Don’t put your good fortune at risk!
Incorporating feng shui principles into your home is said to bring a range of benefits — from enhancing positive energy flow to creating a balanced, harmonious space. According to feng shui master, Edward Chin, doing so requires consideration of external and internal form and qi.
Form in feng shui refers to visible elements you can see with the naked eyes, such as hills, mountains, rivers, lakes, buildings, staircases, kitchens, and bathrooms. Qi, or chi, on the other hand, is invisible, encompassing elements like sound waves, odours and heat waves.
Not all qi is good though. Understanding what to avoid is key to preventing disruptive qi, protecting your good fortune, and fostering a home that supports well-being and positive qi flow.
In this article, Edward shares the most common feng shui taboos to be aware of, along with solutions for avoiding them.
Note: These are only basic principles; each home can vary significantly depending on its unique surroundings and environment.
Feng shui taboos when choosing a home layout
1. Home entrance that aligns with a balcony
The main entrance is one of the most crucial areas of a home, as it is the primary gateway for qi. Ensuring that positive qi flows in smoothly is essential to fostering a harmonious environment.
“Qi is an energy that flows through all living things. It’s always flowing, much like a river. However, rivers never flow in a straight line, often winding and curving. When qi enters through the front door and flows directly out the back door or balcony, it creates an inauspicious energy flow that can negatively impact your health, wealth, and relationships," says Edward.
However, if you already own a home where the front door is directly facing a back door or balcony, consider adding an element in between to help retain the energy. This could be a freestanding bookshelf or a built-in feature, such as a false wall or partition, to gently redirect the qi within your home.
2. Avoid having the kitchen at the front of the house
In feng shui, the kitchen holds a significant role as it represents the 'stomach' of the home — the place where nourishment is prepared to support the family.
For this reason, it’s ideal to position the kitchen at the back of the house. Placing it on the front may symbolically allow wealth to 'leak’ as prosperity and abundance are considered private matters best kept within the home.
3. Avoid an open layout for your wet kitchen
The wet kitchen is where cooking fumes and grease smoke are generated. If you frequently stir-fry at home, you're likely producing negative qi from these odours and smoke. An open layout can allow this negative energy to spread beyond the wet kitchen.
To mitigate this, Edward says it’s best to keep your wet kitchen enclosed.
Feng shui taboos for your home extension
A common mistake in Malaysian homes occurs during house extensions, particularly in landed homes that have extra land at the side or back. This can disrupt the overall harmony of the home if not done thoughtfully.
1. Trapping the toilet with no ventilation
Feng shui recognises odours from toilet and trash as negative forms of qi, as they can adversely impact our health. In most homes, toilets typically have a window facing the outside, allowing negative qi to exit.
So, if you’re planning to extend your house, do ensure that this does not get in the way of ‘trapping’ the toilet with no windows” or window facing the kitchen.
2. Septic tank inside the house
Another example is the placement of the septic tank, which is typically located outside the home. However, if you convert your side or backyard into an extension, the septic tank may end up inside the house.
“In such situations, I usually recommend redoing the renovation,” advises Edward.
Feng shui taboos for renovating
1. Avoid using a glass dining table
In feng shui, the dining room holds special importance as it is considered a place of harmony, nourishment, and prosperity.
“Unless you plan to place a glass tabletop to prevent scratches, it's best to steer clear of glass tables, as they cannot effectively hold wealth. Instead, consider choosing a dining table made from natural materials, such as wood or stone like marble.
When it comes to shapes, opt for round or oval shaped tables, as they symbolise harmony and encourage positive energy during meals,” suggests Edward.
2. Do not place your living room at the back of your house
In feng shui, the living room is one of the most significant spaces in a home. It’s considered the ‘heart’ of the house, where energy flows and gathers, affecting everyone who lives there.
"The living room should be positioned at the front of the house. It is a space designed to welcome guests and draw them into your home," explains Edward.
"It should be larger than your bedrooms, including the master bedroom, and it needs to be bright and inviting to create a warm atmosphere," he adds.
3. Avoid placing the bed behind the window
In feng shui, the bedroom is also one of the most important spaces in a home, as it represents rest, rejuvenation, and intimacy.
Basic feng shui principles discourage sleeping with a window directly behind your head because it can disrupt restful sleep, leading to anxiety, stress-related illness, and confidence issues. It’s also thought to attract troublemakers or petty people into your life. Instead, Edward suggests that the headboard should always be positioned against a solid wall.
