Feng Shui Lighting

The term Feng Shui translates to "wind and water," which is illustrative of its philosophy. Feng Shui teaches that we can set our lives up in a way that will help us be more at peace with ourselves and our surroundings. Feng Shui has been practiced for thousands of years, but has become especially popular outside of Asia over the last few decades.

Feng Shui imparts principles of harmony that allow you to connect with the chi energy of a room. The Yin energy, likened to the moon, refers to the calm, quiet, and intimate energy in a space, whereas the Yang energy, associated with the sun, is more active, lively, and social.  

Importance of Feng Shui in Lighting

One element of Feng Shui is the use of lighting to achieve a specific mood or environment. Feng Shui lighting principles are based on a system of rules and guidelines regarding how to use light to create harmony in your space, thereby bringing a peaceful coexistence into your life.

 16 Incredible Feng Shui Lighting Tips for your Home

Aligning with the Feng Shui principles is known to promote peace, vitality, and joy to the occupants in the room. Here are 16 amazing Feng Shui lighting tips that you can incorporate into your home today.

1.     Light Bulb Selection

Feng Shui recommends the use of warmer color temperature sources to create inviting living spaces. This particularly applies to warm LED bulbs and incandescent bulbs. Halogen lights are preferable for ambient lighting or reading. Avoid having merely white light in your living spaces by incorporating warm light sources in your accent lighting or ambient lighting applications.

2.     Colored Light Bulbs and Shades

Color has a major psychological effect on the mood of a space. Therefore, go with colored light bulbs and luminaire shades that suit the desired atmosphere. While yellow light sources are perceived as more relaxed, purple lights symbolize passion and pink lights pleasure. You can therefore install purple shades in your wealth areas and office spaces to invite wealth, pink shades in your bedrooms to inspire romance, and red lampshades in your living room spaces to attract fame.

Additionally, you can inspire creative energy in your spaces by incorporating in the west corner of your rooms, metallic light fixtures with white lampshades.

3.     Illuminance Levels

The Feng Shui approach to lighting is based on the idea that light should be bright enough for you to see what you're doing, but not so bright that it feels jarring or blinding. Thus, ensure that there is enough illumination in each room to make the most of your space. Replace any dim bulbs or broken light fixtures to bring in more positive energy.

Read Also: Lighting and Contemporary Interior Design

4.     Direct and Indirect Light Sources

Design project of the apartment Moscow, Behance,

Have a good balance of direct and indirect lighting to create a soft diffused atmosphere in the room. For ambient lighting, opt for indirect or diffused light sources. Steer away from multi-faceted light fixtures that leave dark and bright spots in the room, and go for more uniform light sources. Cove lighting is a Feng Shui addition for indirect lighting in your residential spaces. You can then proceed to install direct lighting for your task lighting layer where needed. 

Since reflected light falls under indirect lighting in your lighting design, accent lighting aimed at walls and soft art lighting that illuminates your statement art pieces is a do when it comes to Feng Shui principles. Illuminate your family pictures and place them in the southwest area of your home to summon good luck to your family.

Perfect Picture Lights offers a collection of exceptional picture lights and elegant track lights that you can install to illuminate and accentuate the precious family photos in your living rooms and the artworks in your home art gallery. 

5.     Multiple Light Sources

Avoid overreliance on one overly bright ceiling light. Instead, install several lights sources in the room to minimize glare or any harsh lighting. This will not only ensure visual comfort, but will also promote positive chi energy. 

However, the number of light fixtures also matters. Avoid having 7, 9, or 11 lamps in your living spaces, since these numbers are associated with bad luck. Crystal chandeliers placed at the center of your living rooms and central common areas also channel the earth energy and promote a positive chi in your home.

6.     Natural Lampshades
 

Go for visually softer lampshades in paper or fabric materials for a more visually quiet atmosphere (yin). Soft natural textiles add textural warmth to your interior spaces. In contrast, employ shades made of reflective and metallic materials to create a more invigorating and active space (yang). 

7.     Soften Sharp Corners

For a smooth flow of good energy in your living spaces, install rounded and smooth-edged fixtures such as floor lamps, torchieres, table lamps, or accent lights at the sharp corners of your home. Avoid narrow, vertical, linear lamps that may restrict your success.

8.     Uplighting

Incorporate uplighting into your lighting design, particularly if you have a low ceiling. Since it reflects light onto the ceiling, uplighting will make your room appear larger and more spacious. You can position your uplights strategically to illuminate dark corners and promote an upward energy flow. Since overhead beams are associated with inauspicious energy, you can also install your uplights below overhead beams to balance the energy.

9.     Mirrors

Install mirrors in your rooms to reflect more natural and artificial lighting into your spaces. In Feng Shui, mirrors create an energizing and stimulating ambiance by speeding up the flow of the chi energy. Mirrors also make a room appear larger and expansive. Place your mirrors in study areas and office spaces in a position where they can reflect light into the dark areas.

10.  Red Lanterns in Hallways

Instill light and positive energy into your hallways and entryways by installing red art glass luminaires or crystal fixtures with red lampshades to emulate the red lanterns used in ancient Chinese culture.

11.  Irregular-Shaped Spaces

In Feng Shui, square rooms and plots of land are considered the most auspicious. Therefore, for rooms or compounds with irregular shapes, you can improve the chi energy by placing a rounded light fixture at the irregular corner or edge.

12.  Outdoor Lighting

Feng Shui also applies to outdoor lighting. Install post lights, outdoor wall sconces, floodlights, or landscaping lights in your driveways and gardens. It will channel the earth’s positive energy, bringing you good fortune. Always ensure that your entrances are well illuminated to tap on the positive chi energy.

13.  Dimmers

Employ good Feng Shui by incorporating a dimmer switch into your lighting design. Dimmers give you control over your lighting levels, allowing you to create the perfect ambiance you desire depending on the time of day—think romantic lighting when it's evening, and bright light during work hours.

14.  Balance

Feng Shui considers light as a dynamic positive force, and therefore aims to balance and channel the light energy. You can install Feng Shui light fixtures on both sides of your front gate to create balance. 

Additionally, install larger windows and skylights to let in more natural light and to get rid of the yin energy in dark spaces. In the absence of adequate natural light, you can supplement daylight with full spectrum lighting.

15.  Hanging Fixtures

In Feng Shui, low-hanging light fixtures are extremely discouraged and considered to bring bad luck to the occupants of the room, particularly in low-ceiling applications. Therefore, if you are working with pendant lights suspended from the ceiling, avoid positioning them too low in your spaces to minimize negative energy. Additionally, shun from placing overhead hanging lights and pendant lights directly above your bed, for better rest.

16.  Material Choice

The five elements of Feng Shui are fire, water, earth, wood, and metal. Incorporating these five elements strategically into your lighting design can create the right balance between the yin and the yang energy. 

Wooden light fixtures, therefore, inspire personal growth, while metallic fixtures encourage intelligence and acuity. You can then incorporate the stability of the earth and the peace and wisdom of the water elements by adding natural plants into your décor. The fire element will be represented by the light itself.

Flow, Energy and Balance

Feng Shui is an art that aims to create a balance between environments and their inhabitants. Balance the Chi in your home and create better energy flow with these Feng Shui master lighting principles. Incorporating these good lighting principles in your art lighting as well will allow you to create a harmonious and peaceful atmosphere.

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Winny Okoth is a practicing Construction Project Manager and Interior Designer. She is currently pursuing her Master’s Degree in Construction Project Management. Winny Okoth has a great passion for every form of design as well as 3D visualization skills for architectural and interior design.