Shui. Combining white with black to make a light gray can enhance the harmony of the space.

Cream
Another light and airy color that works well for a Feng Shui bathroom is cream. The color cream is made by combining white and pink with yellow. White and pink are yin colors; yellow is a yang color that is considered fortunate. Painting the bathroom in cream speaks to both the wealth and relaxing aspects of a Feng Shui bathroom design.

Lavender
Purple is another yin color that is important in Feng Shui design. Lavender is a light and airy shade of purple made from combining white with purple. In Feng Shui, the color purple represents mental and physical healing along with spiritual awareness. The added properties of the color white bring purity and confidence into the design.

The Significance of Colors in Feng Shui

Feng shui is a Chinese practice in the "art of placing and arranging matter and space in the correct manner such that harmony with the environment is achieved." Feng shui is said to help you create harmony in your relationships, home, workplace and even help with infertility. In feng shui, there are many different colors that mean many different things.

Blue
In feng shui, the color blue is has yin energy. This energy is said to be soothing and relaxing. Blue color also refers to peace, trust and exploration. If you're looking for this kind of energy, you could choose to paint a room in a light and uplifting blue.

Black
Black is the color of power and money. The color is said to bring your income and good fortune in your career. If you're looking for some extra money or a big career move, decorate your office with black decorations and picture frames.

Purple
The color purple is very important in the world of feng shui. The color purple is often referred as the color of physical and mental healing, and becoming aware in your spirituality. For some enlightening in your life, try painting a room or a wall in a light purple.

White
Like in many cultures, white is the color of purity. Also in feng shui, white is the color of confidence. When white is combined with gold and/or silver, the colors are said to create a calming space. If you're looking for a space to relax in, consider painting it in those three colors.

Yellow
Again, like in other cultures, yellow is often the color of sunshine, brightness, happiness and warmth. However, according to feng shui culture, too much yellow, or too much bright yellow, can cause anxiety. Yellow is often a good choice for kitchen, to bring light, life and warmth to a family's meeting ground.

Red
Red is the color of passion, love, fire and happiness. It is often said to bring love and happiness into your home, you should paint your front door red. Not ready for a red door? You can add a drop of red paint at the top corner of the door where it will be unseen.

How to Use Feng Shui for Business Growth

It's easy to use Feng Shui for business growth. The ancient Chinese art of placement, Feng Shui can bring harmony to your office space, increase your productivity, and bring you more clients. All you have to do is make a few inexpensive changes to your environment. While the following list of steps is not an exhaustive overview of how you can use Feng Shui for business growth, these steps will get you started.

CLEAN UP. To use Feng Shui for business growth, you must first clean and declutter your office space. Feng Shui is based on the movement of Chi, or life force energy, and a messy desk will prevent this energy from flowing freely. Clearing away clutter establishes order and will promote productivity and wealth. (see tips below for specific items to place on your desk in lieu of clutter)

MOVE YOUR DESK. The position of your desk is just as important as what you keep on it. The best place to keep your desk is as far back in the room as possible with your back to the wall. You should also have a view of the door, but never be directly in line with the door. Ideally your desk would also be aligned diagonally with the door and provide you a view of a window. (see Warnings below on ways to avoid positioning your desk.)

GET A WATER FEATURE. You should include a water feature in your office if you want to use Feng Shui for business growth. You can incorporate this water feature in a variety of ways. Fish tanks or water fountains are among the most popular options, but if neither one of those will work in your space, you can always include a photo or painting of water. Water is a powerful symbol of money in Feng Shui, so however you incorporate it in your space, you must take care to keep that water clean and flowing.

ADD SOME PLANTS. Aside from being nice to look at, healthy plants will also promote harmony as well as business and personal growth in the work place. The key is to keep them flourishing as dead plants will promote negative energy. Also be sure to avoid cactuses and other plants with sharp edges; these shapes promote negative chi.

PAINT. In Feng Shui, each color symbolizes a different element (wood, fire, earth, water, metal). The colors of your business logo, marketing materials, and colors of your office space will all affect the success of your business. If you pick the right colors to represent your business, you'll prosper. The colors you pick depend on the type of your business. For example, the color red, indicative of fire, promotes digestion and represents cooking over a fire. So if you own a restaurant, you may want to paint the walls red and use red in your logo and on any fliers you mail out. To decide which colors to use, spend some time thinking about the true nature of your business. When you decide on what the "essence" of your business is, you must pick a corresponding color to enhance the right Feng Shui element. (For more information on Feng Shui and color, see resource links below.)

Can a Small Room Be Painted Dark in Feng Shui?

Feng shui, the Chinese art of placement, focuses on balance. Rather than dictating strict rules, feng shui recommends creating an equilibrium between dark and light colors, or between dark and light rooms in an entire house. To decide whether to paint a particular room a dark color, consider the room's use, its location in the house and what feels right to you.

Yin, Yang
In Chinese thought, yin represents the feminine principle, portrayed visually by darkness. Choosing a dark wall color makes a room heavily yin. This might be appropriate for a room that you want to feel quiet and restful, such as a bedroom or study. You could prevent the room from feeling too yin, or too dark and depressing, by incorporating yang elements for balance: white trim, brightly colored rugs and furniture, a fire in the fireplace, bright reading lights.

