Feng Shui in the Kitchen

Most American homeowners now know that Feng Shui is a Chinese style of arranging items in the home in order to create harmony. Literally translated as "wind-water", the discipline of Feng Shui is gaining popularity around the globe, not just with homeowners looking for harmony in their lives, but with those who simply want a decorating scheme that is beautiful, practical, and in many cases, affordable.

Kitchen Feng Shui is considered to be extremely important as kitchens are one of the most important gathering places for family and friends. If you've been considering a remodel, taking a look at some of the guidelines for a Feng Shui kitchen might give you some interesting ideas for your home.

Kitchen Feng Shui Tips for Organization
Though when most people think of Feng Shui, they imagine adding plants, mirrors, and the like, a lot of the discipline focuses not on adding to what you have, but improving the quality of what is already there. A clean environment is a harmonious environment, which is why Feng Shui teachings recommend that kitchen cabinets be spring-cleaned regularly, and should be well-organized, uncluttered, and easily accessible.

Get rid of all unnecessary clutter because it attracts stagnant chi. You should only have items in the kitchen that are used regularly and do not get in the way. This means that not only will you have easier access to the things you use often, but you'll probably have more counter and storage space to work with, which will make preparing food and cleaning up easier. Certainly, you don't have to throw away items that aren't used often, but if you have an ice cream maker that you only use part of the year taking up valuable cabinet space, it might be a good idea to find a more suitable place to store it.

One of the nice things about the organizational part of kitchen Feng Shui is that it may cost you little or nothing to implement. Feng Shui kitchens may be the most economical remodels in the home improvement industry!

Materials for Kitchen Feng Shui
A Feng Shui ordered kitchen also deals with the actual materials that are found there. Where modern construction and decorating often uses hard corners and metal or synthetic materials, Feng Shui is characterized by rounded edges and natural materials that have been used for hundreds (even thousands) of years. If you are building from scratch, Feng Shui also has suggestions on where doors and running water should be placed.

Feng Shui teaches that cork and wood are ideal for kitchen floors and surfaces, while stainless steel appliances and ceramic tiles can create fast-moving chi. This may not be ideal if you want to spend a lot of time in your kitchen because it may leave you feeling drained or tired. Many find that (aside from the benefits of slowing down all that chi) having natural wood surfaces in the kitchen creates a unique appearance and adds a comfortable feel to the room. If you're considering a wood floor in your kitchen, however, make sure to have a good long talk with your flooring contractor about what you can do to prevent moisture damage, as wood flooring is more susceptible to excessive water than more common kitchen floor materials.