Feng Shui Bed Placement for Positive Energy
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Feng shui is a popular tool for balancing your home’s interior design. You can methodically place furniture and decorations to make your kitchen more cozy, your bedroom more peaceful, and your home office more focused.
This guide focuses on where to position your bed for restful sleep and a sense of security. We’ll explore some guiding principles of feng shui, key dos and don’ts, and a step-by-step process for rearranging your bedroom to invite positive energy.
Introduction to Feng Shui
Feng shui is a facet of Taoism, a philosophy that centers on the ways of nature. Feng shui aims to create living spaces that allow chi, or energy, to flow freely throughout. Successful feng shui observation should help people see their goals more clearly, whether those pertain to relaxation, career paths, or other pursuits.
There are particular ways homeowners can arrange their furniture and belongings to achieve the best feng shui. Follow the feng shui tips below for optimal effect:
- Balance chi: Avoid open spaces with little furniture, as this can overwhelm chi. But, don’t clutter or fill the room too much, as this can stifle chi and make it hard to focus.
- Control the commanding position: The commanding position is the most powerful spot in a room. It’s the furthest spot from the door, usually in the corner diagonal from the door, and it allows you to see the door at all times.
- Create a bagua map: Bagua refers to eight areas of life, which are career, children, fame, family, helpful people, knowledge, partnership, and wealth. New feng shui observers should design bedroom layouts to prioritize these tenets.
You can completely optimize your bedroom according to the principles of feng shui by adjusting your interior design scheme to include new furniture, decor, and window treatments. Different colors bring different energies to a space, as do different materials, such as wood or metal.
Importance of Bed Placement
Feng shui principles say your bed is representative of you and your position within the home, so your bed should be in the commanding position. Remember that bedrooms are spaces where you should focus on rejuvenation and health, so create a low-stress and relaxing layout that can help you get a good night’s sleep.
If your bed is in a cramped position, or if your back is angled toward the door when you lay in your bed, rotate the bed so your head is against the wall. You can easily see the door and window this way and feel more powerful within the space.
A bedroom that observes successful feng shui practices should lead to these benefits:
- A sense of security
- Calmer energy in the bedroom while you’re awake
- More restful sleep
- Space that’s easier to navigate
Feng Shui Bed Placement Principles
Where you place your bed is a particularly important part of feng shui’s principles, and it can be challenging to get it right. Follow the steps below to find the best bed position.
1. Identify the Commanding Position
Step into your bedroom or visualize the space. The commanding position is the furthest away from the door. You will always know when someone is approaching the doorway from the commanding position, which will give you control.
Some variables can change where the command position is in your bedroom. Main bedrooms may have an ensuite bathroom, for example, and you should also account for its door. Neither the head nor the foot of the bed should point toward the bathroom.
Remember that you never want to be in front of a window and don’t want your back to face the window, either. Find a position from which you can see the window and all doors in the room, and orient yourself so the bathroom door and the biggest window are to your left or right. This is the best location for your bed.
2. Choose Which Wall You Want the Head of Your Bed Against
The next task is to decide which wall the headboard will rest against. This dictates your bed’s position and your position as you sleep.
Choose a position that allows your back to be against a solid wall. Stand by each wall to see which gives you the best view of the door. That will decide which wall the head of your bed should rest against.
3. Lay in a Sleeping Position and Look Around the Room
Once you’ve found a position that follows the preceding steps, lay on the part of the floor where you plan to position your bed, look around the room, and see if the position feels restful. Ensure you can see the door without directly facing it and your feet and head aren’t pointing at any windows or doors. Survey other furnishings in the room, and consider moving items such as cabinets or mirrors if they’re directly across from you.
Common Feng Shui Mistakes
Feng shui is a complex philosophical practice, and it can take years and many attempts at changing furniture locations to fully understand it. We recommend tackling one room at a time while you begin to observe feng shui principles. Make sure you avoid the common mistakes below while sorting through your bedroom’s chi:
- Being across from mirrors: If your bedroom mirror is right across from your bed, it can bounce energy back in your direction, which can be startling or distracting. Move the mirror to a different wall.
- Having a door at your feet: Outside energy can rush toward you when your bed is in line with a door. Reorient your bed so it’s not pointing straight at the door.
- Laying under heavy things: Heavy ceiling beams and tall pieces of furniture can feel like they’re looming over you as you sleep. Try to move them away from your bed or place your bed in a different position.
- Not accounting for windows: Avoid placing your bed under windows or right up against windows. If your layout options are limited, outfit windows with heavy blinds and thick curtains.
- Putting your bed in a corner: Move the side of the bed at least 12 inches away from the corner. This can allow for a narrow path, a nightstand, or floating shelf. The space will also add balance.
Tips for Different Bedroom Layouts
Practicing feng shui can be difficult if your space doesn’t allow for typical feng shui observation. Maybe your bedroom is especially small, or it doubles as an office. In these cases, remember to follow the rules of the commanding position, at the very least. If you can find the most secure-feeling space in the room, you can work around other challenges. Follow the tips below for extra help.
Inch Your Bed Away from the Corner
You never want to shove your bed in the corner. Ensure you have a clear walking area around all three sides of the bed. This is even more important if you sleep with a partner.
Below are strategies that can help.
- Center your bed against the wall you’ve chosen for your headboard. This maximizes the space around your bedroom and distances you from impositions such as doors and windows.
- Inch the bed away from the corner, just enough for a small walkway and nightstand.
Experiment to find the position from which everything feels balanced.
Use Furniture to Create a Protective Space Around the Bed
If you find a position for the bed that feels satisfactory but not ideal, it’s time to define the bed area more concertedly. First, make sure you have a solid headboard at the head of the bed to add more definition to the space. Next, place nightstands on either side of the bed. These define the sleeping area so your bed doesn’t feel cramped.
You can define the space even more pronouncedly by adding a rug extending past the bed’s sides and foot. Place a small chest at the foot of the bed to block energy from any doors or windows nearby.
Our Recommendation
Feng shui principles can make your bedroom feel more relaxing and rejuvenating. Simply rearranging your current furniture can increase the sense of security in your bedroom.
Start the process by finding your commanding position in your bedroom. Decide which adjustments and new furniture pieces will make the most significant improvements and resolve your bedroom’s layout challenges. Keep track of windows, ensuite bathrooms, and closet doors that can affect the commanding position in your bedroom, and try to position your bed so you can see them all. Once you find the right position for your bed, you can further improve the space by defining it with a headboard, nightstands, a rug, and a chest at the foot of the bed.
Learn as much as you can about feng shui. It’s a long-term practice that can make your spaces feel more comfortable, focused, and beneficial.
Feng Shui Bed Placement FAQ
What is the best direction for your bed to face according to feng shui?
The best direction for your bed to face, according to feng shui, is south. It’s more important to put your bed in the commanding position without directly facing any doors, though.
Where should a bed be placed for good feng shui?
A bed should be placed in the commanding position for good feng shui. Ensure you can see the door from your bed without being directly in front of it. Don’t let your back face any windows or doors.
What is the feng shui rule for the bedroom?
The feng shui rule for the bedroom is to place the bed in the commanding position. Your bed is the most important thing in the room and should be in the strongest position.
What is considered bad feng shui for the bedroom?
One thing considered bad feng shui for the bedroom is placing your bed in the coffin position. It involves placing your bed near or directly in front of the bedroom door.
How can I apply feng shui principles if my bedroom has an unusual layout?
You can apply feng shui principles if your bedroom design has an unusual layout by prioritizing finding the commanding position. Once your bed is in position, you can use rugs and furniture to alter the energy flow around it and make it more comfortable.