Elements
A different color represents each of the five elements in feng shui. Many of the colors are dark or come in dark shades: water is black or dark blue, earth brown or yellow, wood green and fire red. Consult a feng shui book with a bagua map to decide which element would be best to emphasize in your particular room, depending on the room's use and its location in your home. In a centrally located living room, you could emphasize earth, for example, because the earth element governs the center of the house. Then it might be appropriate to paint your living room yellow or brown or use brown paneling on the walls.

Balance
The principles of feng shui prevent the overwhelming use of one color or material. A living room with a wood floor, wood paneling on the walls and wood furniture might be an overdose of the wood element, for example. By adding a coffee table of metal and glass, you restore balance by introducing different elements and colors. You would accomplish the same balance with red upholstery on the sofa to represent the fire element.

Optimal Use
The ideal room in feng shui would have all five elements represented, with a preponderance of one element that best suits its purpose and location. As long as you choose an appropriate dark color and balance it with lighter and brighter accessories in varied materials, there is no reason not to use dark-colored walls in feng shui.

Tips on Feng Shui in Restaurant Design

Feng shui has much to offer restaurants, helping owners to create a balanced and inviting environment. Thoughtful design helps guests to relax, encouraging them to stay longer and come back again. Different restaurants create different types of ambiance, from trendy to family style, and all of them can use feng shui principles in their design.

Entryway
The entryway must communicate warmth and openness, allowing easy access for all guests. As the Spirit of Design website says, the entryway is the Mouth of Qi, which draws life force energy inside. Thus, a comfortable waiting area, with ample room for other guests to enter and exit the building, creates a great first impression. However, it should be separate from the main dining space to create a transition zone, so new guests don't feel that everyone is watching them, says Sally Fretwell in "Feng Shui: Back to Balance." Decorate the entryway with artwork or other interesting items that fit with the restaurant's theme, suggests the Spirit of Design website.

Layout
The layout should create the feeling of openness as well, with wide-enough aisles for people to move through the restaurant without disturbing diners, as the Spirit of Design website says. Also, arrange tables so people can easily navigate to the restrooms or exit without walking through a maze of tables. Likewise, in the kitchen, make sure people have ample space to work safely and well, and always make safety a first priority. Furthermore, the entire layout of the restaurant should afford a sense of balance, say Regina S. Baraban and Joseph F. Durocher in "Successful Restaurant Design." A fairly symmetrical building and outdoor environment will maintain this equilibrium.

Acoustics
In many restaurants, people have to struggle to hear each other, which doesn't create a harmonious environment. Use strategies such as smaller rooms that flow into each other, or large wall hangings, to absorb sound and allow for easy communication.

Colors
Warm colors like orange, red and pink increase appetite and conversation, says Fretwell. They also create a welcoming environment that helps people to feel relaxed. According to Lillian Too in "Lillian Too's Easy-to-Use Feng Shui," blue colors, as well as water elements like fountains, encourage people to consume more alcohol. Consider how this relates to your priorities, minimizing or maximizing these elements as desired.

Lighting
Soft lighting enhances the comfortable, welcoming feel that warm colors create. A restaurant using feng shui principles should use lighting that has a soft glow, but allows people to see each other and their surroundings well. Candles create a romantic mood, while softly brightening the immediate environment, which can create a comfortable feeling of semiprivacy.

Other Elements
Well-placed mirrors and artwork can contribute to a restaurant's ambiance. Make sure mirrors reflect pleasant scenery, and consider using them to create the effect of a larger room. Artwork that features scenes of people happily interacting creates a welcoming environment, as Fretwell says. Always choose elements that correspond with the style of your particular restaurant.

Tips to Feng Shui a Bathroom in the Area of Wealth

Feng shui is the ancient Chinese art of arranging your surroundings to maximize good fortune. In feng shui, a space is divided into nine areas (called guas). Each gua represents a different aspect of energy. The gua for wealth is in the far left corner of the area as seen from the primary entrance. Feng shui means "wind and water" in Chinese, and water is associated with cash flow; therefore, managing the wealth gua in the bathroom is important to keep your financial energy from literally being "flushed away."

Movement
Chi is the word that describes the life energy flowing through any space. In order to let the chi flow freely through the area of wealth, keep the area free from clutter. If the toilet is located in this area, keep the lid closed whenever it is not in use to prevent the chi from being diverted away from the room; the same goes for sink and shower drains. Keep the bathroom clean and shining, particularly the chrome and mirrors; these will "reflect back" positive energy if they are pristine and divert it if they are dirty.

Decoration
Red is the color associated with wealth in feng shui, so paint the bathroom a warm, clear red. If this is not possible, use red in wall hangings, or display red flowers or other accessories. Water is a powerful wealth symbol, so hang a print or a photograph of flowing water--it is particularly useful if it shows white foam, such as ocean waves, rapids or waterfalls.

Corrections
Multiply the perception of water in the room by placing mirrors so that they will reflect faucets; however, never place a mirror where it will reflect the toilet. If the toilet is in the wealth gua, hang a small round mirror on the ceiling above it to counteract the water flowing down. Stabilize the area of wealth by placing "earthy" objects in this corner such as crystals, lucky bamboo plants or pottery bowls. If the bathroom is on an upper floor, locate a spot downstairs beneath the bathroom's wealth gua and add a bird, butterfly or tree to the area (paintings, figurines or real) to encourage the chi to flow upwards.

