Vital Feng Shui Rules for the Placement of Decorations

Feng shui is all about placement of furniture and other objects, such as feng shui picture placement or placement of objects, When decorating your home, feng shui rules can help you decide the best location for art objects, wedding photos, and other decorations.

Dining Room Décor Feng Shui Placement

The dining room is a vital part of your overall feng shui wholeness. This is the room that generates abundance for the entire family. Some objects are auspicious when placed in a dining room while others are inauspicious. Choose your decorations by following a couple of feng shui rules for this important room.

• A dinner bell is considered very auspicious since the ringing of three times before a meal attracts positive energies of abundance. You can simply set the bell on a nearby table, sideboard, buffet, or even the dining table.
• A crystal chandelier is a bright and reflective decoration perfect for attracting abundant and prosperous luck energies. Hang directly over the dining table for best results.
• Round or oval dining tables are the best shapes since chi energy moves constantly around them.

Don't Add a Clock

One thing you never want to place in a dining room is a clock. The presence of a clock in this room means you could run out of abundance as the clock ticks away or winds down. Some feng shui practitioners believe a clock in the dining room will lead to a rushed meal and be unhealthy. There are several other rooms where you can place a clock in your home.

Mirrors Are Auspicious

A mirror in the dining room is an excellent addition. The point of the mirror is to double the abundance that the dining table represents. The activity that takes place in the dining room is the feeding of the family. That means there is always enough food to accomplish this purpose. A mirror reflecting the table and any food served on it then symbolically doubles the amount of food.

• The mirror should be placed so that it reflects the dining table.
• Make sure the mirror reflection doesn't cut off the heads of those sitting at the dining table as this is considered very inauspicious.
• A mirror reflection doubles the amount of food you have serve and symbolizes great abundance.

Add Table Centerpieces for Abundance

The abundance a dining table represents can be enhanced with your choice of table centerpieces. Consider your decor and the overall theme of what you want to express in this room. Some possible centerpieces include:

• A bowl of fresh fruit is an excellent auspicious centerpiece for a dining table. Replace fruit so the centerpiece is always fresh.
• Apothecary jars or tall vases can be filled with lemons, oranges, or apples to create an inviting and appropriate centerpiece that represents food and abundance. Keep only fresh fruits on display.
• Fresh flowers have vibrant energy that is auspicious for centerpieces. Make sure you change out the water and replace dead flowers.
• A table runner in a color that represents the compass direction of your dining room is a nice addition to attract chi energy.
• A bowl with garlic (faux or real) is very auspicious as a symbol of wealth accumulation and often used in feng shui dining table centerpieces.

Obviously, you want to place a centerpiece in the center of your dining table, but you can also add one on a sideboard or buffet to mirror this icon of abundance.

Where to Put Bedroom Decorations

Whether you are married or seeking a mate, the master bedroom offers opportunities to reinforce the concept of a couple.

• Use pairs when selecting decorative objects. For example, a matching pair of bedside table lamps or a pair of matching chairs place in the southwest corner.
• You can incorporate specific feng shui symbols of romantic love, such as a pair of mandarin ducks or rose quartz placed on a nightstand.
• Another great symbol for a loving couple is a dragon and phoenix, the unbeatable pair. Set in the southwest corner on a table or use wall art here.
• Place a Wu Lou or a gourd shaped lamp on the nightstand to protect health.

Don't place a clock in the bedroom. Feng shui advises this placement intrudes on the relaxing atmosphere. Also, when working with pairs of decorative items, only use one pair of a couple symbol since two pairs, even if different, represent two marriages.

Say No to Plants

Live plants generate yang energy and shouldn't be placed in the bedroom if you're seeking a restful night of sleep. Artificial plants and flowers can be used, but only if you can keep them dusted regularly. Few practitioners favor artificial plants since they collect dust easily, creating clutter and unhealthy stagnant chi.

