Feng Shui: habitat’s medicine, in short
Feng Shui, literally translated as “wind and water”, is the ancient Chinese art of designing an environment in harmony and balance with nature. The wind is associated with energy and movement, the water instead makes us think of peace and rest.
This dualism reflects the Taoist principle of Yin and Yang, or opposites that attract and complement each other and are associated with any element on Earth.
In this way, even space becomes the result of two opposing polarities that interact, determining the quality of a space and a house.
When one of the two energies prevails over the other, a fundamental balance is lost for the well-being of those who occupy these places. Feng Shui is proposed as a medicine for the habitat by resolving these disagreements and restoring balance.
How to arrange kitchen furniture according to Feng Shui principles
For Feng Shui, the state of the kitchen is directly related to the state of health, wealth and happiness of the person. It is important to know how to create good energy in the kitchen and how to maintain it over time, at all times.
Yin and Yang generated 5 elements (water, metal, wood, fire, earth) which then produced all things. Each of these 5 elements is associated with a cardinal point, a season, a colour, a material and a shape.
The arrangement of kitchen furniture should follow the principle of the 5 elements: sink (water) to the north, ovens / hob (fire) to the south, pantry (wood) to the east.
According to Feng Shui, it is very important not to have your back to the door while carrying out an activity, in order to be able to control who enters and to have full control over the environment.
Therefore, the hob must be positioned so those that cook can see people entering. Ovens, in theory, should not be placed in a corner of the room, as this location limits freedom of movement.
Oriental culture has a deep respect for the moment and activity of food preparation and from here derives the maximum attention of Feng Shui to create a space in which those who cook have full control of the room and not be disturbed by other people.
It is not always possible to create an optimal arrangement, designed ad hoc for Feng Shui principles, due to the many constraints that any space can impose on us: architectural features, installations and drains that cannot be moved, small space dimensions.
Slightly more difficult cases, solved in full harmony.
Feng Shui comes to our aid with precious precautions even in these difficult cases, related to mandatory provisions. For example, if the hob needs to be in an unfavourable position (in the corner or with the back door of the kitchen), you could use green plants as a solution to soften the living edges or even mirrors to facilitate a better view of the surrounding space.
The water elements are the sink and the refrigerator. They must be placed as far away from the ovens as possible or at least separated from them by a wooden element, such as shelves or furniture. Wood, the latter material is an element of control over the destructive relationship between water and fire.
When the table is in the kitchen, it should be positioned away from the cooking area and facing east or south, cardinal points that symbolise growth and good harmony.
Feng Shui does not recommend having a bathroom superimposed on the kitchen or the bathroom door in front of it.
This last precaution is also recommended in building common sense interiors, to avoid unpleasant invasions of odour and in accordance with hygiene standards.
According to Feng Shui, it is also not desirable to see the kitchen as soon as you enter the house, which should instead be more secluded or screened.
Lighting and colors in the kitchen according to Feng Shui
Very important, as in design of standard interiors, is the lighting of the kitchen worktop, where the cleanliness and realistic appearance of the elements must be rendered to perfection.
An optimal light that allows you to see the dirt and condition of the food you prepare is absolutely white: the yellow light changes colors and you may not see correctly if a product is spoiled. For the colour of the worktop, Feng Shui suggests the use of white, a symbol of purity and very bright, combined with the colour corresponding to the orientation of the room.
Chromotherapy in the kitchen favors some colors over others, which are: orange, yellow, green, blue, white. The reasons for this choice? We present them below.
Orange: is perfect in the kitchen to stimulate the appetite (it is actually an antianorexic). This color represents happiness, joy and vitality, induces calm and enthusiasm and is an effective remedy against depression and pessimism. It also stimulates the thyroid, recharges those who feel tired and has a regenerating action on the nervous system. Its liberating action on physical and mental functions leads to relaxation.
Yellow: the kitchen is an active and dynamic area, and yellow is one of the ideal colors in this context, due to its warming, energizing and appetizing action. Yellow is the colour of the rising sun!
Green: this colour, classified as cold, has a very strong balancing action, more than any other color. Green soothes, regenerates, refreshes. Its appeal to nature return the plant world increases the ability to bring balance.
Blue: excels in all colors for its relaxing and anti-stress action. In the kitchen, however, it is better to choose vibrant and saturated shades of this colour.
White: cleanliness, order and hygiene go hand in hand with white. In fact, there are features related to this color in a natural way. White can be chosen in different shades, such as cream or ivory, and matches contrasting elements, such as a piece of wooden furniture or a refrigerator with a bright, ingenious color and high impact.