Personalize
Since the chi in your home is a reflection of you, decorate the wealth gua with things that symbolize wealth to you personally. This may take the form of a painting of a grand house, a framed gold coin or a model car. Try to give the whole room a feeling of luxury and abundance, beginning with this area. Display a ceramic bowl filled with scented soaps or an assortment of bath salts in crystal jars. Be selective to avoid clutter.

Feng Shui Room Colors Tutorial

Optimizing the use of color in the home is critical when adhering to the principles of feng shui. In feng shui, colors are associated with the five elements: fire, earth, metal, wood and water. It is important to find a balance with all of these elements in the home, along with choosing colors associated with each element. Achieving a balance in your home is possible by ensuring that all elements are represented, with no one element overpowering another.

Color Association
Each element is represented by specific colors. The color red is associated with fire. Yellow and earth tones, along with gold, represent the earth. White and pastels are associated with metal. Blue and green represent wood tones. Black is most commonly associated with water.

It is important not to have an overabundance of one element in a room. For example, bathrooms have water as their primary element, so it is best to avoid the overuse of black or other very dark colors that are associated with the water element. In this instance, it can result in feelings of passivity or indecision for those who live in the home.

Wood in the Home
Along with the water example, many times there will be too much wood used in the home. This can be in the form of hardwood floors, cabinets and furniture. If wood is paired with the colors blue and green, it can feel overwhelming. Too much of one thing is not a good practice in feng shui. If your home features a lot of wood surfaces, make sure to balance these surfaces with metals, a water element, like a fountain, candles, and an earth element, like stone. Also include the associated colors in small touches to balance too much wood. Add some pillows in red or yellow and flowers in pinks and whites. This will help to offset the overwhelming feeling of too much wood.

Bagua
A key component to the practice of feng shui is the concept of bagua, which is the layout of space within a home, corresponding to specific energies or life areas. Focus on specific life areas by enhancing them with the appropriate colors. Below is a list of life aspects and their corresponding colors:

Fame and reputation are enhanced by the colors purple, green, blue and red.

Marriage, love and relationships are enhanced by pink, white and red. Paint your bedroom a soft shade of pink to relax and calm your love relationship.

Health and family is also enhanced by pink, white and red.

To spark your children's creativity, paint their rooms in yellow or earth tones.

Kids' Room Painting

For knowledge and learning, choose white.

For your career life aspect, choose blue, green or black. You might want to paint or accent your home office with these colors.

How to Make My Bedroom Feng Shui for Teens

The teenage years are a time of transition, confusion and emotion fueled by raging hormones. Designing a teen bedroom using feng shui principles can help bring some calm to an otherwise chaotic life. This Chinese philosophy, thousands of years old, is based on promoting relaxation, success and a constant flow of qi or energy. Feng shui principles are impossible to learn overnight, but if you are redecorating a room for your teen or for yourself, you can constantly make amendments to improve your connection to the bedroom environment.

Clean out the bedroom to get rid of any clutter or unnecessary objects. If feasible, remove as many electronic devices from the space as possible; if this is not feasible, make a conscious effort to shut off all electronics at least one hour before bed time.

Paint the walls earth tones or neutral colors, such as brown, beige, taupe or ivory. If possible, incorporate this color scheme throughout the room, such as within the bedspread and flooring.

Position the bed so that it can be accessed on both sides and so that it is not in a straight line with the doorway.

Place a side table on either side of the head of the bed.

Stand in the doorway, facing the inside of the room, while consulting a bagua chart. Octagonal in shape, the bagua chart will help you map specific areas of your room as they relate to life characteristics and the five elements. The career/career prospects portion of the chart corresponds to where you are standing in the doorway. Alternatively, you can be technical and use a compass to line up the chart according to the cardinal directions; in this case, the career prospects portion of the chart corresponds to the northern part of your room. The Buzzing Kids World and Feng Shui Room Design websites have bagua charts.

Decide which areas of the chart are most important to you and place related items in the area of the room that corresponds to the chart. For example, if you would like to focus on your creativity, place art supplies or items related to another passion, in the western portion of your room or at a 45-degree angle toward the right from the door. For the recognition and fame portion of the chart, directly opposite from the career section, you can set up awards, candles or plants.

Place mirrors so that you are not facing them while you are in bed; hang them beside or behind your bed.

Open the windows to let in fresh air; incorporate other aspects of nature, such as a soothing water fountain or a mini Zen garden.

Feng Shui Ideas for a North Facing Front Door

Feng shui is an ancient Chinese practice that aims to optimize the flow of positive energy into a building. Feng shui places great importance on the direction of your front door. Energy, also called chi, needs a clear path to flow through your home. The front door is also one of the first things guests see when they come to your home. The way your north-facing front door looks affects the amount of positive or negative chi that comes into the home. Learn the best colors and material for the front door to maximize the positive chi in your home, according to the principles of feng shui.

Color and Material
Your front door's color is vital to creating harmony in your home's entryway, according to feng shui practitioners. North-facing front doors look best when painted blue, black or white. If your door faces northwest, paint it gold, yellow, white, silver or magenta. For northeast-facing doors, choose purple, yellow or orange. The type of material your door is made out of is also important. A wooden north-facing door is best. Terra cotta is an ideal material if the door faces northeast or northwest.

Water Designs
A north-facing front door lies in the water element, according to feng shui beliefs. The water element is responsible for guiding chi into your home. To take advantage of this, decorate the front door or the surrounding area with wave-like patterns. Hang pictures of fish or the ocean near the front door. If possible, get a fish tank or aquarium and put it by the door. Place a fountain, birdbath or other water element on the left side of the front yard. A stream that flows toward the front door is also advantageous.