Use Appropriate Photos, Paintings, and Artwork

There are few subject matters that you don't want represented in the bedroom. These include:

• Photos of children: These should be placed in a den or family area, although some practitioners believe that placing these on the west wall of the parents' bedroom create the appropriate yang energy that also activates the children's (descendants') luck. Be sure to place a lamp or other light to illuminate the photos.
• Family photos: Don't place other photos of family and friends in the bedroom, especially your wedding photos.
• Waterscapes: Don't place any water scenes in a bedroom since water creates too much yang energy.

You do, however, want to place the following artwork in the bedroom:

• Romantic images: Select art that implies romance, such as a romantic looking garden or landscape can be placed on the southwest wall (relationship/marriage wall) in a master bedroom.
• Themed art: Select restive scenes that convey dreaminess and relaxation and place on any wall in the bedroom. If you know your auspicious directions, this is an excellent place for themed art.

Feng Shui Decorating in Dens and Living Room

There are many items you can use to decorate your den or living room. Some decorative objects are best placed in this family room and create auspicious chi energy.

• Your den or living room is the ideal place to display family photos, especially those of your children. Set on a console table or as a wall gallery on the west wall to activate descendants' luck. Use metal frames to further activate the descendants' luck since metal is the element for the west compass direction.
• Display wedding photos in this area to reinforce your marriage luck. The southwest wall is ideal for these since it is the relationship direction.
• A chandelier is an ideal feng shui decoration for this room. Hang it in the center of the room or use a pair of smaller chandeliers over a pair of end tables. If this isn't your style, compensate with several table lamps, floor lamps, and ceiling recessed lights. These additional lighting elements will activate yang energy essential for a healthy family living room.
• A bowl of six glass balls or crystal apples or can be placed on a coffee table to attract abundance and prosperity. If you prefer a wealth bowl, this can be made of various coins, glass crystals, gold ingots, and other items you associate with wealth.

Kitchen Feng Shui Decorating

The main concern for feng shui in a kitchen is the placement of water versus fire appliances and the direction of the kitchen. You can use various feng shui animals, such as the rooster, in this room.

• The rooster is an auspicious animal in feng shui, representing prosperity and warding off arguments. Place in one of your four personal auspicious directions.
• Don't place family photos in the kitchen with harmful elements, such as fire and water.
• Add objects that balance fire and water, such as wood (east and southeast wall) and metal objects. A wall plaque or a metal serving tray can be placed on the west or northwest wall.
• A wall clock is ideal for the kitchen since it measures time, which is vital for correct cooking and baking. Place your clock in the appropriate sector dictated by the type of material used to create the clock, such as metal, wood, etc.

Feng Shui Placement With Elements

A great way to activate the element in each room is to select objects made of the governing element for that sector. Once you find this assigned element for the sector your room occupies, you can make the elements a natural part of your decor.

South Sector Is Fire

The south sector element is fire. There are many decorations you can use to activate this element. The south sector rules fame and recognition luck.

• Use candles in this room to activate the fire element.
• You can further represent this element with red or pink candles. Select decorative and colored candles.
• Place candles on a table, sideboard, buffet, windowsill, or mantel.
• If you're building, locate a fireplace in this sector to activate the fire element.
• The triangle is a fire symbol. Use a pyramid shaped paperweight or decorative wooden object or candle.

North Sector Is Water

The north sector element is water. You can use this direction to enhance your career. The north wall of a home office is a great place for adding a water feature. The north sector governs careers.

• You can activate the water element with a small tabletop fountain placed on a pedestal, console table, end table or buffet. The water should flow into the room, never toward an exterior door.
• Artistic representations of water can be used on the walls, such as a meandering stream flowing into the room, reflective still bodies of water or a waterfall. Avoid beachscapes with pounding surfs or turbulent ocean scenes.
• Round mirrors represent water and are a nice design feature when placed underneath centerpieces or art objects.
• An aquarium in this sector or on the north wall of a home office or den will enhance a career.

Wood Element Governs East and Southeast Sectors

The wood element governs both east and southeast directions. These are considered the directions of growth. The east sector governs health and family. The southeast sector rules wealth. Use any of these decorating ideas to enhance both sectors.

