Using Colors in Feng Shui

The easiest way to create (or shift) Feng Shui in any environment is through color. There are 5 Feng Shui elements - Fire, Earth, Metal, Water, and Wood - and each color represents one of those 5 elements. Here is a basic guide to Feng Shui elements and the colors that represent them.

WATER - Career and/or Life Path (Ease, Freshness, and Abundance)
Colors: Blue and Black

Blue is calming, and ideal for an area where you meditate or sleep. Black isn't a commonly used color, but used in small amounts is excellent for absorbing bad energies and keeping good energies pure. Both are great for use in rooms like offices or studies. Lighter blues are often used in bedrooms, paired with deep browns.

EARTH - Spiritual Growth, Love, and Marriage (Nourishment and Stability)
Colors: Sand, Beige, Light Yellow

Yellow stands for tolerance and authority. Sand and beige are neutral, earthy colors, and promote a connection with Earth and Mother Nature. These colors are often used in any room of a house, though yellow should be reserved for rooms where you want to exert authority and promote energy, such as workout rooms or kitchens.

METAL - Blessings, Children, and Creativity (Clarity and Preciseness)
Colors: Grey and White

Grey means transition and connection, while white is purity, and also sometimes associated with spirituality. Grey is often used for garages, to symbolize the transition from inside to the outdoors. White is a popular pick for nurseries, paired with soft pastels.

FIRE - Reputation and/or Fame (Passion and High Energies)
Colors: Bright Yellow, Red, Orange, Purple

Red stands for truth and power, and is ideal for any room that you work in. It also stands for passion, so it is ideal for the bedroom, but only as an accent, as too much can make you restless. Purple represents royalty and majesty, and works well with red to promote wealth. Orange is another color best used as an accent, and in places where you want to promote energy.

WOOD - Health, Prosperity and Wealth (Health and Vitality)
Colors: Green and Brown

Green is most commonly associated with money, but also promotes health. If you're not fond of green, some well-placed accents will do. Brown represents nourishment and balance.

While many go by an energy map of a home (known as Ba-Gua or Pakua), you can also choose not to be as technical, and go instead for the energy you want that suits a particular room. However, the key in any Feng Shui is harmony and balance, so using too much of one color can have just as negative an impact as not having that color at all.

Try choosing paints that compliment each other, and don't be afraid to use vibrant colors. If you're a renter or for whatever reason can't paint in your home, you can just as easily get some of the benefits of Feng Shui using your chosen color in accents around your home, such as photos, knick knacks, and art.