Mirrors
The sun is a major source of chi, but unfortunately, north-facing front doors are not in the position to take advantage of this energy. To capture the sun's energy, hang a mirror in your front yard. Hang the mirror about 20 feet away from the front door on a tree or pole. This directs sunlight toward the door.

General Front Door Tips
Keep your north-facing front door in good condition to attract positive chi and opportunities, according to feng shui practitioners. For example, keep the area around the door clean. Remove yard debris outside and clutter inside. Install bright porch lights and replace the bulbs when they burn out. Grease any sticky or squeaky door hinges. Wash the door regularly to remove fingerprints, dirt and scuff marks. If washing does not improve the door's appearance, give it a fresh coat of paint.

Feng Shui Living Room Colors

Create balanced energy and a pleasant and welcoming space by applying feng shui principles to your living room. Color plays an important role in feng shui design and can help you create a space that is fun and energetic, restful and soothing, or creative and inspiring. Bring color into your room with paint, fabrics and accessories to create a living room that suits your personality and needs. Aim for a balance in your feng shui living room by combining both colors and materials to create a space that incorporates the cool and warm energies of fire, water, earth and wood.

Cool Colors
Shades of black, blue and gray are associated with water energy. These colors are soothing, restful and encourage calm contemplation. Shades of blue not only relax, but also encourage adventure and exploration, since both the sky and sea are blue. Black is associated with money and income, so it may be better suited for the office than the living room. Use water colors to balance a more energetic space or on their own to create a tranquil living room suited to quiet time and activities. Connected to wood energy, green is ideal for spaces supporting healing, creativity or revitalization. Bring green accents into any room with living plants to add cool color and ground the space to the earth.

Warm Colors
Shades of red evoke fire energy in the room. A room that is predominately red will be lively and energetic, keeping you on your toes. Appetites, heart rates and respiration may all increase in a red space. Earth energy is represented by shades of yellow, ranging from paler tones to bolder ones. Yellow is ideal for a gathering space, bringing cheer and conversation into your room. Too much yellow may cause anxiety, according to Jayne Pelosi of Renaissance Interior Design.

Painting suit for Living Room

Blended Colors
Blended colors have their own meanings in feng shui. These colors can be an ideal choice if you are looking for a predominant color for your living room. Salmon tones will create a warm, conversational space. It will feel welcoming, as it combines both fire and earth energy. Shades of turquoise blend watery blue and earthy green, to create a space well suited to movement. Lavender creates a quiet and spiritual space, but will not encourage activity or conversation.

How to Create a Romantic Bedroom With Feng Shui

Is your bedroom giving you the blahs? Has your love life gone down in (lack of) flames? Give your room a feng shui makeover and transform it into a romantic retreat. In the Chinese culture, romance begins in the feminine (yin) essence and vibration of the room but it uses the balance of male (yang) and female energy to energize the chi completely. Feng shui is all about balance. There are several easy things you can do to get that romantic energy flowing through your room and through your relationship once again.

Clear out the clutter first of all. Your bedroom should be peaceful and relaxing and filled with positive energy, not a pile of junk, books, or dirty clothes. These do nothing for your chi and they don’t contribute to sexy, romantic feelings either. A major area to focus on is under your bed. It should be free and clear of any clutter so the energy can flow under, over and around your bed clearly.

Ditch the computer and dispose of the TV. These are horrible energy suckers and don’t belong in your bedroom. If they must remain, invest in cabinets that can house your electronics and be closed at night. Armoires and computer cabinets with doors are great ways to hide those electronic energy sappers.

Toss out the exercise equipment, another feng shui bedroom blunder and major no-no. Exercise equipment is work and is male energy; it is not relaxing or conducive to a romantic environment. Do you even use that stuff for anything other than a clothes rack? Ditch it.

Create a love shrine dedicated to you and your lover. Use symbols and items that remind you of love and passion. They could be paintings, photos (especially romantic ones of you and your honey), even statutes of two people intertwined. Heart-shaped items are another great symbol for love and passion.

Arrange everything in twos. One is the loneliest number and that applies to feng shui as well. For romance, passion, and love everything should be in twos. Two paintings, two photos, two candles, two nightstands, etc. Photos of the two of you together are positive images that should be displayed around the room as well.

Watch out for water elements in the bedroom. Not only can these put a damper on the flames of passion it can cause financial downfall, and we all know nothing kills the romance like money troubles. Water elements can be symbolized by fish tanks, fountains, even paintings and photos of lakes, streams, ocean, beaches and more. Get them out of the bedroom.

Increase your passion with the right colors. Reds, pinks, and burgundies are fabulous colors for a bedroom, very feminine and passionate. Avoid white (which symbolizes death), grays, blues and other cool pastel colors.

Pass on the polyester and go for all natural. From your bedding to your furniture skip the synthetics and go for the real goods: cotton, bamboo, hemp, and silk for the bedding is fantastic and real wood for the furniture is a sure thing.

Keep it gender neutral. Even though you want feminine energy you don’t want to overpower the man with frilly, lacey, girly stuff. Keep it simple and pleasurable for you both. Stick the stuffed animals elsewhere as they are not sexy.

Stir the flames of passion with actual fames. Light some candles, throw some logs on the fireplace or burn an oil lamp. Fire is good for romance.

