Dining Room Feng Shui

A feng shui dining room is one that arouses hunger, brings harmony, strengthens the bond among family members, attracts prosperity, enhances wealth and a whole lot more.

In feng shui, dining rooms are given a very high degree of importance and that’s because it’s “The Room” where a family is “supposed to” dine and spend a real quality time together.

I said “supposed to” because in most houses dining rooms are seldom used (for dining) and they – tend to – become “dumping rooms” for all sorts of things that can’t find a place elsewhere in the home; here’s a list of few – really few – items that are usually dumped in dining rooms:

1. kid’s toys
2. old cabinets
3. seldom used travel bags
4. laundry clothes

and the list goes on and on…

However, you must understand that piling all these items – that don’t actually belong – to the dining room has a very negative effect on feng shui of the dining room. In fact, piling clutter in any area of a home or office is bound to deteriorate feng shui for that area because they restrict the free flow of Qi energy in the house.

For good feng shui in the dining room:

• Make sure that the dining room is inviting, comfortable, hunger arousing and calm.
• Maintain balance of colors in dining room; don’t make it too bright or overly dull.
• Dining room must be well ventilated and it should receive plenty of sunlight.
• Hang a mirror in dining area such that it reflects the dining table; this’ll bring in more prosperity.
• You can provide a wash basin in North or East of dining area.
• Keep the dining room as near as possible to kitchen.
• Have kitchen and dining on the same floor.
• If your kitchen is really huge then utilize an area of the kitchen as dining area.
• If the dining room in your home is a part of living room (a common case nowadays) then put curtains or potted plants as a line of demarcation.
• Go for a square/rectangular or oval/circular dining table.
• Make sure that the dining table is of high quality wood.
• The dining table must be big enough to provide space for everyone.
• Keep the number of chairs even.
• Keep sitting arrangement such that no one’s back is towards a door or window as it causes a sense of insecurity.
• East facing is good for head of the family; other members can face North, East or West while dining.
• Be polite and gentle to family member while dining; be gentle and polite always.
• Be relaxed, calm, happy and stress-free while dining; in fact be this way always.
• Always keep something on the dining table; you can keep fruits on it; apples help develop friendship, pears are good to attract positive energy, peaches aid in good health and oranges symbolize richness and prosperity.
• If fruits aren’t your choice then you can keep flowers on dining table. Just make sure not to use dried flowers, they imply deterioration.
• Make sure to have meals with your family daily; however, if that’s not possible then at least have a meal together once a week.
• Images of mouthwatering and lip smacking dishes in dining room arouses hunger.
• Always thank God before you start eating.

Here’s What to Avoid:

• No toilet doors in front of dining table or dining room.
• Make sure that dining room door and house entrance doesn’t face each other.
• Make sure that the dining room doesn’t become a room of dining etiquette for anyone; else they’ll lose interest in eating.
• Never sit under a beam while eating.
• Please avoid TV and other electrical instruments in the dining room; this’ll make the family to spend some quality time together.
• Avoid low ceiling in dining room.
• Avoid negative paintings such as weeping girl, war, crime etc. in dining room; in fact avoid them everywhere.
• Avoid hanging clocks in dining room; they tend to create haste while eating.
• Never eat in dark.
• Avoid eating alone; that increases loneliness. Put on some soothing music if you’re alone.
• Avoid irregular shaped dining tables such as, diamond or hexagonal shaped ones.
• Avoid glass top dining tables as they’ll bring in nervous energy.
• Avoid dining tables that have cushions on top; go for hard top dining tables as they represent solid foundation.
• Never place the dining table touching a wall; it must be away from any wall so that everyone can sit comfortably.
• Avoid rocking chairs in dining room.
• Avoid facing south while eating.
• Don’t allow kids to sit in the South-West corner of dining table.
• Never use or even keep broken or chipped utensils or glass wares.

The Dining Room Table – Shapes and Sizes

There are two criteria to look at when choosing the best shape for your dining table.

• Best visual choice. What is your dining room asking for? What table shape will look and work there the best?
• Best bagua area match. If most shapes would work, then decide based on the feng shui bagua area of your dining room.

From a general feng shui perspective, a round or oval table is considered better than a square or a rectangle one. The reason for it being the flowing shape that contributes to a more even distribution of energy, so to speak. In simple terms, sitting at a round or oval table will make everyone feel more welcome, at ease and equal in their relating to each other.

However, the first criteria to look at is your dining room size and shape. If your space is asking for a square or rectangular shape and you insist on having a round table, you will not be creating a good feng shui dining room.

Good feng shui always starts by listening to your home, and then applying the best feng shui guidelines to it.

So, if you feel that a square or rectangle table would work better for the of your dining room, go for it because it is also good feng shui, just be sure to buy one that has rounded corners. Sharp corners are always best avoided as they create bad feng shui energy called Sha Chi.

