I was recently interviewed for a news series that aired on FOX News called “Launch Your Libido”, with Dr Jo and Board Certified Clinical Sexologist Dr. Dae Sheridan regarding the ideal design for your bedroom as it relates to your relationship. We talked about color choices, fabrics + pillows, candles, a mixture of materials and also the placement and position of your furniture with in your room. And of course, since it was a “libido” focused series we naturally focused on the bed as the main furniture in the room.
Now although in this article I am specifically discussing the bedroom, these philosophies can apply to your garden, dinning room and all your entertaining spaces, creating environments for you and your guests to feel their best and happiest. {more to come in future articles so be sure to sign up for updates to your inbox here.}
Feng Shui, which literally translates to “wind and water”, is the ancient Chinese art of placement.
At its most basic level, feng shui {pronounced fung shway} can be used as a decorating discipline based on the belief that our surroundings affect us mentally and emotionally in many ways. Whether it is applied to the entire house as it relates to the land, the furniture in the room or specific objects, according to Feng Shui, the position of these items can have an effect on your chi or Qi, frequently translated as “natural energy”, “life force”, or “energy flow”.
In feng shui, the first “commanding position” for the bed is its relation to the door and it’s distance from the door. Ideally position it as far away from the bedroom door as possible, but which still allows for the most control over the space and in turn your life. The corner of the room diagonally opposite the door is usually best {but you must use a headboard to choose this placement}, or against the wall furthest away from the door, but not in-line with the doorway.
Additional considerations when positioning your bed according to feng shui are windows, beams and bed access.
Try not to position your bed under the lower angle of a pitched roof, a ceiling fan or a heavy beam. These elements are thought to contain “depressing energy” that pushes down on you while you sleep. If you can not work around these architectural features, a bed canopy or fabric suspended from the ceiling are believed to be “cures” for the situation.
{image by feng shui by angel}
Avoid positioning your bed under a window, which lacks the “support and protection” of a solid wall and can lead to a poor night’s sleep as energy enters and exits through the window.
Headboards, especially solid versions made from wood or fabric, are considered good feng shui because they provide additional strength and support behind your head. Footboards, on the other hand, are seen as blocking energy and your forward progress in life.
The Big No-No In Feng Shui Bed Placement
Make sure your feet do not point out the door while laying in bed! Traditional Chinese culture, refers to this as the “Death Position” because the deceased are carried out feet first to their coffins and believe sleeping this way can drain your life force. In Feng shui terms, when your feet are in line with the door you are losing your energy at night and your energy gets weaker, since it is not properly directed . If you can’t avoid it, use a footboard or other piece of furniture at the foot of your bed to act as a buffer {this is when the one exception to Feng Shui’s “no footboard” rule applies}.
Lastly, leave enough room around the bed for energy to flow freely, and for each partner to get up with ease.
What are your design challenges in the bedroom? Let me know your design concern in the comments.
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And, if you are looking for even more ways to celebrate everyday check out An Appealing Plan the book.
Call it a trend or a return to the past, but I believe we are bringing back entertaining at home, lingering over a table after a lovingly prepared meal with friends. It has been a way of life and passion of mine my entire adult life, and I am thrilled to be able to invite you on this journey with me through a year of celebrating every day. Filled with recipes, tablescapes, floral inspiration and seasonal entertaining ideas An Appealing Plan :: A Year of Everyday Celebrations, is a dream come true for me a true honor to be able to share it with you. To learn more about An Appealing Plan :: A Year of Everyday Celebrations here. And of course, share how you are celebrating everyday.