Add some visual aids and sexy symbols. Rev up the romance with some erotic visual stimulation. It could be paintings of lovers, erotic statues, even a few erotic novels on the nightstand may do the trick. Make sure to put red objects on the woman’s nightstand and copper on the man’s. This will increase sexual libido in each partner.

Feng Shui Bedroom Painting Ideas

Feng Shui is the ancient Chinese art of balancing the energy -- or chi -- in a space, ensuring positive energy flows easily and the inhabitants of the space enjoy good mental and physical health, and good fortune. Color is one of the most important aspects of Feng Shui because it directly affects a person's mood. Using the right colors in the bedroom not only aids sleep, but also creates a refreshed and positive feeling upon waking.

Yin Colors
In Feng Shui practice, yin colors represent healing and relaxation. Yin colors are black, white, purple, blue, green and pink. Black is symbolic of power and money, so best avoided in the bedroom. White is a calming color that represents purity, and purple is associated with spiritual awareness, making both of these colors good bedroom choices. Blue is calming, soothing and peaceful, but also represents adventure and exploration, so should be used sparingly. Pink is ideal for the bedroom as it represents love, and is often teamed with another great bedroom color -- green. Green represents renewal, new beginnings and fresh energy.

Yang Colors
The yang colors are red, orange, yellow, maroon, lavender and gold. These colors should be kept to a minimum in the bedroom because they are very stimulating. They make it difficult to fall asleep and prevent restful, relaxing sleep. They can even cause anxiety. However, small splashes of yang colors add warmth, life and energy to the room. Combine small amounts of yang colors with white, pink, green, blue or purple. A bedroom color scheme should contain three to five colors, with one color more dominant than the others. For example, use green (yin) as the main color, pink (yin) as the secondary color, and splashes of maroon (yang) and lavender (yang).

Compass Direction
Compass direction plays a big part in choosing the right colors for your bedroom. Draw the outline of your home on a piece of paper and then divide into nine sections. Use a compass to label each box with the correct compass direction. North-facing rooms benefit from blue and black. Northwest or west-facing rooms benefit from white. Northeast, central and southwest rooms benefit from earthy colors and yellow. South benefits from red. Southeast and east-facing rooms benefit from green. Although the corresponding colors may not be suitable for the bedroom, a small splash of the relevant color is sufficient, a candle or flower for example.

Your Personality
Your personality is another area that plays a large part in choosing the correct bedroom colors. If you have a very fiery personality, use a color that opposes this such as calming blue or white. If you feel you lack energy, introduce small splashes of yellow or red. If you have a dreamy personality and you find it hard to focus, add a little orange to the room as this color helps focus the mind and encourages concentration. If you are single and looking for love, use plenty of pink as this color represents love and matters of the heart.

Feng Shui Tips for a Small Bedroom

Decorating your small bedroom according to the beliefs and practices of Feng Shui may make the room feel more spacious and inviting. Feng Shui is the ancient Chinese art of how to best place the furniture and items in your home to let the energy flow through your home, bringing balance and order to your life.

Bed Placement
Bed placement is one of the most important factors in situating your small bedroom. Your bed should not share a wall with the door, a bathroom or be placed under a window or mirror if at all possible. Placing your bed against a wall that's shared with a bathroom is draining and chaotic like the water that's constantly flushing and moving. If there is no other wall that you can place your bed against, hang a mirror above your bed so that it reflects the flushing and draining back into the bathroom.

If the bed is for a couple, it should not be shoved up against a wall where one person has to climb over the other to get out of bed. Instead, leave just enough room for a walkway and place a small bedside table on that side. If the bed is for a single person who's looking for love, the same rules apply. For a child or teen, it's okay to place the bed against the wall to allow for more space.

Do not place the bed directly in front of the door, but in the farthest point you can that's opposite from the door. You should have a clear view of the door and the entire room from your bed, which is sometimes called the king's position.

Mirrors
Properly placing mirrors around your small bedroom can help make it seem larger. Cover the mirrors at night when you sleep if they reflect your head or upper body. If your bed is placed where you cannot see the door, hang a mirror that allows you to see the reflection of your bedroom entryway.

Colors
Soft, pastel colors are best for smaller bedrooms as they can help the room seem larger and airy. Create a focal point by painting one wall a couple of shades darker than the others. Choose a soft color that makes you feel at ease.

Accessories
Water should be avoided in the bedroom as it's constantly in motion and doesn't allow for a peaceful rest. The chaos of any water features may be magnified in a small room as there's less space for the energy to be dispersed. Keep water fountains, pictures of waterfalls and aquariums out of the bedroom to make it a peaceful place where you can rest and rejuvenate.

Hang pictures that reflect the way you want to feel. If you're single and want to attract a partner into your life, hang images of happy couples. Avoid pictures of hostile animals or single people. This is especially important for any images you hang above your bed, as those images are said to rule your dreams. In a small bedroom, there is less wall space to display pictures, which makes the images that you choose even more important to the mood and energy of the room.

Keep your room tidy and free of clutter. If you have little storage, keep out-of-season clothes or blankets under your bed--only if there is no where else to store those items.

What is the Significance of a Red Door on a Home?

Painting a front door red is often associated with the traditions of Feng Shui. The tradition of using bright red paint on a front door circles the globe and has a variety of meanings, depending on the country and the culture.

