using blue: feng shui colour advice for your home

Feng shui will help you achieve a harmonious flow of energy in your environment that can positively support your health and lifestyle.

The use of colour around your home is very important in feng shui work. In this interview for Psychologies Magazine, Alexandra Lees shares her feng shui design advice and tips on how to best use the colour blue in any room.

“…Blue is typically a great colour to use to create a relaxing and contemplative atmosphere in most spaces…”

alex, what does blue mean in the world of feng shui?

In feng shui, every colour is considered to have a different Qi (Chi) energy vibration. Colour can be used in any space as a powerful way to rebalance and harmonise the energy of your surroundings so that it positively supports you and your lifestyle.

Blue is typically associated with the qualities of calm, peace, clarity and healing, and it is often linked with spirituality and the connection to our ‘higher-self’. It can be a great colour to use to create a relaxing and contemplative atmosphere in most spaces.

Feng shui also draws upon Chinese medicine Five-Elements theory. According to this theory, the colour blue relates to the Water element. This is why blue also has a ‘nourishing’ quality.

Just as water is essential for plants and trees, the Water characteristic of blue is thought to support the Wood energy areas of your space. The Black Hat Bagua Grid [see image below] tells us that the Wood areas are found in the middle-left and far-left areas of your space (your space could be an individual room or an entire floor of your home).

The Feng Shui Bagua Grid (image above)

Like clean, running water, the colour blue is also great for promoting personal clarity and inspiration. This is why in feng shui it is often used in ‘Knowledge and Personal Wisdom’ and ‘Career & Life Mission’ sectors – these are the near-left and near-centre Bagua areas of your space.

have you ever had any clients who have ‘felt blue’ and have you been able to relate this to them, say, wearing the wrong blue or surrounding themselves with the wrong blue?

If a feng shui or coaching client tells me they are feeling ‘blue’, down or depressed, then feng shui and their use of colour are certainly something I would consider as a subtle influencing factor, alongside looking at the more obvious go-to issues, such as their emotional health and lifestyle.

Feng shui is always about finding the appropriate harmonious balance and this principle also relates to the use and application of colour. An excessive use of any one colour can cancel out its positive qualities and create unfavourable results.

In Chinese medicine, the blue Water element relates to the Kidney and Bladder organs. If the energy of these organs tips out of balance this can trigger and exacerbate the emotions of ‘fear’ and ‘worry’. Using too much (or too little!) of the colour blue in your space can sometimes cause this to happen.

A common issue is when a client who loves blue uses it everywhere in their home and in their clothes and accessories etc. without restraint. What would normally be a home with both calming and serene qualities is then transformed into a place that has a draining atmosphere.

By selectively removing some blue from their home/clothes and introducing other harmonious colours, such as greens or greys, or small pops of Fire colour, such as reds, pinks and oranges, balance is restored.

Also, many people who lack confidence in themselves or their body will dress in dark blues and navy thinking it will make them appear slimmer or help them become part of the ‘background’ scenery.

When used like this, blue will act like an anchor that weighs down and exacerbates their unhelpful personal beliefs and self-doubt. Here I suggest balancing out the dark blues with whites and light creams and adding a pop of brighter accent colours to lift the energy and mood of the client.

does blue get a hard time for its negative connotations? Is it a case of choosing the ‘right’ blue or blue in the ‘right’ place? Are there some guidelines for this?

Dark black-blue often has negative connotations and in popular culture, it is often thought of as being rather unwelcoming or sinister.

In feng shui, the shade and tone of blue you choose, how much of it you use, and where you use it, will make a world of difference! Certainly, the use of dark cold blues in dark cold spaces will create a very heavy, uncomfortable and draining atmosphere.

By contrast, a brighter Sky Blue colour can be delightfully uplifting, energising and invigorating but in a lightly fizzy way rather than the more extreme energy kick you would get from a hot-pink.

Feng shui also teaches that the shade and tint of blue and where you use it really matters.

For example:

Dark blue in feng shui

A deeper dark blue, such as Royal Blue or Prussian Blue, has a robust and grounding Qi energy. It relates to security, quality, personal wisdom and serenity.

It is particularly helpful when used in areas of your home related to money management and family money – so the study, your desk or the kitchen table where you plan out your finances. It is the perfect colour for the ‘Wealth & Prosperity’ and ‘Knowledge & Personal Wisdom’ areas of the Bagua.

Mid and pale blue in feng shui

Pale Baby Blue or Powder Blue has an even softer and gentler energy than Sky Blue. This is why it’s great for bedrooms and nurseries and it’s very conducive to rest and a getting a good night’s sleep.

Turquoise and green-blue in feng shui

A turquoise-blue, with a hint of the green, combines the ‘growth’ properties of green with the nourishing qualities of blue. This means it an excellent colour for supporting your personal knowledge and self-cultivation.

It is great as an accent colour in home-studies, offices, or the spaces where you like to read or meditate. It is also perfect when used as an accent colour in the ‘Knowledge & Personal Wisdom’ Bagua area of your space.

what ‘blue advice’ do you have for clients and our readers?

With feng shui, you are always looking for the harmonious flow and balance of energy, and this principle also applies to how you use colour.

Here are some general tips for using blue:

#1 Use for Calm

Use blue in areas where you’d like to create a sense of calm and peace. You can selectively use accessories, furniture, walls paint and paper, fabrics and artwork to introduce blue.

#2 Combine Carefully

Blue is a Water colour. When creating a harmonious colour palate in a room or space, combine it with greens and greys, which are complimentary Wood colours. Take care when combining with reds, oranges and yellows, which are Fire colours. If used in excess, these Fire colours will overpower and clash with the Water energy of blue.

#3 Context is Everything

Blue is a generally a cool colour. Avoid using in dark or cold areas of your home, such as north-facing rooms or rooms with little natural light such as cellars, as this is likely to exacerbate the problem.

#4 Balance is Key

Don’t use blue to excess in your home – save it for where it will have the most positive impact, typically spaces for rest and self-improvement.

want more support

Learn more about Alex’s feng shui and mindful design work and how she can help you.

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