9 Feng Shui Kitchen Tips
When you buy a new house, and the kitchen is not one you had envisioned in your dreams, what would you do? Most of us will not have the budget to completely overhaul the kitchen into a dream workspace. But you can make small adjustments and arrangements until it is viable to do so. Although the best way is to hire a professional to guide you through, here are nine Feng Shui kitchen tips that will help.
Feng Shui kitchen tips
#1. Cleanliness
If you cannot have a new kitchen, at least have a clean one. Cleanliness is a sign of prosperity in Feng Shui. The reason is simple: a clean home means a happy occupant, and that generates good energy. It is not enough to just make the kitchen sparkle, any clutter or unwanted items should be kept absolute minimum.
The stove should be cleaned regularly as it is the main fire energy, or yang energy generator, particularly if you have an open fire stove. While it may be troublesome, it is worth the effort to keep it free from dirt and grease. A good working stove generates good energy. Imagine having a dirty place to cook in, not only you are prone to sickness, but you will also be unhappy, and that generates bad energy that is bad for your well-being.
#2. Replace Broken Items
A general rule that should be routinely applied in the kitchen, broken items, and empty boxes should be thrown away as they symbolize bad luck. Hoarding such items creates clutter, as you can no longer use them, and it creates the illusion that you cannot afford to buy new ones. Energy has to be regularly circulated, and changing new working utensils can create positive energy for the user.
Keeping the pantry and refrigerator well stocked with food is good Feng Shui. But be aware not to keep them when they grow old and moldy, a regular cycle of fresh food keeps the good energy up.
#3. Choosing Kitchen’s Color Scheme
Unless you are renting, then painting a kitchen with a welcoming color is an option to create a welcoming environment. If your kitchen gets hot when the sun shines in, cool colors like blue and green can create a calm environment and reduce heat, as well as the yang energy generated by the stove and the sun. If the kitchen is always cold, then a little bit of yellow and orange will warm the place up.
Before painting the kitchen walls, it will be helpful to determine if the color is for the breadwinner of the house. Generating too much fire energy may burn up the wealth of luck, while generating too much water energy may drown it out. Hence this Feng Shui tip should be taken into consideration only when needed.
Feng Shui kitchen tips
#4. Appliances
Most places will have a set place for a stove, depending on the power source: gas or electricity. Moving the stove might not be easy if gas pipes are involved. Ideally, the stove, sink, and refrigerator should not be placed side by side; when it is not possible, use an earth element like a potted plant in between to act as a buffer.
Luckily, most modern kitchen utilizes a kitchen triangle design or an ‘L’ shaped design, which is meant to maximize efficiency while cooking. If you cannot change the main appliances yet feel that you need to adjust their effect in Feng Shui energy, look for mirrors or try to add other elements in between.
#5. Warm Welcoming Kitchen
Some kitchen feels more welcoming than others; a welcoming kitchen means that it has good Feng Shui. A welcoming kitchen can give off positive energy to the cook, and this positive energy can be transferred into food and nourish the body from the inside out. Display things that make you and your guest happy, or opt to have colorful tea towels that are also functional. A yummy smell like cookies can trigger happy memories and make the kitchen feel warmer.
It is easy to make a kitchen feel inviting with small touches, but careful not to overdo it as the kitchen should remain a work area that should be free of clutter.
#6. Ventilation
Energy must flow in and out freely; this is so that we can get rid of stale energy and welcome the new ones. Windows should be kept open so that air may circulate so that odors can escape during cooking. Range hoods should also be cleaned regularly, as they constantly suck up grease and smoke while cooking. A kitchen should not have too much cooking smell, as it may be an unpleasant experience for the guest.
Stoves are not placed below the window as this signifies that the cook has no support, which is a Feng Shui taboo. Moreover, Some wind may blow and affect fires and make it harder to have a properly cooked meal; and it may blow in dust from the outside, making food less nourishing.
Feng Shui kitchen tips
#7. Watch the Door
It is bad luck for people’s backs to face the door, in the kitchen it can lead to financial struggles as the door acts like a poison arrow, hurting the cook. A more legitimate reason is that having your back facing the door means that someone can creep up on you and give you a scare! Affecting your emotions is a sure way to upset your internal chi, your life energy that will then negatively affect your mental well-being.
The simple solution is to put a mirror where you can see the door from where you are cooking. Or hang a nice-sounding chime so that when someone opens the door, you will be alerted.
#8. Distractions
A kitchen is a workspace, some people find that cooking is a meditative process. Others find it a chore they have to do to keep their body and minds well-nourished. Having distractions such as televisions can significantly impact a person’s ability to create nutritious food. It may also cause accidents as people are not paying attention while cooking.
With mobile phones, it is easy to look up recipes and decide what to do. But your mobile device is a double-edged sword. It can help you create positive energy by helping you cook delicious food. It can also distract you enough that you would be likely to burn it. Keep distractions to a minimum, and do not have that television or device holder in the kitchen.
#9. Using Shapes
Kitchen utensils come in all shapes and sizes, and you can use them to harmonize your kitchen’s Feng Shui. The kitchen is predominantly fire energy dominant. Too much fire can burn off the wealth of luck that is circulating the house. Balance the fire with earthy tones or square tiles, or reduce the fire’s impact using wavy patterns. Round-shaped objects signify metal, as are pots and pants. If you need to balance out the sink or refrigerator’s water energy, use rectangular objects that represent wood, or a triangular one that means fire.
Nine Feng Shui tips for those who are stuck with a less-than-ideal kitchen. There are many ways to create a space that generates positive energy and wealth luck. Feng Shui is all about the flow of energy. It makes sure that yin and yang energies are well balanced in a home. Also, it is easy to make small adjustments to have a comfortable living space.
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