History
In the American frontier, settlers painted their front doors red to inform travelers that they were welcome there. Travelers knew that when they saw a red door, the family would invite them inside. Red doors in Scotland meant that the homeowners had paid their mortgage in full.

Culture
Feng Shui traditions say that certain colors bring about emotions and feelings. The front door to your home is the spot where energy enters your home. Painting a door red helps bring more energy into the home and creates a welcoming feel, according to Feng Shui.

Religious Implications
Old Catholic churches used red on doors to remind parishioners of Christ's blood and for them a red door symbolized hallowed ground and a place free from evil.

Good Paint Colors for Energy & Love in the Bedroom

Before choosing a paint color for your bedroom, consider the emotional backdrop you want to create. Paint a bedroom, especially one that you share with your spouse, in colors that promote energy and love.

Describing Colors
Learn to describe color shades clearly by using a system based on the properties of color. Following name trends such as "coriander," "aspen" or "ice" can be confusing, especially when the season changes and new descriptions appear. But the essential properties of color never change. The three main properties of color are hue, intensity and value.

Hue refers to the basic color. You'll recognize the names of hues, which include blue, red, yellow, green, orange and purple.

Intensity (or chroma) describes the quality of brightness or dullness of color. Scarlet is a high-intensity red and rust a lower-intensity red.

Value (or saturation) refers to the lightness or darkness of a color. A pastel pink is a low value, while midnight blue is a high value.

Color and Emotion
Although most people react to color in similar ways, some people may have personal likes and dislikes that differ from the majority. These idiosyncratic reactions often are related to experiences associated with particular colors.

For most people, high-intensity colors are exciting, and low-intensity colors aren't. Be careful with deep reds, which might be romantic but may also promote high blood pressure, tension and aggression. A lower value of red (pink, for instance) has a calming effect.

Feng shui, the Chinese system of harmonizing space, recommends pink for love. Interior decoration sites also advise a lower value of red for bedrooms. Sherwin-Williams even suggests a specific paint, "rose-colored," as a romantic color. Pink promotes energy, too. Red, even at a low value, is an energizing color.

To create a rose color yourself, begin with a red hue, lower its intensity ever so slightly with a pinch of brown, and mix in white to lower its value to your taste.

Choosing Your Paint
Choose your paint color with an eye toward your personal preferences. Don't use any kind of pink if either you or your spouse hate pink. Or try adjusting the shade of pink to one you will enjoy. For instance, add blue to create a pinkish-lavender shade. Add yellow to create a peach color.

How to Choose Paint Colors for a Front Hall

Changing the color of a room's walls can completely alter the look and feel of a room. The front hall of the house is generally an overlooked spot when decorating. You should spend time trying to find the right shade of paint for the front hallway since it is the room that greets you when you arrive home. Choosing a color of paint is a matter of personal taste and preference, but there are some tips you should consider when buying new paint.

Choose a color of paint based on the size of the hall to downplay the negative aspects of the size. For instance, paint an area that is too small in light colors. The light colors will add more depth and brightness to the hall's look. For spaces that feel too large and cold, give them a coating of dark paint to make the areas appear smaller and more contained.

Paint an accent wall in a boring area. An accent wall is a brightly colored wall among neutral walls. For instance, instead of painting a whole room bright red, paint three of the walls a neutral color such as tan and paint the last wall red. This will make the red wall pop and adds a new and interesting dimension to the room.

Mimic the foliage, plants and nature that are outside of the front hallway. The front hallway connects the home to the outside world. You can choose to paint the hallway in a color that reflects the outside world, such as green for plants or light blue for the sky. Alternatively, paint the hallway the same color as the room it leads into to make it seem more connected to the rest of the home.

Paint a small section of a wall with your favorite colors to see what it will look like once the walls are painted completely. View the paint in different types of lighting since different lighting will alter the look of the color. The paint will look different during the day than it does at night under an incandescent bulb.

Pick a neutral shade--such as various shades of white, black or brown--if you can't decide on another color. These plain shades will complement the other walls in the house.

Feng Shui Tips on Where to Hang Pictures

The ancient Chinese art of feng shui aims to bring harmony, balance and positive energy flow to a home through the specific placement of objects. Feng shui's principles apply to everything from choosing a building lot to where to place furniture. You can even use feng shui in hanging pictures in your home or office. By deciding what aspects of life are important to you and choosing artwork appropriate for those concerns, you can enhance your comfort and chances for success.

Map Your Space
Think of the room you want to decorate as having eight sectors: the four compass points and the four corners, the latter representing northeast, northwest, southeast and southeast. In feng shui, this is the principle of BaGua (eight areas). Stand in the center of the room and use a compass to determine where each sector lies. You might want to draw a small map as reference. Each sector relates to a different aspect of your life, and by picking the correct pictures for your room, you can increase the positive energy flowing toward that aspect, whether it is wealth, relationships, career or fame.

The Four Points
The northern side of a room relates to career. Hang pictures of fish, the ocean or other water-related scenes, as well as your own mementos of success, here. The east side governs family and health, so good choices include images of healthy plants or paintings and photos of family members. Fame dominates a room's southern end, making that wall a great spot for placing any award certificates or plaques you have received. If you are decorating a west wall, choose pictures of children or a special piece of art, since this area governs children and creativity.

