The bedroom, where one spends a third of their life, benefits greatly from thoughtful design—enhancing sleep quality, mental well-being, career prospects, and financial fortune.
I. Bedroom Shape
1. Avoid narrow, elongated bedrooms, as they hinder proper ventilation.
2. Steer clear of bedrooms with slanted walls, as they create visual distortions that may lead to health issues and accidents over time.
3. Refrain from bedrooms with multiple angles, as they can induce feelings of oppression and increase mental strain.
4. Opt for a square or rectangular bedroom shape and maintain tidiness.
II. Bedroom Size
Ancient feng shui theory states, “A large house with few occupants is an inauspicious dwelling,” believing that “large houses drain human energy.” The human body is an energy entity that constantly emits energy outward, much like an air conditioner in operation. The larger the house area, the more energy is consumed.
An excessively large bedroom may cause the body to expend too much energy, leading to weakened immunity, impaired judgment, poor decision-making, and even illness. An optimal bedroom size is between 10-20 square meters.
III. Bedroom Colors
1. Avoid using overly bright red in bedroom decor. Excessive bright red can cause mental overexcitement and may lead to nervous exhaustion. Over time, this can result in mental fatigue and irritability.
2. Bedrooms should foster a calm, relaxing atmosphere. The following color selections correspond with bedroom orientations:
East, Southeast — Green, Blue;
South — Light Purple, Yellow, Black;
West — Pink, White, Beige, Gray;
North — Gray, White, Beige, Pink, Red;
Northwest—Gray, white, pink, yellow, brown, black;
Northeast—Light yellow, rust;
Southwest—Yellow, brown.
IV. Bedroom Lighting
1. Bedrooms should be bright during the day and dim at night. Windows are essential for daytime natural light, which invigorates the spirit; At night, curtains should block outdoor light to facilitate sleep.
2. Bedroom lighting should be soft. Overly bright light causes restlessness and irritability, while excessive darkness may induce melancholy. Prioritize indirect lighting and adjustable light sources; soft incandescent bulbs are preferable to fluorescent lights for bedrooms. Additionally, light colors should harmonize with interior color schemes.
V. Relationship with Other Spaces
1. Align family members with corresponding directions. If feasible, the master bed should be placed in a southeast or east-facing bedroom; elderly beds suit northwest-facing rooms; children’s beds are best in northeast-facing bedrooms. If conditions don’t permit, don’t obsess—simply arrange appropriately.
2. Bathrooms should not be converted into bedrooms. Converting a bathroom into a bedroom traps the sleeping area between bathrooms on both upper and lower floors. As bathrooms are inherently damp and unclean spaces, this positioning inevitably compromises hygiene. Furthermore, flushing toilets or running water above will disturb peace, adversely affecting physical and mental well-being.
3. Exercise caution with en-suite bathrooms. Homes where the bathroom directly faces the bed often report lower back pain. No matter how luxurious the bathroom, its function as a waste disposal area remains unchanged. The moisture generated during bathing accumulates over time, leading to back pain and increasing the kidneys’ detoxification burden. (Place a few potted plants in the bathroom or add a screen between the bed and bathroom door as a barrier.)
VI. Bedroom Door Placement
1. Avoid aligning the bedroom door directly opposite the main entrance. Bedrooms require tranquility, while the main door serves as a thoroughfare for family and guests. Direct alignment can disrupt health and financial fortune.
2. Prevent the bedroom door from facing the bathroom. Bathrooms, being spaces for bodily functions, generate impure and damp energies harmful to health.
3. The bedroom door should not face the kitchen or be adjacent to it. Kitchen cooking fires and fumes emit smoke and grease, which can harm health and cause instability in work performance.
4. The bedroom door should not face a mirror. Mirrors have reflective properties; in feng shui, they can reflect negative energy back, thus warding off misfortune. However, a mirror facing the bedroom door will reflect negative energy directly into the bedroom, inviting bad luck.
VII. Bed Placement
1. The bed should be perpendicular to the bedroom door, not aligned with its direction.
2. Avoid placing the bed beneath hanging cabinets, beams, or light fixtures, as this may cause headaches, joint pain, or damage one’s reputation.
3. Never place the bed directly on the floor. Keep it approximately 50 centimeters off the ground, ensuring the space underneath remains clean and well-ventilated to prevent dampness and negative energy. Avoid storing excessive clutter beneath the bed, especially iron or glass objects.
