How to Enhance Your Life Using Feng Shui Color Principles

Posted in Color, Feng Shui, Lifestyle on January 5, 2023

“Color improves our personality and temperament, both of which are aspects of our ch’i (translated from the Chinese as the human spirit, energy, or cosmic breath). Everyone possesses a different ch’i. Ideally, it should flow smoothly throughout our bodies, rising upward through our heads.” This is something that authors Lin Yun and Sarah Rossbach explore in one of my favorite Feng Shui design books, Living Color: Master Lin Yun’s Guide to Feng Shui and the Art of Color. It means that we can elevate our behavior, find balance, get motivated, and improve health all through the use of color.

This topic seems particularly relevant as we start a brand new year, a time when everyone is looking to improve their lives. And it makes for a perfect complement to the latest color trends in design. For 2023, Sherwin Williams’ Color of the Year is Redend Point, a dusty rose/sand color, in the red family. An earthy hue, Redend Point pairs well with other earth tones. Benjamin Moore’s Color of the Year is Raspberry Blush, another red tone. It looks just like the color of a raspberry right before it fully ripens, a reddish-orange shade that looks great with neutrals, mossy green, jade, or deep blue.

Now, how can color enhance our life? According to Yun, the five elements—wood, fire, earth, metal, and water—have corresponding colors. Understanding the elements can improve our ch’i by discovering where we are deficient or in excess of each element. For example, if someone is a chronic liar, they need more earth element, which is associated with trustworthiness. Adding more earth colors, like yellow, orange, and brown, can cure lying and cheating. Someone who is paranoid can wear clothing or decorate their space with more black, which corresponds with the water element, bringing more clarity and wisdom.

You can even consider complementary colors—the colors across from each other on the color wheel—as accents or accessories to enhance the personality trait we are striving for (see the color wheel to the right). For example, red and green are complementary colors.

The concepts in Yun’s book can also be applied to physical ailments. For example, a sore throat may be the result of too much fire element, so black, the color of water, may soothe your pain.

According to Yun, the Chinese believe our ch’i is constantly changing, and that both our bodies and homes can have good ch’i. When our ch’i is weak, we attract negativity and misfortune. The color red is a great color for strengthening our ch’i, as it is symbolic of longevity and happiness.

I recommend checking out this book to dive deeper into these concepts and see what they can do to enhance your life. You can also check out the Feng Shui Bagua to manifest specific intentions; this tool is closely related to the five elements and to color. My upcoming book, Change Your Space to Change Your Life, has an entire chapter dedicated to the Bagua. While it’s fun to explore the color trends, do what speaks to you; use colors in your space that you love. Using color for improvement and healing can set you up for a better life.

If you would like to further explore color concepts, contact me for a color consultation.

Warm regards,

Julie Ann