You may have read about all kinds of “Feng Shui Rules” for bedrooms. There is a lot of folklore about bedrooms that has nothing to do with Imperial Feng Shui. When it comes to bedrooms, “form” is the primary concern.

The primary function of a bedroom is obviously sleep. It may also be a place where you retreat to relax. Of course, a bedroom for a couple is also a place for romance. But whether it’s a bedroom for a child, single, or couple, first and foremost, it must be a peaceful sanctuary. In order for that to occur, begin by eliminating clutter. Chaos is antithetical to rest and relaxation, so clear the clutter. As an example of what a bedroom should look like, use a high-end hotel sleeping room as inspiration. It should be open and airy with good air circulation and lighting. Here are a few more things to be mindful of:

• Avoid storage under the bed

• No electronics except lighting

• No exercise equipment

• Organize and store everything in drawers, closet, or other enclosed storage…no open bookshelves, etc.

• The bedroom door should be visible from your bed, but not in direct alignment

• There should be a solid headboard (wood or upholstery)…no open spindles and avoid metal beds. Beds without headboards lack support and protection and metal is too yang.

• Don’t place the bed in front of a window. If this is unavoidable, use heavy window coverings that can be closed when sleeping.

• Don’t push the bed into a corner…there should be space between the bed and the wall

• A neutral palette is preferable since vivid colors are psychologically stimulating

• It’s preferable that the bed is not directly under an open beam or ceiling fan

• Avoid large mirrors or any that show your reflection from the bed

• If the bedroom has to serve dual-function as an office or study space, computers should be stored out of sight when it’s time for sleep

• All art should support a peaceful, restful environment and don’t hang anything above the headboard. This is not the place for a family or vacation photo gallery.

• Avoid placing furniture with corners directed the bed

• Doors that align to the bed, such as an en suite bathroom or closet, should be kept closed when sleeping

• Large windows/sliding glass doors that are near the bed should be covered with curtains for sleeping, since the energy is very yang and can disrupt sleep.

8 Mansions, a subset calculation of Feng Shui, can help you locate the best areas of the house and the “best direction” to align a bed for restorative sleep. However, that’s a principle that requires a practitioner to determine, and is based on a combination of the Trigram of the house and of each individual. I use this to help people plan new construction or if they have the option of using different rooms in the house as bedrooms. But in most cases there are no optional rooms so the primary concern is that of Form: locating the bed in the “command” position in the room,. If there is more than one option for the location of the bed, then I will use the personal Trigram to help determine the best positioning.

Feel free to leave a comment or question. If you wish to book a Feng Shui consultation for your home, office, or business, you may either submit via this website’s Contact page or email me at: HelenKstyles@gmail.com