4. The bed should not face a mirror directly, as this may cause insomnia, vivid dreams, or invite negative energies.
5. The headboard must have solid backing—a wall or cabinet—never a window or void. This symbolizes one’s support system or foundation. If the bed cannot be placed against a wall, a headboard is essential.
VI. Bedroom Doors
1. Bedroom doors should not face the main entrance. Bedrooms require tranquility, while the main entrance is where family and friends come and go. A direct alignment between the main entrance and bedroom door can adversely affect health and financial fortune.
2. Bedroom doors should not directly face the bathroom. Bathrooms are places for bodily functions, prone to generating foul odors and dampness, which are detrimental to physical health.
3. The bedroom door should not face the kitchen or be adjacent to it. Kitchen activities like frying and cooking emit smoke and fumes that can harm health and cause instability in work performance.
4. The bedroom door should not face a mirror. Mirrors have reflective properties; in feng shui, they can reflect negative energy back, thus warding off misfortune. However, a mirror facing the bedroom door will reflect negative energy directly into the room, inviting bad luck.
VII. Bed Placement
1. The bed should be perpendicular to the bedroom door, not aligned with its direction.
2. Avoid placing the bed beneath hanging cabinets, beams, or light fixtures, as this may cause headaches, joint pain, or damage one’s reputation.
3. Never place the bed directly on the floor. The bed frame should be raised about 20 inches off the ground. Keep the space beneath the bed clean and well-ventilated to prevent damp, stagnant energy. Avoid storing excessive clutter under the bed, especially metal or glass objects.
4. The bed should not face a mirror, as this can cause insomnia, vivid dreams, and invite negative energies.
5. The headboard must have solid backing—a wall or cabinet—never a window or void. This symbolizes one’s support system or strength. If not against a wall, the headboard must be present, and the area behind it must not face a bathroom or kitchen.
6. The headboard should be flush against the wall with no gaps, as gaps can induce hallucinations and, in severe cases, schizophrenia.
7. The bed or headboard should not face the bedroom door directly, as this can create feelings of insecurity and harm health.
8. The headboard should not be placed directly against a window. Windows are points where energy flows in and out, so positioning the headboard near a window invites conflict. Those sleeping in such a setup cannot see the window above their head, leading to feelings of insecurity, mental tension, and compromised health.
VIII. Plant Arrangements
1. Avoid placing excessive plants in the bedroom, as too many flowers and plants can accumulate Yin energy, which may affect the body’s Yang energy.
2. Keep plants at a reasonable distance from the bed, as plants are cold in nature and belong to the Yin category. Their nocturnal photosynthesis not only competes with occupants for oxygen but also releases carbon dioxide, which is detrimental to the body’s magnetic field and overall health. It is recommended to keep green plants indoors during the day to purify the air, and move them to the balcony at night.
3. Generally, flowers should not be placed in the bedroom, especially those with strong fragrances. Beyond the scent disrupting sleep, different flower varieties in the bedroom may cause symptoms such as skin itching, dizziness, respiratory discomfort, or even poisoning. Flowers unsuitable for bedrooms include roses, orchids, redbud, night-blooming jasmine, tulips, oleander, conifers, hydrangeas, yellow azaleas, and lilies.
IX. Other Considerations
1. Minimize electrical appliances in the bedroom. An excess of electronics in the bedroom is considered a “fire house” in feng shui, which can adversely affect health. Modern medical theory also indicates that electromagnetic radiation from appliances can indeed harm human health. The feet are often referred to as the “second heart.” If a television in standby mode is positioned directly facing the foot of the bed, its radiation can more easily disrupt the flow of energy meridians and blood circulation in the feet. It is advisable to unplug appliances when not in use.
2. Minimize metal objects in the bedroom. Metal items have a cold tone unsuitable for the bedroom atmosphere. Opt for non-reflective decorations like tapestries or paintings without glass frames or with non-reflective glass. Additionally, avoid displaying knives, swords, weapons, deity statues, or shrines that disrupt the peaceful ambiance.
3. Bedrooms should not feature balconies or floor-to-ceiling windows. Such designs increase energy expenditure during sleep, leading to fatigue and insomnia, as glass structures fail to retain body heat. This principle mirrors why sleeping outdoors can cause illness. If present, use thick curtains for coverage.