The Art  of Feng Shui Can Help in Your Kitchen
Spring Home & Garden

By Tracy Boyce

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This spring, if you are looking for a way to renovate your kitchen and also make it a place that is full of life and positive energy, then you might want to think about the art of feng shui.

Feng shui (pronounced fung shway) literally means “wind water.” The idea of feng shui is to have good movement (wind) and containment (water) of chi. Chi is life force and energy. Chi is in all objects, both tangible and intangible.

By using feng shui to make a few changes in the set-up of your kitchen, you will not only have a room that looks different, but feels different, too. Have you ever noticed that at the parties and get-togethers in your home, no matter how carefully you have planned for the traffic flow, everyone always ends up in the kitchen? Why is that?

People have always instinctively gathered where meals are prepared, whether it was outside, huddled around an open pit, or inside, sitting near the hearth. Thus, it is not surprising that the kitchen is at the heart of the home. Though we have become more concerned with how we present our food than on how we prepare it, food is still the sustenance of life. It is fuel for our “engines.”

With that said, it makes sense that what goes on in the kitchen has a great impact on our health. We not only look to the quality of the food, but also to its preparation. The health of the cook also affects the food. The energy of the cook goes into the food during preparation. This food, in turn, goes into our stomachs. Therefore, we want the cook to be happy so this positive energy is passed through our food into us.

The overall “flavor” of the kitchen should be functional, comfortable and inviting. From a feng shui point of view, we want a good balance to enhance the health and wealth of the family. To many people health is wealth, but I am referring to wealth in a financial sense.

Wealth is represented by the stove, especially the number of burners on a stovetop. The more burners, the greater the wealth of the family. The stove should be placed in a good position for the cook, which is facing the doorway. If this is not possible than a remedy is to place a mirror against the backsplash or wall so no one can sneak up on the cook. This also enhances the wealth aspect because the reflection doubles the wealth.

The kitchen is of the earth element and the earth is represented by square shapes, so the best shapes for a kitchen are square or rectangular.

Lighting in the kitchen is also very important. We want a good yin (dark) and yang (light) ratio—windows to wall or cabinet space. Since we can’t have sunlight 24 hours a day, seven days a week, it is important to create a lighting scheme that seems natural. The lighting should correspond with the feeling of the room. Also it is important to have proper “task lighting” in the cooking and chopping areas.
Here are some other tips on how to bring good feng shui into kitchen:

1. Keep the kitchen clutter free. Countertops should be as clear as possible.

2. Use natural products such as wood, marble and stone for cabinets, surfaces and floors.

3. Have fresh fruit beautifully displayed. It is a better snack choice and more likely to be eaten when readily available.

4. When choosing a design theme for the kitchen, keep it simple. Plan out the kitchen with your personal needs and lifestyles in mind. The kitchen should be set up to work for you.

5. A center island is always good. It can act as a command post for the cook who is in charge of the kitchen. The space invites people to gather, socialize, and hopefully help the cook! Edges of the island should be rounded. Sharp corners are not advised.

6. Clean with nontoxic products when possible. A suggestions for cleaning sinks is to sprinkle baking soda, pout white vinegar, watch it bubble and then wipe. Lemon juice is another antiseptic cleanser.

7. Plan the major appliances in a triangular pattern. For good feng shui, we like to keep the elements of fire and water in check. The stove should not be directly next to or in front of the sinks so these elements don’t conflict.

8. Maintain everything in good working order, since the kitchen represents wealth of the household. A leaking faucet could indicate money going down the drain. Nonfunctioning burners could indicate financial shortcomings.

9. Keep a plant near the sink. It is good for uplifting the drain chi.

10. Give up the microwave. Try it for just one week. It is not as hard as it seems.