Feng Shui (which is actually pronounced as Fung Shway!) is based on a system that originates from China and is designed to balance our physical environment, giving it a sense of harmony, well-being, and ‘flow’.

It’s said that the items you have in your home and how they’re placed can either enable or block the flow. The art of enhancing that flow is Feng Shui.

If you’re interested in practicing Feng Shui in your home, we’ve put together this beginner’s guide to help you get started.

The Commanding Position

The commanding position in Feng Shui is a place in a room that is furthest from the door, but not in its direct line. For the ideal commanding position, you should be diagonal to the door and have a clear line of sight to it.

According to this ancient system, the commanding position is where you should spend the most time in that room. So, if you’re looking at your bedroom, your bed should be in the commanding position or, if you’re in the kitchen, your stove should be in the commanding position, for example.

The Bagua Map

Feng Shui works to address 8 areas of your life:

• Friends and travel
• Career
• Knowledge
• Family and health
• Children and creativity
• Money
• Reputation
• Relationships

These 8 areas are featured on the Bagua map and, if you’re not sure about the layout of the Bagua map or how to use it, this really useful article from Chinese Zodiac will tell you everything you need to know.

As a beginner, try focusing on 2 or 3 areas of your life that you’d like to improve. Below we’re going to take you through some basic ways that you can enhance those areas of your life/the Bagua map.

Friends and travel

This area is a great place to hang photos of you and your friends or keep memories from your travels.

Career

Keep this area well lit and put something in it that relates to your career or passion. Successful or aspiring athletes, for example, could put something to do with their sport in this area.

Knowledge

This is a wonderful space for meditation or reading, so creating an area that encourages either of those things would be ideal. 

Family and health

They say it’s important to keep this area clean and it’s the perfect place for family photos.

Children and creativity

This is a great spot for crafts and creative activities. If you don’t have children, embrace your inner child in this area and do something bold, such as painting the wall a bright colour. 

Money

Stash your cash in the money area! Or anything else that’s valuable to you.  You can also use flowers and jade plants in the money area, too.

Reputation

Keep items that are said to bring you luck, such as a rabbit feet or four leaf clovers, in the reputation area. If you have any awards, certificates, or other accolades, this could be a great place to keep them.

Relationships

According to Feng Shui, it’s best to have things in pairs in the relationship area. Perhaps try something like two matching chairs or a pair of matching cushions and, for best results, pairs of cranes, butterflies and lovebirds are said to be particularly effective.

Some Quick Feng Shui Tips

Clear up the clutter

According to Feng Shui, feelings of unrest and distress such as guilt can come from having a cluttered environment. It’s said that, if your home is free of clutter, energy can flow freely.

Mirrors

Feng Shui experts say that mirrors don’t belong in the bedroom because they can double (yes, double!) the energy activity in a room, potentially causing disrupted sleep. They say this is particularly true if your mirrors are facing your bed.

Plants

It’s said that plant cultivate prosperity, luck, and growth, so incorporating them into your projects could spur you on to great things. If you have an exam coming up, place a plant on your desk, or wherever you’re studying.

Feng Shui is a fascinating concept – we hope you enjoy trying it! At Grace & Grey, we sell all kinds of delightful homewares, perfect for creating a welcoming environment. Browse our ranges here.