Literally set the tone of your home with this guide to Feng Shui colors

Feng Shui is, put simply, the idea that the energy of a space can impact your mood and your life, and that you can therefore change and cultivate the energy you’d like through conscious decorating. Even if you don’t prescribe to a holistic Feng Shui philosophy, you’ll notice that there’s a reason waiting rooms are usually blue and why you don’t often come across neon living rooms—the color of the things around you can have a measurable (and scientific!) impact on your health and psyche. To make sure you’re creating the exact ambiance you’d like in your home, you should consider the Feng Shui impact of your color scheme.

“When we talk about colors in Feng Shui, we talk about them in the context of the five elements and the colors associated with each of them,” says Patricia Lohan, a Feng Shui expert and author. Lohan says to think of the use of the five elements color scheme like acupuncture in the body—it helps restore and remedy energy.

Sometimes you can pinpoint the exact thing that makes a room or a home comforting and inviting—maybe it’s all of the handmade artwork hanging on the walls, or the Chip & Joanna Gaines-esque aesthetic of rustic chic coziness. But often times I find myself in situations wherein there are intangible good vibes in the space or alternatively, an overall unidentifiable bleakness to the decor. When you can’t figure out why your bedroom doesn’t feel as welcoming as you’d like, consider the dominant and accent colors.

Before you get started, if you’re short on time, energy, or resources Lohan says that there are some rooms that more important than others. She suggests focusing on the kitchen, bathrooms, and bedrooms for a start.

With that in mind here is the basic Feng Shui breakdown and guide to colors.

1. The fire colors

The colors included in this grouping are reds, purples, burgundy, cranberry, plum, burnt orange, and bright pink, according to Lohan.

2. The Earth colors

Lohan says this color palette is composed of “terra-cotta, yellow, browns, beiges, and soft orange.”

3. The metal colors

The metal colors are white, gold, silver, copper, pastels, and reflective colors.

4. The water colors

Water colors are simply black, indigo, and dark blue, Lohan says—note the absence of light blues and cyans.

5. The wood colors

Lastly, are the wood colors, which are shades of green.

How to incorporate the use of Feng Shui colors in your home

1. Keep things balanced in the bedroom

“The bedroom is for rest, rejuvenation and romance Lohan says. “We want neutral colors, such as the beiges, creams, or whites to balance the Yin and Yang, the Masculine and Feminine” she explains. Keeping the bedroom a neutral zone is important to maintain balanced energy. Therefore Lohan says that outside of the general neutral colors avoid overusing metal and fire colors especially.

2. Fill the bathroom with Earth Tones

The bathroom is somewhat obviously a place where there is a plethora of water. Lohan says that because of this, she recommends avoiding the use of water colors or keeping them to a minimum. Beyond that “bathrooms represent a letting go of energy, everything in the bathroom goes out of the house,” she says adding, “we want to slow the energy down from leaving the bathroom so introduce earth tones such as browns into this room.” The Feng Shui expert says to think of it as building a clay dam to slow down the flow and speed of water. 

3. Keep red to a minimum in the kitchen

One of the most important and easiest to remember points of using Feng Shui in your home is to consider balance. Because your kitchen is a place where there is frequent use of heat and fire, you’ll want to avoid large of swathes of these types of colors. While accents here or there shouldn’t be an issue Lohan says, “I don’t recommend red cupboards or countertop appliances. The presence of too much red can cause arguments in this room.”

4. stick to neutral paint colors

“In Feng Shui we prefer the internal walls of a home to be painted in neutral colors such as beiges, creams, or whites,” Lohan says since this will make it easier to add other elements and colors into the mix to change the energy and balance. “When we add in the relevant element to balance the energy you can bring in the colors associated with that element through artwork, throws, and cushions.”

If you need to KonMarie your life before redecorating, here’s how to declutter your living space using 5 of Marie Kondo’s organization hacks.