10 Expert Ways to Feng Shui Your Living Room

You may be familiar with the term feng shui as a method of decorating a home to achieve peace and tranquility. Contrary to popular belief, feng shui encompasses so much more than using specific colors or arranging furniture in a particular layout.

By definition, feng shui is a branch of Chinese Medicine that is an all-in-one art science, and spiritual practice. The purpose is to create balance and harmony in all aspects of life by changing the energy of the spaces we live in. After all, our environment has a profound effect on the way we behave, how we think, what we say, and our feelings at a subconscious level. Creating a balanced space that flows energetically and feels good, impacts aspects of life beyond the physical. A clean, balanced home means a better mind, and ultimately, a more peaceful life.

According to feng shui educator Anjie Cho, you can apply feng shui principles to a living room in very simple ways. “Feng shui sees the living room as a public space, a more yang (more outward facing, less private) as opposed to yin in your home. The living room is the least private room, so it’s about connection with the outside world in a place to gather,” she says.

We asked Cho and feng shui expert and interior designer Ashley Cantley to share their tips on how to easily feng shui a living room.

Incorporate the Five Elements

There are five elements to feng shui that are easy to incorporate into any space in your home. They are earth, metal, water, wood, and fire.

“When you have all of the five elements, they create balance, so have some representation of each. Life organically doesn’t come out into exact percentages—you don’t need 20 percent of each—and you’ll find it is interesting if there are more qualities of one element compared to another that you want to enhance in your life,” says Cho. “You can use colors that are accessible or materials to bring the qualities of these elements into your home.”

Earth

To evoke the element of Earth in your home, you will want to utilize colors that are yellow or brown, aka earth tones. “You can bring this element in through a rug, a brown or yellow crystal such as jasper or tiger’s eye, or ceramic, which is made of earth and has a lot of earth qualities to it,” says Cho. Actual representations of the earth (think landscapes and forests) are also good options.

Metal

Metal elements, which signify focus and clarity, can be incorporated through the color white, gray, or actual metallic objects. Cho says that “people like to bring in pyrite, quartz, white crystal, or objects made of metal,” to add this element to their space.

Water

You may think that the color for water would be blue, but in feng shui, it is actually black. “Think black accents for anything such as pillows, a rug, throw blankets, furniture, an art piece, paint color, or even black crystals,” says Cho, who adds that you can even bring in items that feature water such as an aquarium or an image of water.

Wood

For those not versed in the elements of feng shui, the color of wood is green and blue, it’s not brown and not referencing wooden furniture. “Living green plants embody the quality of wood, or colors such as green, blue, and teal,” says Cho. Wood represents creativity in feng shui. Too few elements of wood can cause rooms to feel dark and depressed and too much can be overwhelming and lead to feelings of rigidness. You can also include flowers and cotton when searching for wood element options.

Fire

Fire will bring expression and a certain boldness to your space. “Fire is the color red, lighting, or candles. If choosing to incorporate this element with color, you may want to use it sparingly,” says Cho. A lack of any fire in your living room can read as cold and uninspired.

Minimize Clutter

The goal of feng shui is to create a space that energetically flows and triggers you to be the person you want to be. According to feng shui expert and interior designer Ashley Cantley, “a space where energy flows well is one that’s not filled with stuff in every corner. Empty space or minimalism is a good thing in feng shui.”

This doesn’t mean getting rid of everything you own, but rather taking inventory of what is meaningful in your life. Evaluate the space and keep only the furniture, decor, and knickknacks you feel a connection with. If an object doesn’t make you feel happy, donate it. You may also want to consider switching out furnishings and decor seasonally to avoid clutter.

Add Light

Brightness is uplifting and according to Cantley, the more lighting the better. “The lights don’t always have to be turned on, just as long as there’s the option to turn them on.”

Cantley’s solution for a lack of natural lighting is to use a light bulb that mimics natural sunlight. “Opt for energy-efficient light bulbs that last longer. You will save money and reduce the negative impact they have on the environment,” she says.

“It is great to have low-level and high lighting in the space,” says Cho. “Uplighting is helpful for those who get depressed because when you lift lighting, you lift the chi.”

Have Enough Space for Everyone

Cho notes that you should look at your home as a place that can support you and feel you rather than create more chaos and distraction, so having enough seating for everyone to feel welcome is crucial.

“You want to have enough seating for each member of the household; you want space for everyone. Maybe you have a few extra chairs on hand so you are setting the stage and intention that you would like to have more friendships or people coming into your home,” she says.

Choose Color With Meaning

Color is important in feng shui, so be considerate when using it. You can defer to the feng shui color theory and how color relates to the bagua map (a design tool used to divide your space into nine separate areas with each one relating to a certain theme) and five elements. Because the living room is the place where people converge and bring in their own energy and personalities, earth tones are ideal to ground the space. Consider neutrals like yellow, brown, and clay for larger pieces of furniture. Then add accessories with bright blues, greens, and other colors that pop. This will bring energy and happiness into the room.

Pay Attention to Layout

In a feng shui living room, grouping pieces of furniture is ideal so conversations can flow more easily. All seats should have a view of the door so everyone can see who is coming and going.

However, if some seating has to be faced away from the door, Cantley says to “hang a mirror on the wall to see what’s happening behind them or position a piece of furniture (like a long table) with plants behind the couch that’s positioned with the back to the door.”

Create Balance

The whole purpose of feng shui is to create balance, so make sure there isn’t a single overpowering material in the room. Cantley says it’s important to offset textures. For example, if there is a lot of metal in your space, she suggests adding soft accessories like pillows and rugs. “If you have a lot of whites and pastels, add pops of colors, plants, or wood to warm it up,” she says.

Take Care When Decorating

Treat each space in the home as its own entity with a specific function when you decorate. The kitchen is where you focus on healthy eating and mindfulness, so the decor should not be overpowering. In entertaining spaces don’t have lighting fixtures pointing downward. In living spaces where you can introduce artwork, be considerate of how you bring life to the room. “Wallpaper with flowers, birds, animals, trees, and leaves creates stimulating energy as well,” Cantley says.

You also want to be sure to use every space and not neglect it. For example, if you don’t use your dining room to eat meals, consider using it as an office space. Or, if there are two entertaining spaces in your home but you only use one, add a plant to the lesser utilized one, which will make you spend more time there to care for the plant.

Consider the Size of Your Space

Utilizing the area the best way you can will help create an area you want to spend time in, whether it is big or small.

A Smaller Living Room

Remember, the goal of feng shui is to get energy flowing, so it’s especially important to minimize clutter and clean smaller spaces. Because furniture arrangement options are usually limited for smaller living rooms, it’s best to make the area feel more spacious by purchasing a large mirror. “By placing a large mirror in your space you’re creating the illusion of more space. Don’t be afraid to use color and patterns either.”

“With a small living room, don’t overstuff the space. You want to be able to flow in and out, so use smaller-sized items and do the best you can with what you have,” adds Cho.

A Larger Living Room

With a larger space, Cho recommends creating intimate gathering spaces within more vast areas. “Creating more opportunities for gathering within the larger space, such as club chairs with a little table to the side,” she says.

View Your Space as a Living Being

It may sound strange, but viewing your home and the spaces within as a living, breathing being, will help you be more considerate of how you spend time in the space. “Feng shui allows you to look at your space as a partner, a living being, a member of your household that is there to accompany all parts of your life. Something you can thank, love, and nurture,” says Cho. “It offers opportunities for more rejuvenation and restfulness, and how you affect your spaces and how your spaces affect you. can allow you to have more connection and compassion with the outside world.”