The easiest way to get your life moving by using feng shui is to bring the energy of specific feng shui colors in order to achieve the desired results. Color is very powerful, as it is an expression of light, and many, way too many homes and offices are starved for light. So, bring on vibrant light energy with beautiful feng shui colors.
One of the basic principles of feng shui is the principle of five elements, which are Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water. These feng shui elements interact between themselves in certain ways, generally defined as the Productive and Destructive cycles.
Each feng shui element is represented by a specific color, and the color is the easiest way to use the five elements principle to bring more harmony into your home with feng shui.
The Elements and Their Colors
The ancient Chinese art and practice of feng shui aim to create a space that allows chi or qi – the energy of the universe – to flow naturally. One way to achieve this is by filling your home with a healthy balance of the five feng shui elements: wood, fire, earth, metal, and water.
Knowing how to use color to strengthen and balance the energy of your home is a complex feng shui subject, but there are always basics to it. The right placement of feng shui colors is defined by the bagua, or the feng shui energy map of your space.
Here is the color correspondence of each of the five feng shui elements:
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WOOD
Colors: Green, Brown
The wood element relates to natural growth and vibrant health. You can fill your home with tree branches, wooden bowls, raw wood shelves, and driftwood collected from walks on the beach. Another awesome way to bring this element inside is to decorate with houseplants – especially ones that help purify the air. Incorporating rectangular shapes and tones of brown and green into your home will increase the presence of this element, as well. The wood element is most necessary in the feng shui bagua areas of the East, Southeast, and South.
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FIRE
Colors: Red, Strong Yellow, Orange, Purple, Pink
The fire element brings about high energy levels, fuels passion, and fosters the expression of creativity. A great way to introduce this element to your home is with candles and fireplaces, of course! You may cluster several candles together and burning them all at once. You could also try decorating with angular shapes like triangles and stars, as these are symbolic of the fire element. As for colors, go for fiery hues like red, orange, bold yellow, purple, and pink. The bagua areas that benefit most from the fire element are the South and the Southwest.
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EARTH
Colors: Light Yellow, Sandy/Earthy, Light Brown
The earth element helps to generate nourishment, knowledge, and stability in your life. Our favorite way to harness this element is by decorating with gorgeous stones and crystals we've collected throughout the years. Some find that creating different designs with them is quite a therapeutic, meditative practice for me. Terracotta planters and natural salt rock lamps are two more fun ways to get your earth element fix. You can also decorate with square shapes and sandy colors, including light yellow and light brown. The earth element works best in bagua areas of the Northeast, Northwest, Southwest, West, and Center.
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METAL
Colors: White, Gray
The metal element helps cultivate strength, focus, and independence. You may find some beautiful metal decorations for your home like ornate vases and candle holders at flea markets and thrift stores. Some other ways to incorporate the metal element are through picture frames, sculptures, and wind chimes. Round shapes can be used as an expression of the metal element, as well as the colors white and gray. Feng shui bagua areas of the North, West, and Northwest are favorable for this element.
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WATER
Colors: Blue, Black
The water element is all about wealth, abundance, and fluidity. You may decorate your home with mirrors, as well as a bowl filled with water. We personally love the bowl idea because you can change the way it’s decorated every day – adding things like floating candles or beautiful petals that have fallen to the ground. Fluid shapes, as well as the colors blue and black, are another way to incorporate the water element into your décor. This element is most welcomed in the North, East, and Southeast bagua areas.