Before Marie Kondo and her notable KonMari Method stole the show, Feng Shui was the buzzy go-to technique for creating a true and unique harmony for the interior and exterior of a home. That said, Feng Shui is anything but a trend. In fact, the practice’s roots date back to 3500+ years. Feng (translated to wind) Shui (translated to water) is an ancient Chinese discipline that focuses on optimizing the placement of objects in residences and businesses in order to promote harmony, positive energy flow, abundance and happiness. In practice, it can involve everything from decluttering your home to designing a bedroom that promotes better sleep and a heightened love life. 

At its foundation, Feng Shui is the science of using energy sources to create peace between people and their environments. According to the principles of Feng Shui the interior decor of a home must be arranged taking into account many guidelines: the presence of magnetic and energetic fields; how different shapes and forms influence us; how the eight cardinal directions affect us; and how Qi impacts our well-being. Practicing Feng Shui is about combining all of these principles and using what’s in our control to improve our surrounding energy so that it’ll attract those good vibes we are all looking for.  

But how can your trendy new succulent be affecting the vibes in your home? According to this eastern philosophy, placing plants in certain areas within a home can positively influence our spiritual state. As plants are sources of life, they are Feng Shui heavy hitters; they are a physical embodiment of the material elements correlated with the love zones (earth element) and the wealth zones (wood element) on the Bagua, which is the Feng Shui floor plan map. Whichever plants you prefer to incorporate into your decor, choose lush, healthy ones and remember to quickly remove dying ones or they will generate negative energy. 

Entrance

This is a particularly important area to focus your Feng Shui efforts because it is at the entrance that the environment meets the Qi energy of the Universe. It is especially important to consider cleanliness and order to transmit a positive energy to all those who enter the home. Feng Shui recommends that you place a welcoming plant to draw attention in this area; peace lilies are among the most suggested plants in Feng Shui and can be a perfect solution for this space.

Living Room

This is the core of the house, a place to welcome guests and relax with family. In accordance to Feng Shui, it is advised that plants such as cacti or Tillandsia (air plants) should be positioned to the right of a TV or computer, or any area people may be using their cellphones for an extended period of time, like the couch. These specific types of plants help to absorb radiation and harmful frequencies from electronic devices giving your home a calmer vibe. 

Bedroom

By using Feng Shui in the bedroom, you can improve your sleep quality with a balanced space, and you will feel the effects quickly. It is suggested that a mint plant, capable not only of giving freshness to the space but also to our souls, will help us to move forward. With the right amount of care, this plant will also be stimulated to produce essential oils, ideal for combatting stress, fatigue and insomnia. English Ivy is another great addition as the trailing vines of ivy help soften any poison arrows that point at you while you sleep. Ivy is also great for the bedroom because it removes benzene found in plastics, and helps control formaldehyde from carpets and paint.

Kitchen 

Plants and Feng Shui are in closest contact in this area of the house; the kitchen is, in fact, one of the most important places in the home according to Feng Shui. This isn’t surprising when you think of the incredible power food has on our physical and mental state, and the overpowering combination of elements in this area. You’ve got fire from the stove; granite or tile counters, which incorporate earth; water running through the sink and dishwasher; metal in the appliances — four of the five elements all going at once. For this reason it is imperative to know how to set up the kitchen in the best way possible. It is suggested that you use fragrant plants, particularly rosemary, and note that large plants are not suitable for this space. The area is already overpowered with the fire element, excess wood energy, such as those brought by large plants, feeds this element even further and will cause an imbalance of energies.