Here are the best shapes for each bagua area of a dining room:

• East – Rectangular or Square
• Southeast – Rectangular or Square
• South – Rectangular
• Southwest – Square
• West – Square or Round
• Northwest – Square or Round
• North – Round
• Northeast – Square
• Center – Square

This selection is based on the play of the five feng shui elements and how they either support the energy in a specific bagua area or weaken it.

A couple more details to look at while selecting a good dining room table are as follows:

• The table should be in proportion to the room
• It is considered best to have an even number of chairs (unless you go for a round table).
• Best feng shui chairs are the ones with a solid back.

As the dining table is one of the most versatile and functional furniture pieces in your home, I would suggest taking your time and doing some good research. Ask where the table is made and who made it.

Buying locally, whenever possible; this is always a good idea and excellent feng shui, too. Invest in good quality wood and try to avoid a glass top dining table.

Dining Room Size for Chi Flow

The best feng shui dining room is spacious. There should be enough empty space to allow the chi energy to move about the room freely. Avoid blocking doorways, windows and the natural flow of traffic in and out of the room.

This free flowing chi energy will usher in abundance both in the health and wealth areas of your life. A minimum of 2.5 feet should be given around the table to allow guests to move their chair away from the table. If you can afford more space, all the better.

In traditional Chinese feng shui a dining room relates to wealth. In Chinese culture there is a straight correlation between the size of the dining room and wealth: the more people we can feed the wealthier we are!

Location and Feng Shui Design Aspects

The best location for the dining room is near the kitchen. This is a practical location as well as a feng shui one to maximize the benefit of chi energy.

Ideally, the dining room should be in the corner of your home. This location, like high-pitched ceilings, allows for the chi energy to collect and circulate in this space.

The most auspicious location of a dining room within a house is considered to be southeast and south. Not surprisingly these two directions relate to wealth and fame.

Dining Rooms Close to Front Doors

If your dining room is located too close the front door, try to separate it as much as possible. Keep the dining room door closed or use a decorative screen to block the front door from view. In feng shui, a dining room too close to the front door means chi energy can leave too easily and won’t fully enter the room.

Choosing and positioning the table

Your dining table should be large but fit comfortably in the room. Oval or round shapes are best, but if your table is rectangular, you can balance it with rounded shapes such as rugs in the rest of the room. It’s best to place the table at the center of the dining room and turn it at a slight angle in relation to the walls, so the chi will flow in a gentle, curving path around the room. If you put the table straight and parallel with the walls, the chi will be channeled in a straight line through the room or around the edges, and may get trapped in the corners.

Seating arrangements

In feng shui, it’s good practice to seat the oldest family member or an important guest in the “honoured guest” position at the table. This is the seat furthest from the door, with solid walls behind it and offering a good view of the door and windows. If possible, place all the seats so that no one has his or her back to a door or large window, because this “weak” position may leave that person feeling insecure. This problem is especially likely with round tables.

Setting your table

In general, plain colours and simple shapes are best to promote the calming energy you need around the table. If you prefer a pattern, opt for one based on just one or two main colours. Vertical stripes are ideal because they symbolize uplifting energy. However, busy patterns splinter the chi. To get the most benefit from your tableware, keep items in good condition and discard any chipped plates, bowls or glasses.

Table displays

A rounded bowl filled with rounded fruit, in the centre of the table, is excellent feng shui; the more food you show, the more “richness of life” you possess. Many fruits have special significance: you could choose apples to boost friendship, pears for energy, peaches for health and oranges for richness. You can include other favourite fruits as well. Flowers are also a lovely decoration. Yellow ones are ideal to enhance communication. Silk, paper or plastic flowers are also fine. However, don’t use dried flowers because they represent decay and stagnation.

Lucky energy

The table and the area around it need to be “loaded with luck” (chuang ho hsing yun). Healthy, beautiful plants are a must in the dining room! They bring vitality, freshness and color., and nurture goodness in the chi. I especially like using larger plants with rounded leaves and flowers. Cut flower arrangements are fun to make and are also great in the dining room.

Keep electrical items, including TVs and stereos, out of the dining room; their energy is too yang. In addition, remove any clocks, because they are unwelcome reminders of the passing of time. A dining room should be “eternal” (yung yuan te).

The best material for a dining room table is wood. I do not recommend metal or glass tables since they are cold and do not hold energy.

Here’s an example of a beautiful but very cold dining room:

Lighting

Lighting needs to be soft and calming. Wall-mounted lights equipped with dimmer switches are a good idea, because you can alter the lighting levels to suit your mood or a special occasion.

• Use Lighting to Attract Yang Energy

In feng shui, the chi energy is comprised of the negative and positive energies of yin and yang respectively. The yin (female) chi energy is passive/restive while the yang (male) chi is active/energetic. Lights attract yang energy and you want to activate this dynamic energy for this room.

Recessed lighting is subtle and can also be used as direct lighting for wall art and paintings or simply placed on a dimmer switch for ambient lighting options. Torchiere floor and table lamps are great for uplighting to attract chi energy toward the ceiling and allow more energy to flow into the dining room.