• You can capitalize on the wood element beyond furniture. Hand-carved figurines or wall art carvings can be placed above a bed, buffet or couch. You may prefer to creating a grouping on an east or southeast wall or sector.
• Decorative wood picture/photo frames are another way to introduce the wood element.
• A wooden bowl filled with wooden apples and pears is an ideal choice for a dining table or buffet.
• A living room in either sector is ideal for a tabletop water fountain since water nurtures wood and growth.
• Place a Wu Lou in the east sector or a gourd shaped table lamp to attract chi energy to this area.
• Set a tabletop fountain or aquarium in the southeast sector to activate wealth luck (water nourishes wood element).
• Round or oval leaf plants, as well as lucky bamboo, are excellent choices for these sectors.

Metal Element Governs West and Northwest Sectors

The west and northwest are both governed by the metal element. West governs descendant (children) luck and northwest governs mentor luck. Activate the metal element to attract auspicious luck for these areas while also offering nice decorative touches to your room designs.

• The metal element for both directions can be activated with metal candle holders or candelabra.
• A metal bowl filled with fruit can be placed on a dining or kitchen table.
• Display trays, art objects, and wall art made from metal in these sectors.
• For a dining room or breakfast room, you might even choose metal embellished dining chairs and/or table or go with a complete metal set depending on your design style.
• Place children's photos in metal frames in the west sector or west wall of master bedroom or den.
• You can decorate the northwest with objects representing the mentor(s) you wish to attract into your life. These can include photos of you with a mentor, books written by those you admire, and photos of famous professionals in your field.

Southwest and Northeast Sectors Are Earth Energy

The earth element governs both directions. The southwest sector rules romantic relationship luck while the northeast controls education luck.

• The earth element can be activated by adding various pottery and ceramic items. Urns and vases with decorative glazes can be grouped together for an attractive artistic display.
• If you are a fan of crystals, place a collection in a curio cabinet, on a sideboard or buffet.
• Create a grouping of three or five pottery pieces displayed on a coffee table, mantel, hearth, or bookcase.
• Add a rose quartz heart in the southwest sector, especially the southwest sector of the master bedroom to activate the relationship/marriage luck.
• A crystal globe will activate education luck when placed in the northeast sector of your home or northeast corner in a child or student's desk.

Managing Holiday Decorations for Good Feng Shui

Mixing holiday decorations with a feng shui home isn't as difficult as it might seem. Apply the same feng shui rules when decorating for a holiday to ensure you maintain feng shui principles.

Christmas Trees and Decorations

A decorated Christmas tree can be placed in the east, southeast, or even south corner of your den or living room. If you use a real or faux tree, the symbol is still a wood element. Wood fuels fire, and lights always activate elements of fire as well as attracting good chi energy.

• Don't place a Christmas tree in the main pathway of a room or block entrance into or out of a room.
• Don't place a Christmas tree in a bedroom.
• Live greenery, especially garlands, are auspicious as wood elements. Replace any that die before Christmas.
• Replace any burned out Christmas lights or string of lights.

Easter Bouquets and Decorations

Easter decorations can also reinforce various feng shui elements and follow feng shui principles.

• A bouquet of Easter lilies or Easter flower bouquet make a great dining table centerpiece.
• Place potted prayer plants and Easter lilies in the east and southeast sectors to activate the wood element.
• Easter bunnies and other Easter ceramics can be placed in the southwest and northeast sectors of the home or room corners.
• Place a bowl of colorful Easter eggs in the center of a dining table for abundance.

Other Holiday Celebrations

When celebrating other holidays, consider the elements of the decorations and then place them in the appropriate home sectors or corners of a room. Follow the basic feng shui rules about clutter and avoid creating obstacles to the flow of chi energy throughout your home.

Decorating With Feng Shui Style

There are many ways you can incorporate feng shui principles and symbols in decorating your home. Choose objects that best represent elements and symbols for auspicious placement in your home.