Feng shui, explained plainly
Most feng shui sources place a dining room mirror on the wall so it reflects the dining table, ideally showing the whole table surface rather than cutting it off. The common reasoning given is that the reflection “doubles” the food on the table, a symbol tied to abundance rather than a design rule with a … Read more
Feng shui traditions generally favour dining table shapes without sharp corners aimed at seated diners — round, oval or square with softened edges — because a corner pointing at a chair is treated as a “poison arrow.” Rectangular tables are not rejected; they are standard in Chinese dining halls historically and are treated as neutral … Read more
A nursery is arranged, in feng shui terms, by placing the crib where a caregiver can see the door without the crib being directly in line with it, keeping the room low on clutter and stimulation, and treating placement decisions as practical rather than decorative. Schools differ on the finer points, and none of this … Read more
Feng shui treats a child’s bedroom largely the same way it treats any bedroom: the bed goes in the commanding position, clutter and objects under the bed are limited, and mirrors are kept away from where a sleeper’s reflection would be visible on waking. Most of the specific “for children” advice circulating online is a … Read more
A study or work corner is arranged, in most feng shui traditions, so the desk sits in the commanding position — facing the door but not directly in line with it, with a solid wall behind the chair rather than a window. Beyond that, advice diverges by school, and this article says where. Where should … Read more
Most feng shui traditions agree a desk should let the person sitting at it see the door of the room without being directly in line with it — a position usually called the “commanding position.” Beyond that, the answer splits by school: Compass School ties it to compass directions and a personal number, while Black … Read more
Feng shui traditions generally treat the bathroom door as a weak point in a home’s layout: the room behind it is associated with water and drainage, and several schools hold that chi (qi), the flow of energy the tradition describes moving through a space, can escape or stagnate there. The specific concerns, and the fixes … Read more
The kitchen work triangle is a mid-20th-century design rule stating that the stove, sink and refrigerator should form a triangle whose three sides add up to a moderate total distance — close enough to limit walking, far apart enough that people aren’t colliding. Feng shui does not use this concept at all, but some of … Read more
Most feng shui traditions agree the stove should not have its back to the kitchen door, and the cook should be able to see the entrance while at the stove without standing directly in line with it. Beyond that, classical and modern schools give different reasons and different specifics — and this article names which … Read more
Feng shui does not forbid a television in the living room. What it offers is a set of arguments — not always consistent with each other — about where the screen should sit relative to the seating, the door, and the room’s main “commanding” spot. Form School treats it as a large reflective object to … Read more