Feng Shui Bedroom Decoration Tips and Layout

Feng shui, the ancient Chinese art of arranging living spaces, is based on many of the same principles as alternative medicine therapies such as acupuncture. The point of feng shui is to maximize the flow of "qi" (energy or life force) in the environment for utmost safety and productivity.

Being thoughtful about how you arrange and use your bedroom is especially important. It's where you sleep, and adequate amounts of quality shut-eye are vital to health and well-being. If you share your home with a spouse or partner, note that a bedroom with good feng shui is thought to strengthen the bond between a couple and attract love. So for the sake of better sleep and a boost to your relationship, consider these tips for improving the feng shui in your bedroom.

The ideal bed placement allows you to see the bedroom door while you're in bed without being directly in front of or in line with it. According to feng shui, having a view of the door from bed without being too close to it gives a sense of safety and is conducive to relaxation and sleep.

The foot of the bed shouldn't point toward the door either. This is known as the "coffin" position and putsthe bed in the main path of traffic. If this can't be avoided, a footboard, high bench, or table at the foot of the bed can act as a buffer as long as it doesn't block the view of the door.

The head of the bed should be against a wall, but not under a window which could allow qi to flow outside and cause restless sleep. It's best not to place a bed under a structural or decorative beam or ceiling fan either, as this is good for neither physical health nor relationships. If moving your bed isn't an option, feng shui practitioners sometimes recommend hanging a bamboo flute (a special feng shui device) from the beam or fan to offset the effects.

If there are two people sleeping in the bed, there should be equal space on both sides of it so each person can get into and out of bed easily.

Televisions, computers, exercise gear, or a workspace in the bedroom are thought to distract from rest, symbolize wakefulness, and take up energy. If you have no choice, hide such items as best you can: Place the TV in an armoire or neatly cover it with a cloth, for example, or set up a screen to block your view of that exercise bike or desk.

According to feng shui, clutter is more than a distracting eyesore: It can block the flow of qi, disturb sleep, and generally prevent things in your life from moving forward.

Neatness counts where you can't see it as well: Don't use the space under your bed for storage and keep the inside of your closet tidy and weed out clothes you don't wear periodically. Close the closet door at night. Keep the insides of drawers organized and don't pile books on top of your nightstand or dresser.

According to feng shui, if you aren't sleeping well, a mirror in your bedroom could be the culprit. Mirrors are thought to bounce energy around the bedroom, which may result in restlessness. They're also said to amplify worries.

It's especially important not to hang a mirror on the wall opposite your bed. Feng shui consultants say this can promote the intrusion of a third party into a couple's relationship and possibly encourage infidelity.

Any images you hang on your bedroom walls should be inspiring, uplighting, or relaxing. One of the best places to hang such an image is on the wall opposite your bed so that you see it first thing when youwake up and the last thing before you turn off the lights to go to sleep. Don't bring sad or upsetting images into your bedroom, or paintings or photographs that feature just one person: This symbolizes solitude. It's also best to avoid images in which a lake, waterfall, or river is the dominant theme. In other parts of the house, water symbolizes money but in the bedroom, it may promote financial or relationship losses.

In general, try tohave two of everything you can. Couples should have two (ideally) identical nightstands (one on each side of the bed), for example. Ovals and circles, whether it's the shape of your nightstand or the type of accessories you select, are better than furniture and accessories with sharp corners or edges.

According to feng shui, warm colors reminiscent of skin tones, such as cream, peach, beige, yellow, coral, tan or cocoa, are ideal on bedroom walls because they're thought to be soothing.

Light blues, greens, and lavenders are considered restful and conducive to sleep. But too many cool colors, such as grays, blues, or stark whites are believed to interfere with relaxation. Aim for a balance of 50 percent warm skin tones and 50 percent cool blues, greens, or lavenders.

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Feng Shui Bedroom Decoration Tips and Layout