The ancient practice of feng shui promotes peace, security, and harmony in a living space. By mastering feng shui principles, elements, and techniques, a home can become more functional, secure, and relaxing. Many people apply feng shui principles to a home’s interior and floorplan. Many people don’t consider that applying feng shui principles to the home’s exterior is also beneficial. The outside of a home includes the entryway into our interior living space, the structure of our house, and our outdoor relaxation areas. This guide will showcase some key ways to apply feng shui principles and elements to the great outdoors.
Principles of Feng Shui
Feng shui is an art originating in Ancient China that means ‘wind and water.’ Regarding design principles, allowing optimal flow of ‘wind and water’ for balance, harmony, and peace is a significant aspect of feng shui. Another central feng shui principle is the balance of yin and yang to achieve optimal flow of chi, or life energy. You can apply feng shui to various design principles, such as item placement, entryway access, colors, and materials.
There are five elements to note regarding feng shui: water, metal, earth, fire, and wood. While these elements (such as wood features) can be taken literally in design, they also represent various colors, feelings, life principles, directions, and design techniques. Sound complicated? Well, it is. Ultimately, feng shui involves balancing materials, colors, and placements for optimum function, peace, and the flow of life energy.
Outdoor Colors
Color is one of the many ways to apply feng shui to your home’s exterior. The five elements of feng shui are often represented by various colors. Since your home exists in nature, painting your home’s color with neutral or natural tones can promote balance and harmony. Beige and brown represent the earth element, a favored home exterior color choice. The wood element often represents green of any shade. Water and metal are defined by blacks, grays, and whites, respectively. You can even include red or clay tones to balance the fire element.
Home Materials
You can even balance your home’s feng shui in terms of construction materials. Rocky exteriors and cement can help boost the earth element. Lighting is ideal to represent the fire element, and it’s a bonus if lighting faces the south. Metallic home exterior materials, such as roofing or framing, are ideal for representing metal—alternatively, white or gray construction materials also count. Wavy design features such as roof shingles or porch designs can showcase the water element well. Including exterior plants and wooden frames helps bring the wood element to life.
Decluttered Yards
Feng shui principles emphasize the function and cleanliness of a space. To achieve the optimum flow of chi, energy, and elements, make sure your yard is clear of trash, junk, and debris. Walkways, paths, and driveways should also be accessible and relatively unobstructed.
Exterior Repairs
A functional space is a well-balanced space for optimum chi. If any exterior repairs need to be done to improve the home’s structure, safety, and function, consider addressing them. Repairs help improve the home's balance, harmony, and flow. Roof repairs, stucco remediation, and siding replacement are all examples of exterior home repairs that can improve the structure and flow of your home.
Landscaping Balance
Your landscaping and garden areas should be well-balanced by all the elements, and decor ideally should be placed with the Bagua in mind (essentially, the feng shui energy map). If decor represents certain elements, you can even place them in specific directions of the house to improve the flow of chi even further.
Wind Chimes
Wind chimes add peace and healing to any home’s exterior. Certain wind chime materials or colors can also improve the balance of elements. Red or clay windchimes help with fire; gray, white, or metal balance metal elements; and wood or earthly tones help with wood and earth elements.
Curved Edges
Curved edges for flowerbeds and garden paths create an ideal shape for chi to flow freely. Consider creating winding pathways, sidewalks, or flower beds to accommodate this. Additionally, wavy elements help boost the water element to achieve feng shui balance.
Water Features
Water features like fountains, streams, or ponds are another way to add healing and harmony to a home’s garden. Water also balances the water element (as the name implies). For further adherence to feng shui, consider placing water features on the southeast, east, or north sides of your home if you want to go all out.
Zen Garden
According to feng shui, the northeast of the home relates to growth. In your home’s exterior, peaceful garden areas can help promote personal growth. A zen garden is an excellent example of this. If you’re adhering to feng shui, there’s a good chance you also like Asian-inspired decor, so a zen garden would complement your landscaping nicely.
Natural Materials
Consider using landscaping decor with natural materials like wood, clay, stone, or metal to help balance the elements and promote the flow of chi. Materials like plastic aren’t natural and can inhibit the flow of chi when used in excess.
Front Door Feng Shui
Since your front door connects the outside to the inside of your home, you’ll want to ensure it is balanced and energy can flow through it well. Depending on the direction your door opens to the world, specific colors can help better promote chi flow. For doors that open toward the east, earthly tones like brown or green can help the flow. Southern-opening doors will see better flow with yellow, orange, or even purple accents. North doors should utilize black or blue. Western doors should feature metallic, white, or gray elements. You can include these colors on your porch as well.
Conclusion
Feng shui is a complex art that helps promote chi, harmony, and security in a home’s floor plan. However, no adherence to feng shui is complete without including the home’s exterior. Careful consideration of the color, material, and placement of landscaping, pathways, and decor can significantly improve the flow of chi and the balance of feng shui elements.