Feeling off at home? Feng Shui says it might be your wall colour
Ahram online sheds light on the concept of Feng Shui and the effect of various colours in interior design on our wellbeing and the energy we feel.
The energy of a home goes far beyond its layout or lighting. According to Feng Shui principles, colour plays a vital — and often underestimated — role in shaping the emotional and psychological atmosphere of a space.
"Colour is not just decorative," architectural designer and Feng Shui expert Sally Riyad told Ahram Online. "It carries energetic weight. When chosen consciously, it can foster aesthetic harmony and emotional well-being."
Feng Shui, the ancient Chinese art of spatial balance, is based on five elemental energies: earth, water, metal, fire, and wood.
Each corresponds to specific colours — and each can nourish or disrupt a room's energy, depending on how it's used.
Too much metal? The room feels cold.
Too much fire? Tensions rise.
Designing with intention
A good Feng Shui design starts with understanding a room's purpose, its proportions, the number of occupants, and the available budget. From there, colour becomes a key tool — not just for style, but for balance.
Entryways, Riyad notes, should be calming and cleansing. Soft neutrals like white, beige, and light violet create an inviting energy, while green, often introduced through plants, helps absorb negative energy from outside. "Green is the colour of love and inner peace," she says. "It's incredibly grounding."
Black and white, foundational colours in Feng Shui, reflect the yin-yang dynamic, opposites that together create equilibrium. Black, often seen as heavy or sombre, also suggests depth and sophistication. White, aligned with the metal element, offers clarity, peace, and neutrality, making it a reliable choice for nearly any space.
Colour with purpose
Each colour in Feng Shui carries emotional and elemental associations:
Yellow: A symbol of sunlight and optimism. It stimulates creativity and focus, especially effective in children's bedrooms.
Blue: Calming and expansive, it draws on the energy of sky and sea. Ideal for home offices or quiet areas. Turquoise, in particular, is said to interact with emotional auras to boost positivity.
Red: Linked to fire and vitality, it symbolises abundance and action. Best used in kitchens or as accents — think cushions or curtains — rather than full walls. In homes prone to conflict, Riyad warns, red's intensity may heighten emotional responses.
Violet: A blend of red and blue, it bridges warmth and coolness. Light violet tones foster introspection and peace; darker shades offer energy and creativity.
Orange: Warm, welcoming, and social — ideal for dining spaces, as it stimulates appetite and conversation. Similar tones like salmon and soft yellow serve a similar purpose.
Brown: Representing the earth element, brown conveys security, stability, and warmth — making it a natural choice for bedrooms. Wood finishes, too, are encouraged for promoting fairness and harmony in relationships.
Meanwhile, grey — often a go-to in contemporary design — gets a cautionary note in Feng Shui.
Riyad advises moderation: "Grey, if overused, can attract stagnation or even illness. It needs the company of stronger tones to bring it back to life — red, yellow, or violet, for instance."
Balancing the spectrum
Ultimately, achieving harmony in a home involves blending opposites: cool and warm tones, neutrals and vivid hues. White, black, and grey form a quiet foundation; green and blue cool the senses; red, yellow, orange, and violet bring heat and dynamism.
Nature, Riyad notes, offers the best guide.
"Look to a forest, a desert, or a coastline. The palette is always balanced — and it's never dull."
Incorporating Feng Shui principles into interior colour choices doesn't mean abandoning personal style. Rather, it encourages a more mindful approach, one that aligns beauty with energy and creates a home that feels as good as it looks.
From : Al-Ahram