4. Avoid sleeping facing the toilet or toilet bowl
In feng shui, it’s best to avoid placing a bed where it faces the bathroom door. As mentioned earlier, bathrooms are considered spaces where energy exits the house, and when a bed faces a bathroom door, it can symbolically drain wealth and affect health.
Instead, position your bed away from the bathroom door to maintain a balanced, healthy flow of energy. Alternatively, you can install a divider in front of the bathroom entrance to block it from view when seen from the bed.
5. Avoid sleeping directly under structural ceiling beams
In feng shui, sleeping beneath an overhead beam is considered unfavourable, as it creates a sense of 'suppression’ and can contribute to health issues. Edward explains that structural ceiling beams or slanted ceilings ‘cut’ through the body’s energy while you sleep, which disrupts harmony and well-being.
To address this, consider building a built-in storage unit or a raised headboard behind your bed, allowing you to sleep directly under a flat ceiling. You can also reposition your bed to another part of the room away from the beam.
6. Avoid using a glass door for your main entrance
Although uncommon in modern homes, older landed properties often use tinted sliding glass doors as the main entrance. According to Edward, this is considered inauspicious, as glass doors are unable to retain wealth and can lead to financial instability.
Instead, the main entrance should ideally have a solid, anti-fire wooden door. A sturdy, solid door helps to attract and contain positive energy, supporting both security and prosperity in the home.
7. Avoid placing the stove against a glass window
“The stove is the key element of the kitchen, much like the bed is in the bedroom. Placing the stove in the wrong sector can lead to health issues, loss of money without you knowing it, or faster than you expected. Sometimes, it can also lead to quarrels and, in worst cases, divorce,” mentions Edward.
As a general rule, the stove should be positioned against a solid wall rather than near glass windows, which can create safety hazards and disrupt the flow of energy. For this reason, Edward adds that having a stove on an island is considered unfavourable because it lacks a wall behind it for support.
8. Avoid having multiple stoves in a wet kitchen
In a wet kitchen, having multiple stoves is discouraged, as it can lead to marital issues. For example, placing one stove in the right-hand corner and another next to the sink may cause a huge relationship problem in the future.
Edward emphasises that maintaining a single stove in the wet kitchen helps promote harmony and stability in relationships.
Feng shui taboos for choosing a colour
1. Avoid using predominantly black, red, pink
In feng shui, the choice of colours in your home plays a significant role in shaping the qi of a space. The correct colour selection can enhance mood, promote well-being, and create a harmonious environment.
“Tones like pink or peach blossom are often associated with relationships, making them less suitable for those who are already married. Using this colour predominantly can inadvertently attract outside romantic interests. I'm not saying that it will definitely happen, but I say that it's possible,” warns Edward.
“Using black as a predominant colour is also not suitable, as it can attract negative energy and create an inauspicious environment. You should also avoid using red as a predominant colour in your home because using it excessively can strain the eyes and lead to agitation. This overuse may also contribute to a quick temper.
It's best to use these colours sparingly and in combination with more soothing tones like grey or blue to maintain a balanced and harmonious environment,” explains Edward.
Feng shui taboos for choosing a design style
1. Avoid choosing designs that look incomplete
Feng shui emphasises the importance of warmth and comfort in living spaces to promote relaxation and well-being. The starkness of industrial design can detract from this essential quality.
Designs featuring exposed bricks, wiring, or pipes can hinder the flow of positive energy in feng shui. Cleanliness and order are essential principles in feng shui, and visible mechanical elements can create a chaotic atmosphere, undermining the tranquility of the space.
About Master Edward Chin
Based in Kuala Lumpur, Master Edward Chin is a respected feng shui master and consultant in Malaysia, renowned for over 20 years of expertise in feng shui for both residential and commercial spaces, as well as Yi Jing, Bazi, and auspicious date selection. Master Edward has guided countless satisfied clients in achieving their goals and enhancing balance in their lives. To know more, visit www.edwardfengshui.com.
Disclaimer: The tips provided are based on specific conditions and may not apply universally, as each home is unique with its own surrounding elements (both external and internal forms and qi) and distinctive features.
For personalised guidance, Edward recommends consulting a feng shui master if you wish to incorporate feng shui principles into your home renovation.
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