Feng shui cures can minimize negative energy caused by improper kitchen layouts and problematic locations. In the real world, it's impractical to move an entire kitchen or completely remodel, but there are simple things you can do that will improve the chi energy of your feng shui kitchen.
Feng Shui Kitchen Layout Problems and Cures
Kitchen layouts are a common feng shui issue, as the cabinet and appliance placement is often designed before the home is sold. Moving appliances and fixtures is usually inconvenient and cost prohibitive due to plumbing issues. The most common generators of negative feng shui in the kitchen involve heat-generating appliances and their location relative to water-generating appliances and fixtures. Because the kitchen is a room filled with yang energy, which is represented by the fire element, it's important to balance these appliances for positive feng shui.
Feng Shui Remedy for Stove Facing Sink
Many kitchens are built with problematic feng shui in their kitchen sink and stove placement. When the sink is directly opposite or beside the stove, oven or range, it can generate negative chi energy. Other kitchen layouts place the refrigerator or freezer opposite or side by side these fire element appliances. These represent the conflicting elements of fire and water. If you can't move the appliances so they aren't opposite each other, there are few feng shui solutions.
- Place a potted plant, such as a small herb or jade plant, between the two conflicting appliance elements of water vs fire.
- Suspend a hanging plant between the two appliances.
- Hang a multi-faceted round crystal above the space between the two appliances.
- Suspend a six-hollow rod wind chime between a stove and appliance (refrigerator, freezer) or sink.
- Place a live, woody plant on top of the refrigerator.
- Suspend a multi-faceted crystal above the stove to disperse the chi generated by the fire element.
Stove and Sink on Same Wall Feng Shui Cures
The fire element that rules the stove and oven is at odds with the sink's water element, as water will dampen fire, resulting in an imbalance of energy. The stove and sink are only considered problematic if they're too close together--the most desirable distance in feng shui is at least one and half feet apart. To keep the yang energy flowing in your kitchen when the sink and stove are on the same wall, try the following cures.
- If the stove and sink are next to each other, consider a heat-safe divider between the two. The divider does not need to be tall, just high enough to symbolically separate the fire and water elements.
- Use a wooden dish drainer or other accessories around the sink to activate the earth element to soak up some of the water energy, when there's no room for a live plant between the two elements.
- Add dish cloths and kitchen linens to the sink area in earth element tones of soft yellow, brown, and adobe.
Inauspicious Shared Walls With Kitchen
There are instances when the kitchen shares a wall with another room that generates inauspicious energies, such as a bathroom. There are a few remedies for these situations that can act as a cure or have a weakening effect. Understanding how feng shui elements work with each other in a cycle is valuable in minimizing the effects of unbalanced energy in your kitchen.
Kitchen and Bathroom Share a Wall
It is inauspicious for the kitchen and bathroom to share the same wall. The negative chi is especially harmful when the stove and toilet are on opposite sides of the same wall. This means the negative energy of the waste water contaminates the energy of your food. This layout can impact the health of the family and the family finances.
Feng Shui Kitchen and Bathroom Shared Wall Cures
You can weaken this clash between the fire and water elements. Breaking this harmful cycle can improve financial and health concerns.
- Use wood objects on both sides of the wall to introduce the wood element. Wood weakens water while fueling the fire element. Place wooden plaques, wall hangings, sculptures, and other wooden objects on the walls.
- Paint both sides of the wall shared by the kitchen and bathroom wall a medium or light green color. Green is the color assigned to the wood element and is popular for kitchens, especially sage and mint green. Wood soaks up water and fuels fire.
- Separate the energies by hanging a mirror on each wall facing into each room. This will reflect the bathroom energy back into the bathroom and the kitchen fire energy back into the kitchen.
Feng Shui Cures for Bedroom Above Kitchen
This inauspicious configuration can affect the health energy of anyone sleeping above the kitchen area of the stove, oven, and/or range. You can to apply feng shui remedies to correct and lessen the negative effects of this layout.
If your bed is directly over the oven, range, or stove, you need to move the bed. You can follow feng shui rules for a correct bed placement.
- In the destructive cycle, the earth element destroys the fire element. Reinforce the earth element in the bedroom by adding pottery, ceramics, and/or crystals.
- Add a rug in an earth color of yellow, brown, or gray. The rug should be large enough to extend one foot or more beyond the bed.
- Use earth colored bed linens, making sure to avoid green (wood color) since wood feeds fire.
- You can use a traditional feng shui cure of placing a small round mirror (symbol of pool of water) face down underneath the bed and rug.
Feng Shui Cures for Bathroom Above Kitchen
A bathroom above a kitchen is highly inauspicious since the energy of the waste water flows down to the kitchen. You can remedy this placement using the cures used for a bedroom over the kitchen (above). There are additional cures that are effective specifically for bathrooms.
- Add plants to your bathroom or images of plants and foliage on the walls and rugs.
- Bring the color green into your bathroom decor and wall color.
- Using green and greenery can minimize the negative energy of wastewater flowing down to your kitchen.
Kitchen in Front of House
The ideal kitchen location is in the back of your home. A kitchen located in the front of the house, especially near the front door, is considered inauspicious, but moving the kitchen is almost never an option. However, there are a couple of cures that can lessen the negative effect.
- If the kitchen has a door, keep it closed at all times so the chi energy doesn't rush in when it first enters through the front door.
- A kitchen without a door can be protected by hanging a curtain to create a faux barrier.
- A folding screen can be placed to separate the kitchen from the front entrance.
Other Common Kitchen Problems and Cures
You can address other kitchen problems can with simple feng shui cures. Try one at a time to assess its effectiveness before proceeding to the next one.
- If you must stand with your back to the door when using the stove/range, then place a small round mirror so you can see behind you while you cook.
- Hang a multi-faceted crystal over a stove or range that's located underneath a window.
- If the stove/range is in the line of vision from the front door, keep the kitchen door closed or place a folding screen to block the view from the front door.
Positive Benefits of Feng Shui Kitchen Cures
A positive benefit of feng shui kitchen cures is that they can also improve the efficiency and enjoyment of your kitchen. If you're trying feng shui cures for your kitchen for the first time, start slowly by activating one out at a time to gauge their effectiveness at increasing positive energy and flow, before moving on to the next one.
