The kitchen is the heart of a home, where delicious meals are prepared, and family well-being, health, and prosperity are influenced. Therefore, it is crucial to have a well-planned Feng Shui layout for the kitchen.
Choosing the Right Direction for the Stove in the Kitchen
Avoid placing the kitchen in the south direction as it belongs to the Fire element, and so does the kitchen. Having Fire upon Fire is inauspicious for the household, and placing the kitchen in the south may lead to food spoilage. Hence, it is best to avoid the south-facing direction for the kitchen.
Additionally, the kitchen should not be in the center of the house, as the center is considered sensitive to impurities. The most suitable positions for the kitchen are the east and southeast parts of the house. Both the east and southeast directions belong to the Wood element, which can harmonize with Water and Fire, making them ideal locations for the kitchen and breakfast area.
Kitchen Door Feng Shui Arrangement
- Avoid having the kitchen door directly facing the main entrance. This arrangement can hinder wealth accumulation and may negatively impact physical health, leading to fluctuating fortunes.
- The kitchen door should not directly face the bedroom door. Since the kitchen is associated with the Fire element, facing it towards someone who is fire-averse, like someone with a strong Water element in their birth chart, can harm their well-being. Moreover, cooking fumes may find their way into the bedroom, causing irritability.
- The kitchen door should not directly face the bathroom door. The stove, representing the source of nourishment, needs to gather positive energy, while the bathroom is considered unclean and represents the Water element. Fire and Water are incompatible, which can lead to marital disharmony and a restless home.
- Avoid having a shared entrance for the kitchen and bathroom. Sharing an entrance for both rooms creates an imbalance between Fire and Water, which is highly inauspicious. Worse still, if the bathroom is entered first before the kitchen, it can completely extinguish the family’s fortune and luck.
- The kitchen door should not directly face the stove, as it can cause financial losses and negative effects on wealth in the household.
Furthermore, the material chosen for the kitchen door should be water-resistant and easy to clean to prevent damage from Water and grease.
Arrangement of Stove or Cooktop
The stove or cooktop is the centerpiece of the kitchen, and its placement can significantly impact the kitchen’s Feng Shui and the family’s health and prosperity.
- The best position for the stove is at the diagonal corner from the kitchen door. This location facilitates the gathering of positive energy and enhances family prosperity.
- Avoid placing the stove in the northwest direction of the kitchen. The northwest represents the father or male head of the household, while the stove belongs to the Fire element. Placing Fire in the northwest can be disadvantageous for the father or male head, affecting the overall family fortune.
- Avoid positioning the stove between the refrigerator and sink, as it creates a Feng Shui taboo of two waters clashing with one Fire, bringing continuous disasters to the household.
- Do not place the stove directly below the bathroom on the upper floor. The foul air from the bathroom can negatively impact the stove and, in turn, affect the family’s health.
- Avoid placing the stove directly below or facing water pipes or the refrigerator, as the clash between Fire and Water can affect the family’s financial luck.
- Do not have a window between the stove and the range hood; otherwise, it may lead to financial losses and ill luck.
- Ensure that the stove has solid support behind it. The stove represents family health, marriage, and reputation, so it should have a strong backing, preferably against a solid wall. Glass walls or unsupported backs are not suitable.
- Choose stoves that use an open flame rather than electric stoves or microwaves that emit electromagnetic fields (EMFs). EMFs can disrupt the flow of energy in the kitchen.
- The stove should be away from water sources. The kitchen stove represents Fire, while the sink and water sources represent Water. Keeping a reasonable distance between them prevents clashes between Fire and Water elements.
- Avoid placing the stove above a drainage system. The drainage should run from the front to the back of the house, and sewage from the bathroom should not pass under the kitchen.
Regarding the orientation of the stove, modern practices often use the position of the stove’s burner knobs as the stove’s orientation. The stove should face east or south, but it should not be opposite to the main entrance, as this creates an adverse Feng Shui arrangement that may lead to conflicts and disputes among family members.
Arrangement of Kitchen Utensils
The kitchen contains numerous items and utensils, and arranging them logically and orderly not only makes cooking convenient but also creates a clean and comfortable environment. Cabinets, tables, and shelves in the kitchen should have rounded corners or edges, as sharp corners can create Sha Qi (negative energy).
Kitchen knives, fruit knives, chopsticks, forks, and spoons should be kept in drawers instead of being hung on the walls or placed in knife racks. Exposing sharp utensils like knives can lead to potential harm and accidents. Cooking pots and spatulas should not be stored together, and pots are better hung on walls. The cutting board should not be placed next to the knives, especially avoiding inserting the knife blade into the cutting board, as this can lead to accidents and negative energy.
Ingredients like chili, onion, and garlic, which belong to the Yang category, should not be hung on the kitchen walls as they can further increase the kitchen’s Yang energy. Additionally, cooking utensils should not be placed in front of or under windows, as this can create Feng Shui taboos and make family members feel unsupported and isolated.
Placement of Plants
Kitchens are usually damp and filled with cooking fumes. Therefore, placing some plants in the kitchen can help absorb excess moisture and smoke while also bringing liveliness to the space. Small, easy-to-care-for potted plants like Spider Plants, Lucky Bamboo, and Peace Lilies are ideal choices for the kitchen. Spider Plants are particularly beneficial as they act as natural air purifiers, effectively removing harmful gases such as carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides from kitchen fumes. Additionally, they have cooling and purifying effects, promoting good health and well-being.
The placement of kitchen plants also matters in Feng Shui. If the kitchen is located in the south direction, it is best to have some broad-leaved plants to store wealth and prevent excessive outflow of money. In the east, placing some red flowers can help maintain good health. For a kitchen in the west, golden or yellow flowers like Narcissus can block the setting sun and prevent the family’s financial luck from declining. Placing pink or orange flowers in the north can add color and vitality to the kitchen.
Conclusion
Applying Feng Shui principles to the kitchen layout can create a harmonious and prosperous environment that benefits the whole family. From the stove placement to the arrangement of utensils and the addition of plants, each detail plays a vital role in attracting positive energy and promoting well-being in the home. By following these Feng Shui tips for the kitchen, you can enhance positive energy flow and create a space that nurtures health, prosperity, and happiness for all household members.