The Four Corners
The northeast corner, which governs education, is a good spot for hanging your degrees and other educational awards. The northwest corner is all about mentors and bringing helpful people into your life. You can hang photos or pictures of people who have inspired or aided you. The southeast corner deals with wealth and prosperity. You can enhance your positive energy here with pictures of goldfish, which are a Chinese symbol of prosperity, or another symbol of wealth, such as coins. In the southwest corner, marriage is the key, so pictures of happy couples would find a good home here.

Other Considerations
When choosing which pictures to hang and where to place them, think of the areas of your life that are most important to you. In other words, don't try to decorate every spare inch of wall space on the theory that you will maximize your qi, or positive energy. The result can be chaos, confusion and conflict as too many elements compete with one another. Instead, decide on a few judiciously placed pictures and consider adding them one at a time to allow you to test each one's effect on your life.

Feng Shui Tips for a Study Desk

Feng shui is an ancient Chinese art form used to bring balance and harmony into your life. Objects such as plants, chimes, mirrors and furniture arrangements are all thought to bring positive energy into a room, increasing harmony. Feng shui techniques can be especially important in a study room to reduce stress and increase creativity and productivity.

Clean & Organize

Start by cleaning your study desk of unnecessary clutter. At least half of the desk should be visible at all times. A messy desk is distracting and causes a sense of unbalance, making it harder to concentrate when studying.

Use organizational tools such as paper trays and pencil holders to keep things tidy and in place. Keep important papers and other items in the desk drawers, using file holders and small trays.

Furniture & Color

Rearrange your study desk so it is situated to allow the best energy into the room. Place the desk facing the entrance. Do not sit with your back to the door, which can allow negative energy in. If possible, place your desk in a corner farthest from the entrance, with your back toward facing the wall.

Color is another factor in feng shui. Add color by painting a wall, hanging a colorful picture in front of your desk, or adding a colorful chair or chair pad for your study desk. Some colors to consider: yellow stimulates creativity, red is energizing, and blue and green are soothing.

Accessories

Use accessories to bring a positive, balancing energy to your study area. Place wind chimes in front of a window or over an air duct to attract energy. Set a small cactus or bamboo plant on your study desk to protect the area from negative energy. Or place a small indoor water fountain next to your study desk to create a soothing feeling.

Feng Shui Business Colors

Feng shui is an ancient Chinese method of placing objects--in your home or office--in a certain way, to achieve harmony and enlightenment. In feng shui there are also certain colors that bring positive energy to you. When decorating your business or office, you may want to select certain feng shui colors that will encourage positive energy, creativity and business growth.

Blue
To yin energy, as well as a calming feeling, paint your business or office blue. The color blue, often seen in spas, is said in feng shui to have relaxing and healing powers. The color has exhibits feelings of trust, which may help client/business relationships. To reflect intelligence, paint your wall navy blue. The color blue is a good choice for an office or conference room.

Purple
In feng shui, purple is said to produce physical and mental healing powers. The color can also bring spiritual awareness to those who view it. To induce clarity and feeling of well-being, paint your office or business a light purple color. You may also want to consider painting a waiting room or sitting room purple for your clients to "feel" clarity before they step into your office.

Black and White
The color black will be very important to your business as is represents money and income. Combine black with metal--like frames, and vases to boost your career quickly. White, like in many different cultures, represents poise and purity. To create a calming feeling, combine white with gold or silver. The combination can be used in a reception area or waiting room, while black--or black and white--should be used in your personal office.

Yellow and Orange
Yellow orange colors represent the yang colors in feng shui (blue, purple, black and white being the yin colors). These colors represent motivation and enthusiasm. Yellow is said to make you and your clients feel happy and warm. To avoid too much yellow--which, according to feng shui, can cause anxiety--paint the walls a soft butter color. Orange, on the other hand, is said to make you concentrate better and induce creativity. Use orange where you and your employees work or in a conference room.

Feng Shui House Paint Colors

The ancient Chinese theory of feng shui entails the placement of items in a space to harmonize with your personal energy or chi. Its energy theory combines the five elements of nature--wood, fire, earth and metal and water--each of which represents a specific color. The purpose of feng shui is to achieve balance between your inner self and the environment, making your home an extension of your energy.

Five Elements
Feng shui's five elements represent natural components that are related and dependent. Wood symbolizes growth and renewal while the earth represents stability. Metal results in heightened purity and mental prowess. A fire element means power and intensity, and water inspires and relaxes.

Creative Cycle
Feng shui strives to establish a balance of the five elements in a creative cycle. Wood feeds a fire and its ashes make the earth. Metal or minerals come from the earth then the metal makes an object to hold water. Finally, water nurtures the wood or trees as the cycle continues.

Wood: Green
New growth is the meaning of green, a healing color that rejuvenates the human spirit. Jade crystals placed in a bowl in a room is a favorite feng shui technique. Bedrooms--especially for seniors--kitchens and living rooms commonly utilize green hues.

Fire: Red
Red is the color of fire and represents vitality, strength and warmth. It can invigorate an area in the form of red pillows, a red chair and a lampshade and candles. A study and a dining room are both appropriate areas for red. Since red is a powerful color, feng shui uses it sparingly.

Earth: Yellow
Yellow is an earthtone color that signifies balance, stability and health. It is associated with the sun, which disperses evil forces. Yellow's uplifting effect works well in the living room and kitchen. Soft yellow is the best choice for an adult bedroom, while a brighter yellow makes a good choice for a child's room.

