FENG SHUI
It’s Time for Chi

Color is used two ways in Feng Shui. There are colors associated with the elements and there are also colors associated with all nine sections of the bagua. The correct placement of color goes a long way to enhancing the desired positive flow of energy.

Colors are divided into yin colors and yang colors. Yin colors are considered to be more relaxing and promote healing. They’re usually pastel colors and are great for use in meditation rooms, bathrooms, bedrooms and nurseries.

Blue is an example of a yin color that is associated with water and sky. It’s soothing and restful. It creates a feeling of peace and trust. Navy blue represents intellect and wisdom. It evokes deep calm and serenity. Light blue represents gentle growth.

White is another yin color, representing purity, innocence and tranquility. The feng shui energy of white is crisp, clean and fresh—like new-fallen snow. Use blue and white together to bring happiness into your space. It’s a calming combination that’s always fresh.

Surprisingly, black is considered a yin color as well. The energy associated with black is mystery, sophistication and power. As the color of night, black adds strength and depth to any space. It’s grounding and stable. It’s also an excellent color for careers, especially when combined with metals.

Pink and green are two more yin colors. Pink is the color of love. It soothes the heart. Green is renewal, refreshing and rebirth. It nourishes the soul. Green and pink combined form an active, vibrant energy that strengthens the growth of love. Pink and black are an elegant “retro” combination.

The yang colors provide enthusiasm and motivational energy. Red, orange and yellow all represent fire, which can be both creative and destructive. The energy of red is the energy of arousal. It’s hot, passionate, rich and symbolizes courage. In China, red is the color of happiness and luck. In India it’s the color for marriage. Red signifies richness and luxury, but too much can overstimulate and cause anger or frustration.

Orange can be used when red is just too strong for your space. Orange is a “social” color—it promotes conversation; it’s friendly; it’s fun-loving. Orange is most easily introduced as an accent color because of its strong energy. Yellow wakes up a room, bringing sunlight into our darkest spaces. It’s cozy, soft and easy to live with in its lighter tints. Yellow can increase our self-esteem and our overall well-being. A very intense yellow, like red, can cause a feeling of unease, and is best introduced as an accent color rather than a wall color.

How do you bring all these colors together in your space without making it feel or look like a box of crayons gone wild? Look around and you’ll see you already have many of these colors in your rooms. It’s a matter of placing them in the right location to bring about the desired energy. The color can be introduced in small pieces—such as a picture frame, or matting or even a color in your favorite painting. It can be a bowl of fresh flowers placed in the right spot, or a bowl of rose colored quartz crystals.

If the color you need just won’t work visibly where you need it, hide it! You can put a piece of fabric or ribbon or paper behind a picture on the wall, or behind a piece of furniture. You can’t see it, but it’s there, working at creating the energy you desire. Let it work for you.

Bruce Knott is director of the Window Fashions Certified Professionals (WFCP) program and media relations for Grace McNamara Inc. He is also a chair holder in Color Marketing Group (CMG) and serves as a director on the boards of CMG and the Window Coverings Association of America (WCAA). He is also on the advisory board for We Make Color Easy. Reach him at bruce@gracemcnamarainc.com.

Feng Shui Colors

Color is an easy way to shift energies in your space, according to practitioners of Feng Shui. Each color is a representation of one of the five elements: fire, water, earth, metal and wood.

Feng Shui colors of fire: