Feng Shui for Adult Bedrooms

• Erica Sofrina

By Erica Sofrina, Founder of the West Coast Academy of Feng Shui and author of the book Small Changes, Dynamic Results! Feng Shui for the Western World.

In Feng Shui the bedroom is considered one of the most important rooms in the home, This is because we spend most of our time there and its chi or energy will affect us more powerfully. In this article I will address good color choices for bedrooms along with general Feng Shui principles that will help you create a bedroom that is a sanctuary of rest and rejuvenation.

Color in the Bedroom

In Feng Shui we always take into consideration the Yin (calm) and Yang (active) components of a space. In doing so we can design a room that serves the purposes of both rest and activity more effectively. (See my article on Yin and Yang for the Home). The purpose of a bedroom is to be a place that supports replenishment, not activity, unlike the home office or kitchen. We want them to feel happy and lift our spirits; bold and bright colors will not serve the purpose of sleep.

Flesh tones and earth tones are ideal colors for bedrooms. You can choose from an array of more muted yellows and golds, taupes (light coffee color), adobe, a more muted terracotta, creamy peach and apricot and flesh tones. Dark blue, green, black and grey are too cool and only recommended in small doses in bedrooms. They represent the water element and can make us feel too spacey and ungrounded. Bedrooms are places we need to be in our bodies to rejuvenate. They should invoke an ‘earthy’ feeling. Use the darker watery colors as accent in small doses.

Bring in the fire element to add sensuality and sizzle but don’t over do it. Use more muted fire colors such as plum, coral, terracotta, berry red or burgundy. Bright red walls or hot pink accessories for curtains bedspreads, sheets and rugs are too stimulating and will not be conducive to sleep. You can add romance to any color scheme by bringing in two red pillows, a red throw on the bed with red candles in pairs. They will add just enough spark without making it too stimulating for sleep.

Attracting a Mate

For those who would like to attract a mate, you may want to bring in objects in pairs and add realistic, romantic relationship pictures. An unrealistic picture might be that of a winged man rescuing a mortal woman. Last I checked men don’t come with wings and you might end up attracting ‘daddy’ rather than a mate that is your equal!

Examples of pairs of things might be two red candles, two roses in a vase, pairs of doves, etc. You also want to have two end tables and lamps of equal size on either side of the bed.

To give it more oomph, place it in the love corner of the bedroom, which will be the far right corner as you are standing in the doorway looking into the room.

Safety issues both subtle and obvious are an important part of Feng Shui. Here are some safety issues that would be important to address in the bedroom for every age group.

• Replace or pad any piece of furniture that can injure, especially unfriendly bed frames that you can bruise your shins or stub your toe on.
• Move the bed away from heavy beams or ceiling fans. Your nervous system will always be on alert and you will not rest deeply. You can cover the beams with a piece of cloth or create a “faux” canopy by draping it on the ceiling. Ceiling fans can be removed or replaced with more friendly looking blades that look like palm leaves.
• Cozy-up rooms with high vaulted ceilings with canopy beds if you can. As creatures of comfort we sleep better in more cozy spaces.

Bed Positioning

Ideally the bed should be positioned so that you see the entry door from your pillow but are not in direct alignment with the open doorway. If you cannot move the bed, always close the door when you sleep. The energy coming in through hallways is too strong and can have a huge affect on anyone who is energetically sensitive. If your bed is in direct alignment with a bathroom door, close this whenever you are in bed. We never want to be looking at the toilet.

If the bed has to be positioned in front of a window it should have a large headboard to provide a sense of protection. Use heavier window coverings to mute street noise. Always have window coverings on bedroom windows, preferably with blackout shades to allow for a sounder sleep for those who are light sensitive.

Clutter and Organization

All of the same principles of dealing with clutter apply to every room of the home. Closets are no exception and disguise much hidden clutter in bedrooms, so go throw away and deep six anything you haven’t used or worn in a year. You will be surprised what joy an organized closet can bring every time you open the door.

Ideally we should not have storage under the bed but for small spaces we need to utilize them. If you do store things there, make sure there are no weapons or sharp objects. Organize the storage and edit out anything that is not necessary. Store them in containers that are clearly marked and easy to pull out.

What Not to Have in Your Room

Remove Televisions, Home Offices and Exercise Equipment from bedrooms along with large mirrors. This is the key place for you to relax and rejuvenate.

Working, exercising and watching television are all “Yang” activities and should be done in the more active spaces of the home. If you are looking at work you will either be feeling guilty for not working or feeling guilty for working too much. If you live in a studio and need a workspace as well, separate the work with an attractive screen, put computers and televisions in a cabinet you can close up at night or disguise them with an attractive throw or shawl when you are through working. If you do have exercise equipment make sure you are able to fold it up and store out of sight.

Mirrors are “chi activators” and are powerfully used in Feng Shui in the right places. But will be counter productive in bedrooms where we want the energy to calm down. These are often the culprits for many of my clients who do not sleep well in their bedrooms.

Large Vanity mirrors can be covered with an attractive shawl at night or replaced with a picture. For mirrored closet doors treat them like a window and put curtains on them and close them up at night when you need to sleep. You can also paint over the glass. Three coats of paint will cover them. Paint is easy to scrape off when you need to restore them to their original state. Another idea would be to cover them with an attractive shelf paper with a sticky back that will adhere to the glass. Get something with an interesting texture like rice paper. If the closet doors span the entire wall you will want to be looking at something visually interesting.

Inspire Yourself!

Make sure the last thing you look at before you go to bed and the first thing you see when you wake up inspires you. This holds tremendous energy to move your life forward in the direction of your highest aspirations, so put your most inspiring artwork and affirmations in this most important piece of real estate!