Feng Shui Colours – Roses are Red

Red is associated with the element of Fire in Feng Shui. It is in the Fame and Reputation, and Love and Marriage sectors. It is my least favourite colour as I feel jangled if I wear the colour or am surrounded by it. Others love any shade and prefer it to my choice of blue and aqua. However; in Feng Shui, red represents passion, energy and life. Elements of it can activate the right areas in your space but it can also add fire for arguments and over stimulation – makes sense!

No – You Don’t Have to Paint a Door Red !

Many will have read that you need to paint your front door red. This isn’t necessarily the best recommendation or even practical. Many of us have our front door opening in to either our Water or Metal area in the Bagua map. This means fire puts out water and melts metal in the Chi cycle. A red bedroom door could be effective if your bedroom is in the Fame and Fortune area but I haven’t seen a bedroom in this sector.

Shades of Red

For those of us who are not fans of the colour, you can use softer burgundy colours and touches of a rose-red in accessories, flowers, cushions and even books. It is also the Fire element and using red candles, lampshades in different shades can be equally effective. Red and fire are partners with Wood and Earth with shades of green and orange tones. The cycle of wood needing earth to grow in, wood feeding fire and then ash going back to earth is part of Feng Shui philosophy.

Career & Life Harmony

This is a water area and often a front door entrance. I wouldn’t recommend Red here or fire elements. However, I know people who have a burgundy entrance and it is effective as all of the five elements exist, in the right places according to the Bagua map. This is setting up the cycle of Chi – earth grows wood which generates fire and earth, metal polishes earth and water polishes metal and helps wood to grow. If the right balance is achieved with no singular element dominating, it can work but it needs careful consideration.

Inner Knowledge

Inner Knowledge is all about growth and self discovery and the earth element is key in this sector. A touch of red in this area could generate activity but it wouldn’t be the best the place as this area is about tranquility.

Family & Health and Weather & Prosperity

Being a wood sector, a touch of red could generate activity and I have seen good use of red and green in this area. That being said, my Berlin kitchen is in this area and the oven and hot plates add enough of the fire energy without adding red as a colour. If you would like to consider a touch of red here, use vegetables and small accessories to generate activity.

Fame & Reputation

The key element here is Fire, and Wood elements feed fire. Green is an ideal combination with reds and oranges. This doesn’t necessarily mean you paint the whole area red! I am not a fan of hot colours; however, I have placed in this sector a Chinese money chest with artwork of harvests and growth and I use flowers that usually include reds, oranges and green foliage.

Relationships

There is an Earth element here with the colours of rose and yellow and red is a colour that can be used here as it is seen to generate passion and activity! However, it is also recommended that the red is carefully selected and balanced with other elements as it can lead to arguments. I have often seen navy and red children’s bedrooms which immediately says water and fire – two clashing elements with water dousing fire but fire activating the room. My friend quickly repainted in soft yellows and greens (earth and wood) and her child became a better sleeper.