Feng Shui Bedroom Layout: 9 Arrangement Options to Try
Your bedroom should be a restorative place where you can rejuvenate. If you have sleepless nights or often feel overstimulated before bed, consider ways to improve the feng shui in your bedroom. According to ancient Chinese traditions, applying some best practices to furniture arrangement can create harmony and energetic balance between you and your surroundings.
We spoke with certified feng shui expert Laura Serrano to find out the best feng shui bedroom layout and some creative solutions.
The Most Optimal Layout
Serrano has a perfect, easy-to-use layout that she often recommends to her clients:
The bed is against a solid wall with a great view of the door, but the foot of the bed is not in line with the door or windows.
A solid wall does not contain any plumbing or equipment on the other side to prevent overstimulation of energy.
Nightstands are placed next to the bed, but not higher than the bed, so that it is not stuffy.
The layout has no mirrors, plants, workstations or electronics. According to Feng Shui, all these things carry their own source of energy.
Serrano notes that this ideal setup isn’t always possible or beneficial for your lifestyle, but you can make small adjustments if necessary. The next eight layouts we describe use this Cerrano layout as a template, but with necessary adjustments you can make depending on your situation.
Layout Adjustment for Attic Bedrooms
If your bedroom is located on the top floor of your home or apartment building and has a sloped ceiling, achieving the optimal feng shui layout may be a little more difficult.
“If your bedroom has a strong corner that could cause you to hit your head, don’t place the bed at an angle,” she says. “In general, try to avoid anything that has to do with the idea of lowering the crown chakra at the top of your head.”
If you must position your bed at an angle, she recommends counteracting downward energy by installing wall sconces on either side of the bed that cast light toward the ceiling with upward energy.
Layout Adjustment for Plants in the Bedroom
Perhaps your bedroom has the best natural light for plants, or maybe other areas don’t have enough space for them. Whatever the reason you decide to place a potted plant in your room, place it away from the bed, on the other side of the room. Serrano also suggests choosing a plant that grows slowly and downwards, such as a succulent.
You can place the plants in front of a window so they get enough sunlight, but make sure the foot of the bed is not in line with the window.
Layout Adjustment for Rooms With Several Doors
If your bedroom has multiple doors, such as bathroom doors, hallway doors, and closet doors, it is almost inevitable to place the bed in line with the door.
“It’s a very dramatic description, but positioning the foot of the bed facing the door is called the coffin position,” Serrano says. “Essentially, this means that your energy can feel very vulnerable, like it’s being dragged out of the room where you’re sleeping. Or, depending on what’s on the other side of that door, it could put you in danger. “There is too much activity or energy in this room.”
So if you need to choose a door that fits the foot of the bed, she recommends choosing a closet door because there’s usually no activity going on there.
Layout Adjustment for a Large Bedroom
If your bedroom is short on space, try filling it with more furniture. However, clutter can block the flow of energy and disrupt feng shui. If you’re looking to add furniture to your bedroom, consider creating a seating and relaxing area. You can secure this area with a rug and place it on the opposite side of the bed.
Layout Adjustment for Decorating With Mirrors
Mirrors are generally not a desirable addition to a bedroom from a feng shui perspective. However, if you want to place it in your bedroom, make sure that it is not directly in front of your bed. Pay attention to what the mirror reflects. For example, it would be better to have soothing pieces of art reflected in a mirror than in a home office.
Layout Adjustment for Rooms With Several Windows
If your bedroom is in a sunroom or a room with windows on three of the four walls, it may be difficult to find a solid wall to accommodate the bed. To work with what you have, place it where you can still see the door, even if that means your back will be out the window while you sleep. However, you can choose a bed with a decorative canopy to create a feeling of security and enclosure.
Rearrange your bedroom layout to double as a work space.
Sometimes the only place to work at home is the bedroom. While placing a desk in the bedroom is not ideal from a work-life balance and feng shui perspective, where you place it can have a less negative impact. Don’t place a table next to your bed: this can make you feel restless when you’re trying to rest, and vice versa.
Specially designed layout for people who value their electronics
Serrano encourages her clients to keep their bedrooms an electronics-free zone. If you use your phone as an alarm clock, she recommends charging it right outside your bedroom door at night so you can still hear it. If you like to watch TV in bed, consider using a portable projector that can be stored in another room when not in use. Alternatively, you can leave the TV in the media cabinet and close the door before going to bed. Turn off the power at night if you want to go even further.