Feng Shui in the Kitchen: Reducing Conflict

This blog post addresses and expands on the information in my video series on feng shui for the kitchen. In the videos, I talk about reducing conflict and increasing harmony in the home, specifically referencing situations that come in up in kitchens.

In the first video, I talk about stoves placed opposite sinks. This is a common setup in kitchens, especially ones with a kitchen island that has a sink, like this photo below. A nice feature, but it presents a feng shui problem: fire (stove) opposite water (sink).

Photo: Rehkamp Larson Architects, Inc. via Houzz

 

There are several solutions that can be applied here. In the video, I suggest securing a piece of red ribbon or tape below the counter lip or under the rug between the sink and stove. You could also simply swap that blue-gray rug out for one with a significant amount of red in it. The red symbolizes a dividing line, a “karate chop” I like to call it, between the two elements.

None of the kitchens in these photos feature a refrigerator immediately next to the stove, but that’s the same elemental problem: fire next to water. Watch the video for the solution.

In the second video, I discuss stove placement. In feng shui, the stove is referred to as the most powerful object in the whole home. When standing at such a powerful object, it’s important not to have one’s back to the doorway. Obviously, most of us don’t have the luxury of dictating where the stove will be located when we move into a house, so there are some tricks to employ if your stove is in what’s called a “disempowered position.”

In this kitchen, there’s no doorway (another common floor plan in today’s homes). When the cook stands at the stove, his or her back is toward the openness of the room. That’s also considered a disempowered position. In the video, you can see how I employ a smooth, rounded metal water kettle on or near the stove to fix that. (Here’s an example of a kettle I like for this purpose.)

Also, the bare glass edge of the dining table in this kitchen should be covered with a tablecloth to avoid sending cutting energy into the room.

Photo: NVS Remodeling & Design via Houzz

 

A mirrored backsplash, like the one in this kitchen below, is a more designerly option, but it has to be done just right in order not to create even more feng shui problems.

Photo: Rachel Laxer Interiors, LTD via Houzz

 

Just as with any mirror in a home, a backsplash mirror must:

• Show your entire head fully if any part of your body can been seen. The symbolism of a body without a head is never good feng shui. In this kitchen, the hood looks to be well above a person’s head, so it shouldn’t show a cut-off reflection.
• Be kept clean.
• Be clear and shiny. The mirror in the example above has a weathered finish; for that reason, it’s not a good choice. Smoked glass should also be avoided.
• Not have any cracks or seams. The “subway tile” look is popular, but it breaks your image up, which is very bad feng shui.

The layout of this next kitchen poses no problems. There are no elements in conflict; the corners of the kitchen island are even nicely rounded. There is a less obvious problem, though. Can you spot it?

Photo: Laurysen Kitchens Ltd. via Houzz

 

If you watched the third video in my series, you might have spotted the wine bottles near the fridge. The bottle necks are pointing out like rifle barrels, directing harsh energy outward into the home. Wine bottles should be stored so that the bottoms face outward, presenting larger, friendlier surfaces that don’t stick out at you. Or, add some cabinet doors that will block the energy aimed outward.

If you haven’t watched my videos, here’s a play list that will cycle through all four. (The fourth video is non-kitchen related and covers stripes in rugs.)