We’ve all heard of Feng Shui, the ancient Chinese method of inviting harmony and abundance into the home.
It centers around a belief that there are certain ways of positioning your furniture, certain colors you can use, and various other small things that can have a meaningful impact on your inner peace.
Here are 17 tips on how to promote Feng Shui in your kitchen and ensure the good vibes start right at the core of your home.
1. Away With Clutter
Clutter is rarely a good idea. Though some people may flourish in their creative clutter, more often than not, we function best in tidy surroundings.
Western and Eastern schools of thought agree on this – didn’t Jordan Peterson say if you want to get your life in order, start by cleaning your room?
Likewise, Feng Shui suggests that clean and uncluttered surroundings make for a clean and uncluttered mind.
2. Honor the Five Elements
Many designers agree on this one, especially when it comes to kitchen design.
After all, the kitchen is a unique space that contains and represents all the five elements: fire (stove), water (sink), wood (cabinets, floors), earth (marble or granite objects), and metal (the hardware).
3. Bring In Houseplants
Plants represent the very energy of life – otherwise known as the chi.
They’re said to bring overwhelmingly positive vibes to any space, and many plants have health benefits.
Some even absorb radiation from the house appliances.
4. Clean Inside & Out
It’s not enough to keep your outer surfaces clean if you wish to have a Feng Shui-approved kitchen.
It’s all about the subconscious. Even if you do polish your counters but leave the inside of the pantry messy, your kitchen can’t be a place of complete peace.
Be thorough if you wish to attain true harmony.
5. Keep the Stove Away From the Sink
Feng Shui suggests we must keep the stove away from the sink, and it’s not for practical reasons like avoiding splatter.
Instead, it’s all about maintaining positive energy via the right combination of natural elements. The stove represents fire and the sink water – the two elements that don’t mix.
6. Ceiling to the Floor Cabinets
According to Feng Shui, negative energy may collect in the space between the cabinets and the ceiling so it would be best to close that space.
You may use taller cabinets or simply a mask, to make it look like the cabinets reach the ceiling.
Negative chi aside, at the very least it’s a life-saver when it comes to dust.
7. Wood Accents
Wood is a very strong element according to various schools of thought, including Feng Shui.
It promotes vitality and positive energy from nature, hence it’s suggested to incorporate it into the design of your kitchen.
8. Major Lighting
This one comes down to pure common sense where brightness represents positivity and the darkness negativity.
To ward off negative chi, make sure your kitchen has plenty of natural light as well as enough artificial light sources.
9. Hang Art In Your Kitchen
Wall art, especially if food-themed, is said to promote health and good appetite.
10. Glass Cabinets
Feng Shui argues for plenty of open space that allows positivity to flow freely.
One way to promote this in your kitchen is to include glass cabinets.
11. Serene Colors
Prioritize colors that bring you peace.
Such colors commonly tend to be found in nature and they affect us on a truly subconscious level, making us feel at ease when we look at them.
Soft and grass green hues and various shades of blue and yellow are among the most beneficial colors out there.
They represent the life-giving nature and therefore promote the flow of positive chi.
12. Store Your Knives
Any objects that are reminiscent of aggression and the possibility of getting hurt should be out of sight, out of mind in order for the kitchen to be Feng Shui approved.
Knives, forks, and even ceiling fans are said to invite negative energy, so make sure to keep these sharp objects stored away when you’re not using them.
13. Keep the Trash Can Out of Sight
Feng Shui completely agrees with the clean trend. Trash cans out in the open have a wholly negative effect on the overall aesthetic of the kitchen.
Make some room to keep the can closed away in one of the cabinets.
14. Remove or Replace Broken Items ASAP
Broken objects are the very realization of negative chi.
Mend them as soon as you can or store them away to be fixed later.
15. Have Fruit On Hand
Much like the element of wood, fruit represents the life force of the earth and our own sustenance. It’s pure positive energy, according to Feng Shui.
You’re also more likely to eat fruit when you see one, rather than when it’s stored away in the pantry.
16. Manifest Through Your Kitchen (Nine Areas of Life)
The nine areas of life are:
- career
- travel
- creativity & children
- relationships
- reputation
- wealth
- health & family
- knowledge
- good fortune
Each one is represented by a certain color and an element. To manifest any of them, make use of the colors and object placement.
For instance, if you wish to manifest knowledge, combine the Earth element with the color green anywhere in your kitchen.
Learn more here.
17. Shoo Bad Energy
Feng Shui sometimes requires deeper thought about the things we usually wouldn’t give our time of day to.
For instance, while plants and flowers are a welcome addition to the kitchen, cacti and dried flowers are to be completely avoided, as one represents death and the other negativity.
Also, you ought to invest in proper ventilation as lingering food smells are also advised against.
In Conclusion
Feng Shui principles are much more than spiritual practice.
They can make the daily use of your kitchen more practical and enjoyable. Use the Feng Shui teachings to create a balanced and positive cooking space.
Remember, this energy affects you, the food you make, and your whole family. Make it as positive as you can.