Feng Shui Dining Room Layout – Not every home has a separate dining room, but if yours does, you can take advantage of it by making it a restful space that promotes family communication and healthy living. For a feng shui dining room layout, you might start by taking stock of the directions in the room so you can harmonize the flow of energies. The colors you use, as well as the furniture and placement of decor, all influence the movement of chi and your experience of well-being.
Feng Shui Dining Room Layout Ideas
Restful Colors
Muted colors work best for Feng Shui dining room layout, because they are restful and promote relaxation. Soft pastels or earthy gold and cream colors keep the energy grounded and aid the appreciation of food, as well as digestion. Your choice of color may also be influenced by what you want to create in the space as well as by the furniture. Gold and tan both work well with wood furniture, and because they’re earth colors, they are good for harmony in the family and inviting to visitors. Purple or violet pastels, on the other hand, are water colors that can create an introspective mood for you and your partner.
The Dining Room Table
An octagonal table is the most feng shui-friendly choice, because the shape corresponds to the bagua, or feng shui map of directions. The next best shape is round; if you have a rectangular table, place an octagonal centerpiece in the middle, or arrange eight place settings. The table shouldn’t be so large as to restrict movement in the space, and it should ideally be made of wood; glass tables tend to have sharp edges. Arrange an even number of chairs around the table, even if you don’t have room for eight, and place the chair of the guest of honor facing the doorway.
Honoring the Directions
It’s best if Feng Shui Dining Room Layout is separated from the other rooms in the house by a doorway. If that isn’t the case, use screens or furniture to create a doorway. The directions in the room depend on the doorway, which is considered north. The east wall corresponds to family relationships and is a good place to put uplifting family pictures. Use the west wall for more creative works of art. You can bring fire into the space by displaying a particularly energetic picture or piece of artwork on the south wall, opposite the door.
Things to Avoid
The Chinese consider red a good color for restaurants and eating places because it stimulates the appetite, which means it’s a good color to avoid if you’re diet conscious. A small amount of red on the south wall can bring energy into an overly dark or otherwise yin room, but you probably don’t want this vital color to dominate your relaxation space. It’s also important to watch for “poison arrows,” which are corners of furniture or decor items that point directly at the table. If you can’t rearrange furniture to eliminate them, soften or hide them with fabric covers or plants.