Create a sleep oasis
Who doesn’t dream of a bedroom where you close your eyes, drift off, and fully relax after the day? However, most of us have a little trouble. Take inspiration from Chinese feng shui practices to fine-tune your bedroom for ultimate harmony.
A well-designed bedroom is the best way to a healthy and restful sleep. Feng shui works with the ubiquitous qi, or energy, and teaches us to work with it in our environment, rather than against it.
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Where does the bed go?
The principles of feng shui are the two forces of yin and yang – together, a symbol of balance. So how to place bedroom furniture according to yin and yang? Firstly, it’s important to balance the colors (no bright, garish shades), patterns (no clashing) and the amount of furniture (no clutter). However, the foundation of a harmonious bedroom is a properly positioned bed with a quality mattress. It should preferably be placed facing the wall, away from the door and accessible from both sides.
Tip: The bedroom should be exclusively a place for sleep and rest. Always try to keep the work area separate
Harmony and balance are essential
The art of feng shui is not only about the placement of furniture, but above all about the correct flow of that magical qi. There should be no broken things in need of repair. Too much furniture in the room also disrupts the flow of energy. According to the ancient teachings, sleep is indirectly disturbed by shelves placed above the headboard, so try to keep that space clear! Lastly, feng shui attaches special importance to mirrors. Ideally, they should not be in the room at all, and if they are there, they should at least be placed so that they do not reflect the bed.
Limit modern technology
There is no doubt that electronic devices in the bedroom are a distraction. Both sleep and feng shui experts agree that blue light strongly affects sleep quality and, in extreme cases, even leads to insomnia. Therefore, watch TV exclusively in the living room, always switch off computers before bedtime. Try to put that phone as far away from the bed as possible – and limit your exposure to it to a maximum of an hour before you fall asleep.
Keep your under-bed tidy
Do you have storage boxes under your bed? Then take a good look at what you have hidden in them. According to feng shui, all things under the bed affect us during sleep. For example, luggage and shoes keep us subconsciously ‘on the move’. If possible, move these things to another room; and limit the contents of your under the bed storage to bedroom related things, like blankets & spare bedding.
Materials and colors for the bedroom according to feng shui
Muted colors and natural materials – these are the basic rules for furnishing a bedroom according to feng shui. A solid wood bed and bedding made from fabrics such as linen or cotton are ideal. Then look to nature for color inspiration. Earthy and neutral colors – shades of grey, brown, beige or blue and dark green – balance us with nature, and bring a serene sense of wellbeing.
