How to Feng Shui Your Kitchen
The kitchen is often referred to as the heart of the home. It’s usually the most popular spot for family, friends and loved ones to gather together for good company, good conversation and of course, good food.
But sometimes, your kitchen can look less than inviting. It can be easy to give other areas of your home a quick refresh with some creative furniture shifting and shimmying, the kitchen can be far more static than other rooms.
Though you may not be able to give your kitchen a complete renovation because hello, budget, you can make some small shifts and tweaks by using some simple and savvy feng shui kitchen design.
Feng shui is an ancient Chinese tradition that uses energy forces to harmonize individuals with their surroundings. Just like saging your space, the art of feng shui can bring new energy into your home or a certain room such as the kitchen. If you are interested in bringing new vibes into your cooking space, here are a few feng shui kitchen design tips.
#1 Declutter surfaces
The first step to feng shui kitchen design is decluttering and removing anything that is nonessential from kitchen countertops. Remove everything from kitchen counters then wipe down the countertops with a natural cleaner. Once everything is cleaned, return only the essential items.
Living in a small space, I can attest to the fact that counter space is important real estate in the kitchen, so be selective with what items you display on your kitchen countertops. Essential items are going to look different for everyone, but think of items you use every day like a blender, coffee pot or toaster. Everything else, set aside.
#2 Organize kitchen cabinets, the fridge, and pantry
Just as you decluttered kitchen countertops, do the same with kitchen cabinets, the pantry and the refrigerator. Go through food items and check expiration dates. If you come across items that are perfectly good, but realize you don’t enjoy eating them like you once did, donate them to a local church or food pantry.
If you discover you have an array of kitchen gadgets, be honest with yourself. Are you really going to use those candy molds? If so, great! You may have just found a new rainy day project when you’re bored, but if you have no intention of making homemade candy, donate the molds to an organization for someone else to enjoy. In the art of feng shui, holding on to items you don’t use can actually create unnecessary weight for your overall energy.
Once everything is removed from their shelves, wipe down shelving units with a natural cleaner and replace items in an organized fashion. This may even be a good time to invest in some extra shelving or storage options.
#3 Mop the floors
The kitchen floor is a high traffic area of the home. Although many people may not be walking through it, think of all of the crumbs, dips, drops and splashes that come from making a culinary masterpiece. Take some time to give your kitchen floors a little extra TLC with a quality scrub. Use your favorite floor cleaner or mix together castile soap, a few drops of essential oils, and water—then go to town with a good scrub down.
Now that you have created a blank, clean canvas, it’s time to add some touches of feng shui kitchen design.
#4 Add wood (maybe)
According to Eddie Tee, blogger at Feng Shuied, consider the placement of your kitchen’s sink and stove.
“The stove and sink should not be side by side or opposite each other in close proximity. This is because the stove is fundamentally a fire element and the sink is a water element. When they are side-by-side, it creates a clash of the elements,” which can translate to poor health, he explains. “If such layouts cannot be avoided, then the presence of wood between the two fixtures can harmonize the element conflict. This can be done with the presence of plants or wooden items.”
#5 Consider colors
Sara Kohl, feng shui expert, has some tips for planning the color scheme of your kitchen.
“Since the kitchen is represented by the fire element, you’ll want to avoid reds and oranges, as these can cause an energy imbalance in the room. You’ll also want to stay clear of the blues and blacks of the water element, as fire and water are opposing elements and clash. The ideal feng shui paint colors in this room are the yellows and beiges of the earth element, which are associated with health and relationships.”
Accent colors, meanwhile, have a completely different set of guidelines. Jen Stark, founder of Happy DIY Home, shares her design expertise.
“Orange and red provoke appetite, but should be balanced with a little blue, which is an appetite suppressor. If you have a gone for a minimalist black and white kitchen this does well to be offset with a deep red. The addition of a red accent can be easily achieved by a bowl or red apples, red tea cloth or perhaps red pots or jars. A muted yellow and gold colour scheme will positively boost bonding and happiness.”
#6 Display some citrus
One of the easiest ways to add some positive vibes and sunshine to your kitchen space is to display a bowl of citrus fruit. Whether you like lemons, limes, or oranges, create a beautiful bowl of citrus fruit to bring a bright pop of color to your kitchen space.
#7 Figure out what to do with the fridge
Just like you may not be able to control the placement of the kitchen sink and stove, you may not be able to control the placement of the kitchen refrigerator—but if you can, Tee has some further suggestions.
“The refrigerator should not be in view outside the kitchen. The best scenario is that one can only visually see the fridge when inside the kitchen area. This is because the refrigerator represents wealth and you want it to be hidden from sight, just like how you’d want your safe to be. This is why many households who encounter this problem actually build their fridges inside cabinets or paste camouflage laminates on the fridge so as to blend it into the kitchen design. Otherwise, just relocate the fridge if possible.”
#8 Get growing
According to the art of feng shui, growing something edible in your kitchen is a great way to attract abundance into your life. In feng shui, basil has been observed as a money magnet and can grow easily in most kitchen set ups. (Excuse me while I purchase all of the basil plants). Whether you enjoy fresh herbs, houseplants or vegetables, find a way to get growing.
#9 Include inspiration
Just like when you set up a hygge space in your home, it’s always important to add a personal touch of inspiration that sparks joy. Displaying favorite pieces of art or photos of family members and friends can add loving, positive vibes to the kitchen space, while displaying cookbooks can invite inspiration.
If you aren’t in the position to begin a kitchen renovation project, consider kitchen feng shui. One or two small simple shifts can bring fresh life to your kitchen space and invite more loving and positive energy into your kitchen and home.