A chandelier above the dining room table is the ideal choice of lighting. A crystal chandelier will activate the energy in the room and create an uplifting sparkling feeling. I love to dim the overhead light and use a lot of candles during family and guests gatherings. It always seems to slow down the time and have a magical, relaxing and mood enhancing effect.

Generate Abundance with Mirrors

One of the best kept secrets of a feng shui dining room is the use of mirrors. The mirror should be placed to reflect the dining room table top. This placement doubles the food (abundance, health and wealth) and is considered one of the most auspicious element in a dining room design. However, a mirror should never reflect a kitchen or bathroom or it will double bad energy from these areas.

A mirror will also soften the light. Choose one with a suitable frame for that sector, or with beveled edges.

Mirrors are also great to use in the dining room if they can be hung in a way that reflects the outside. Try to position a mirror to reflect a garden, tree, or anything special to you from outside. You can also use the mirror to reflect a beautiful piece of art or a flower arrangement from the center piece on a dining room table.

• Mirror Height

Be careful not to hang the mirror so that it cuts off the heads of dinner guests’ reflections. This placement is considered inauspicious and brings ill health.

• Floor Mirrors

A floor mirror that extends well beyond chair height is a good choice. Just be sure that it isn’t placed opposite the dining room door or reflects the front door, kitchen or bathroom.

If you’re brave and want to add walls of mirrors, don’t use mirror tiles. Instead opt for full length large mirrors.

• Mirror Placements to Avoid

A mirror opposite a front door will bounce all chi entering your home right out the door, never allowing it to enter your home. In feng shui, if the mirror is opposite the door leading into the dining room, chi energy will never reach inside the room and can mean inauspicious results for family health and wealth.

The water of life

Clean, flowing water symbolizes luck, energy, health and “richness of life”. A small water feature or aquarium will benefit most locations. Alternatively, you could have one or two water symbols, such as shells, or a picture of flowing water.

If you have a southeastern wall in your dining room you can use water to enhance your wealth by placing a wall fountain or a fish tank. However, don’t use water items in the northeast, south or southwest; they clash with the chi of these sectors.

Goldfish signify luck, and are ideal for an aquarium. Three or nine are the most beneficial numbers; include one black fish to represent protection. If you like tropical fish, have golden platys and a black mollie.

Good Feng Shui colors for dining room

Dining room wall colors should be warm, earthy and have a nourishing vibe. For example, yellow stimulates conversation and digestion, red stimulates appetite, and sage green brings freshness and vitality. A cold blue color would is the least appropriate for the dining room walls and décor.

• Here is a collection of colorful dining room ideas:

You can add colors to jazz up your dining room decorating with fabrics, bright tableware, crystal glasses and accessories. Napkins and table cloth designs and colors should be selected in accordance with the dining room table position. Feng Shui room decorating guide suggests blue color for the table in the northern zone of the dining room. Greens are Feng Shui colors for the eastern parts of the room and the house.

For large areas such as walls, single colors are best. You can always use ornaments and pictures, or a display area with items that suit the location, to add splashes of brighter colors. Try to avoid having highly patterned wallpaper, which can splinter the chi. If you already have this problem, remedy it by putting up abstract pictures in strong, plain colors appropriate for the location.

If you prefer neutral colors or like stylish dark or elegant white table cloth, try to add more Feng Shui colors with napkins, flowers, candles, napkin rings, tableware and vases to spice up your dining room decorating design.

I love the way the chairs and the rug in the above photo provide a nice burst of color while the rest of the dining area is pleasantly neutral.

There is another important Feng Shui room decorating detail, – coasters should correspond to the shape of the table in Feng Shui home. If you have a round dining room table, use round coasters and get oval for the oval dining room table, and so on.

One of the most important and easy to follow Feng Shui tips for dining room decorating: never use cracked or chipped plates and glasses. Ancient Feng-Shui teachers say that it brings troubles into the house. Also they suggest to serve glasses with transparent liquids for dinner. Shiny glasses make attractive table decoration and can play the role of individual Feng Shui crystals that stimulate the positive energy flow and attract wealth.

Dining room usage:

Ideally, the dining room should be used often and free of clutter. You may want to say goodbye to those projects and piles of papers that have been residing on a dining room table for several months.. If you don’t use the room and it’s cluttered, the energy stagnates which can cause stagnation in your finances.

Art in the dining room:

Choose art for your dining room that gives you a feeling of wealth and abundance. It’s personal but some examples that work for me are landscapes, seascapes, fruit or flowers. Your choice of art should also reflect the elements needed to enhance wealth in the particular space.

Pictures that give you feelings of pleasure and abundance will also help; good subjects include bright flowers, rounded fruit and sunny landscapes.

Sources:

• Feng Shui Pundit
• The Spruce
• Nourish Books
• Lush Home
• Crabby Housewife