Did you know that spiral staircases are one of Feng Shui’s biggest “no-no’s”?
You may be surprised by this but there are several reasons to avoid spiral staircases from a Feng Shui point of view.
A spiral staircase feels — and often is — unsafe.
Worse, it closely resembles a huge screw, boring down through the floor of your home, which translates into real physical discomfort in your body.
I go into more detail about this in my article, “What’s Wrong With Spiral Staircases?”
As that article describes, the Wood element plays an important role in adjusting a spiral staircase to improve its Feng Shui. Here are a few more Feng Shui adjustments to add to that list.
- To counteract the sense that a screw is boring down into your home, hang a faceted round crystal at the top of the staircase, as close to the center as possible. The crystal stabilizes the staircase and draws its energy upwards, acting as a balance to the stairs’ strong downward pull.
- Spiral staircases often have open sides. This openness can easily make you (or someone you love) feel as though you might slip right off the stairs at any moment, expecially as you descend. Enclose the staircase to the greatest extent possible to improve your sense of safety immediately.
- Putting non-skid matting or carpeting onto the stairs is an additional nod to improving their safety.
- Open risers present yet another Feng Shui challenge for spiral stairs. Chi energy flows right through the stairs without stopping, carrying your energy with it, rather than supporting you as you go up or down the stairs. Fill the risers (the part of each step that “rises” at the back of each step) and give yourself an immediate Chi energy boost.
- Open risers present a Feng Shui challenge for regular staircases too; avoid building a staircase this way, and add risers where necessary.
The best Feng Shui solution to spiral staircases is to avoid them altogether, of course 🙂
(photo from iStock)
If you have a question about this or any other aspect of the Feng Shui of your home, please get in touch via my Ask Ann page.
Here’s to good Chi!
I have a metal spiral staircase outside my home that goes from the ground to the outside deck. It is on the northwest side of the house. It is painted white and I have hung a windchime on it and placed a light and a mirror at the borttom. I also have planted trees at the base.
We’ve had a rather bad run of problems in recent weeks. The staircase was installed last summer. The problems started in January.
Any comment or advice would be welcome.
Hello D.,
This is a question for which I need more information, and which I can answer via my Ask Ann page.
Does spiral stairs affect health if its not in a proper place. Spiral stairs going to attic. What does it mean?
Hello Racquel,
Spiral stairs can be a challenge no matter where they are. For more specific information I would need to see a floor plan of your home, which you can send via my Ask Ann page.
I’ve always been curious about feng shui. I didn’t know that spiral staircases were bad for that! I really want to have a spiral staircase, though. I’ll be sure to have good handrails so that falling off isn’t a worry!