Metal: White
The color white represents purity, spirituality, intellect and cleanliness. White walls and accessories result in a calming effect that makes it an excellent selection in a bathroom. White is the best color in feng shui to accent all other colors in accessories such as frames, towels, pillows and more.

Water: Blue
The color of water, blue creates a relaxing and clarifying effect. The word associated with blue is stillness, as in the calm necessary to gain insight. Blue is the most common accessory color in feng shui and combines well with yellow or white. Blue is a good choice for the bathroom or any room with less activity.

Feng Shui Bedroom Paint Colors

Feng Shui decorating involves organizing and decorating your home in a way that invites positive energy and promotes an atmosphere of peace and balance. Certain colors are used in Feng Shui principles to invoke feelings of peace and harmony, each one having a special meaning. Painting your bedroom is a fast and inexpensive way to begin the journey. Find out which colors will help you attain peace, harmony and a good night's sleep.

Blue
The color blue, representing the sea and sky, is calming, relaxing, and promotes feelings of trust and peace. Cool blue walls are associated with the flexibility and calmness of the ocean, setting the stage for meditation and encouraging restful sleep. Blue is synonymous with a quiet energy.

Green
Green is the color of renewal, freshness, healing and inspiration. In Feng Shui, this color signifies wood and gardens. Soothing green walls in a bedroom bring nature into your space. Like the color blue, green is a cool color which is thought to promote deeper sleep. This color also symbolizes good health and helps you to feel refreshed upon waking.

Pink
Pink is a version of red, which is a very important color in the practice of Feng Shui. In Asian cultures, red signifies good luck, warmth and energy. A strong red may be too stimulating for a bedroom, causing feelings of restlessness and making it difficult to relax and wind down. Feng Shui practitioners choose shades of pink as a substitute, which symbolizes love and marriage.

Colors to Avoid
Other colors associated with Feng Shui may be too intense for a bedroom, interfering with sleep and relaxation. Black represents money and career; deep purple signifies royalty and spirituality; yellow is the color of cheerfulness and motion. Avoid painting a bedroom with these colors as this space should encourage restfulness and peace. If you feel strongly about using any of these colors, choose them in softer hues. White corresponds to the element of metal in Feng Shui and is deemed too cold to use in a bedroom; white is better suited for bathrooms and kitchens.

The Feng Shui Ruler

The Feng Shui ruler is used to measure dimensions and proportions of rooms, doors and furniture, because certain measurements bring good fortune while others bring misfortune. According to Geomancy.net, the Feng Shui ruler determines which proportions and dimensions are auspicious and which ones should not be used because they bring bad energy to the household.

Take your Feng Shui ruler or diagram and notice that it is divided into eight sections: four that have red ink and four that have black ink. The red sections are auspicious, while the black areas are unfavorable.

The Feng Shui ruler is 43 centimeters or 16 and 15/16 inches. According to AbsolutelyFengShui.com, this is based on the imperial foot dating to its origin in 960-1128 AD during the Sung dynasty where it was used to measure windows, doors and furniture for the imperial palace. Notice the two sections of measurements: one on top of the ruler which is used to measure Yang houses, or houses of the living, and another set of measurements on the bottom of the ruler which are used to measure Yin houses, which are coffins and grave sites.

The Feng Shui foot was derived from the side of a square where the length of the diagonal is the square root of 2. This is considered mystical by the Chinese, according to Geomancy.net. Western mathematicians call this the "magic square."

Looking at the top Yang (houses of the living) measurements, you will see that the ruler is divided into eight sections within the Yang area, four of which are auspicious, and the other four inauspicious.

AbsoultelyFengShui.com identifies the four good sections (in red ink) as the first, fourth, fifth and eighth sections. The first is called "Cai" and signifies wealth. The fourth section is called "Yi" and means noble justice. The fifth portion is referred to as "Kuan" and means official. The eighth section is called "Ben" and means basis or origin.

The four unfortunate markings, which are symbolized with black ink are: the second, called "Bing" meaning sickness; the third called "Li," signifying leaving or separation; the sixth, called "Jie" which means robbery and disaster; and the seventh section called "Hai" meaning harmful.

Each of the eight Yang sections are further subdivided into four sections measuring 0.525 inches or 1.34 cm. Again, four of the subsections are good, and four bad, according to AbsolutelyFengShui.com. For measurements longer than a Feng Shui ruler, a Feng Shui measuring tape is used, on which the eight original sections are repeated every Feng Shui foot.

The first section, in red, auspicious "Cai," which means wealth, is further broken down into four sections: fortune, resource, harmony and prosperity.

The second section, in black, inauspicious "Bing," which means illness, has four subdivisions: losses, bad encounter, imprisonment and widowhood.

The third section, in black, inauspicious "Li," which means separation, has four parts: wealth denied, loss of wealth, cheated and total loss.

The fourth section, in red, is auspicious "Yi," meaning noble, and is broken down into the four sections: gain descendants, profits, talented offspring and great prosperity.

The fifth section, in red, is auspicious "Kuan," meaning official, and it is subdivided into: abundance of food, indirect wealth, better income and riches.

The sixth section, in black, is inauspicious "Jie," meaning disaster, and is broken down into: death, loss of descendants, leaving home and loss of money.

The seventh section is inauspicious "Hai," meaning harm, and is divided into: calamities, possible death, sickness and quarrels.

The eighth section is auspicious "Ben," meaning capital or source, and is subdivided into: wealth, promotion opportunities, arrival of wealth and abundance. (See Reference 2)