Bathrooms often get a bad rap in feng shui. They can be seen as draining and depending on where they fall on the Bagua, they can also carry "menacing" energy. So, finding solutions to draw in specs of calmness into that area of the home is a must.
But seeing as none of us are going to be doing away with our bathrooms anytime soon, it would be good to turn that idea on its head and think of bathrooms as a luxury space for self-care, wellness, and tranquility. Taking on board these feng shui tips for positive flow in your bathroom will help you achieve what you need when you need it most.
To make the most of this space and attract that peaceful, spa-like energy into your home, we’ve called in the experts, who give us their rules for keeping the most energy flowing in the bathroom — as well as what not to do.
1. Balance Water with Nature
A good start is gathering some bathroom plants and greenery to introduce the wood element and balance the water-heavy environment. Not only do plants thrive in bathrooms, but they will also absorb excess water energy, bringing life into the room.
Feng shui expert and House Therapist of Holistic Homes, Abby Magill, encourages weighty objects for some grounding. "Think heavy vases, pots, earthenware, or Zellige tiles," explains Abby. "These all offer great Earth energy."
2. Bring in an Earthy Color Palette
Decorating with earth tones is the perfect feng shui for the bathroom. Again, as a space where water comes and goes, colors such as beige, yellow, orange, and brown represent wood and earth, helping to absorb excess water energy. This doesn’t necessarily have to be through paint; there is certainly room to play with design in this case. Inject more of the earth and wood energy by introducing wooden finishes in furniture or wall treatments.
"Soak up an over-abundance of water to create pure harmony in the bathroom," explains interior designer and feng shui expert, Kim Colwell. "Wood is represented by plants, rectangular-shaped objects, as well as green and pale blue/ In the natural element cycle, earth dams the water, as you would see rocks in a creek."
Whereas Earth is represented by square tiles, stone, or the colors yellow, brown, and tan. Feng shui is all about balancing the elements, so ensure there’s enough of each rather than one or two overpowering elements.
3. Declutter Your Bathroom
In reality, most of us need to organize our bathrooms. If you go rooting through the vanity and storage cupboard and manage to declutter a fair amount of things, we’ve forgotten even existed in our homes.
This is why knowing how to declutter room by room is an important part of positive and flowing energy around the home.
Just as expected, the experts advise us that nothing is better than a clean and clutter-free space, which allows Chi to flow naturally. This leads nicely to point four.
4. Maintain Cleanliness
Are you wondering how often you should clean your bathroom? It's best to build a routine and keep things in check.
Maintain cleanliness. Yes, we strive to do this every time our bathroom gets decluttered and cleaned to a high standard, but realistically, it’s a designated space for cleaning ourselves and carrying out our daily routines of hygiene and bodily wellness involving a lot of water, so it’s not easy to keep on top of it.
However, Abby insists that even the simple act of sweeping the floors can help churn up the Chi there. "When the life area where your bathroom resides needs a little lift, a quick sweep of the floor should do the trick," Abby says. Anything to promote positive energy flow!
5. Check Your Mirror Placement
Feng shui mirror placement can greatly affect in all sorts of ways.
Firstly, make sure you have a good-quality mirror with zero distortion. Secondly, consider what your mirror is reflecting and do not, I repeat, do not place a mirror anywhere it will reflect your toilet — this is to avoid doubling the negative energy of the toilet.
Next, keep mirrors and any glass or shiny surfaces clean and streak-free. This helps create clarity. Lastly, keep the metal element to a minimum. Water erodes metal, so stick with softer décor to emanate a calming ambiance.
6. Waste Little or Less Water
This may seem obvious, but the experts say you should fix any leaks immediately, even if it’s the tiniest drip coming through somewhere it shouldn’t.
Your bathroom sink and the water it holds should be looked at as a valuable thing, and if you continue to waste water, it's seen as bad feng shui.
"A leaky faucet or a toilet running can signify money rushing away from you," Abby explains. "Plug up any issues and keep your finances swimming right along."
7. Keep the Toilet Seat Down
Another rule our experts say we need to follow is to keep the toilet seats down. There are many reasons for this, one being bacteria (especially if you have a small bathroom) and another being bad feng shui. So make sure you tell your household to keep that toilet seat closed.
This stops energy from being constantly drained here. Interior architect and feng shui Educator, Anjie Cho, recommends keeping the toilet as low profile as possible. "Ideally the toilet should be out of view from the entrance. If this is not possible, add some dynamic art on the wall to pull the eye away from the toilet."
8. Keep the Door Closed
Keeping the bathroom door closed keeps draining energy at bay, yet ventilation is key to keeping energy fresh and flowing.
"If your bathroom lives in a prominent area of your home (the middle for example), keep the door to the bathroom shut," Abby advises. Natural light and airflow are great for the bathroom.
9. Avoid Personal Images
If you like photos on display around the house, you might want to rethink putting any in the bathroom. The experts note that adding photos in the bathroom is a negative form of Feng Shui. Instead, opt for adding photos of your loved ones in your cozy living room or bedroom.
"Avoid decorating with personal photographs, art projects you have created, or photos of friends and family. Placing personal items here represents sending these aspects of your life down the drain," says Kim.
10. Use Warm Lighting and Candles
Bathroom lighting is key to a soulful atmosphere. It may seem obvious to some of you already, but a candle in the bathroom sets the scene for a wonderfully relaxing bath and moment of self-care.
Not only does it play up the ambiance and lean into a spa-like setting, but the flame of a candle or even warm layered lighting balances the elements further with fire.
Kim suggests ceiling lights, wall lights, and vanity lights, all on a dimmer switch to be able to tailor it to each person's needs.
FAQs
Where is the best place to put a bathroom in feng shui?
"There's no best place without getting complicated, but it is best to avoid the center of the house if possible," says Anjie. When the bathroom is at the center, it is said to drain the home’s energy, ideally, placing it near the back of the home is better.
In the old days, bathrooms were located outside the home, which was cumbersome for users but kept draining, negative energy away from all areas of the house. "Having bathrooms in the house is so much more convenient, but it can have a negative impact in particular areas, so bathrooms in the center, facing the front door or above the kitchen, should be avoided," says feng shui expert, Kerstin Tracy.
Kim adds, "Avoid placing a bathroom in the Southwest. This direction is associated with earth energy, and water can disrupt it, leading to problems in relationships and stability," she continues. "Also avoid placing your bed or desk on a wall shared with your toilet."
