The kitchen plays a very important role in residential feng shui. When doing a feng shui analysis of a home, the three most important living areas to look at are (1) the front door, (2) the bedroom, and (3) the kitchen.
You may already know why your front door and bedroom are important. For those who don’t know, here is a brief explanation.
Reading: Feng shui kitchen sink and stove
The front door is the mouth of the house. it is where the qi enters, manifests and influences its occupants.
The bedroom is where we spend almost a third of our lives, so it is important to make sure that the bedroom is located in the right “place” so that the good energy benefits us.
so now, the kitchen. why the importance?
In short, it’s where feng shui energy interacts with fire, which can be used to suppress negative qi (and also positive qi, but hopefully that’s not the case). It is a very active area where we snack and prepare food and drinks.
here you will find 33 feng shui kitchen rules that I know or have heard of. Although I doubt the validity of some of these rules (as you will see later), I suggest that you follow some of these rules when applying feng shui to your kitchen.
placement and location of the kitchen
1. the kitchen should not be in the center of the house
As mentioned above, the kitchen is full of fire. with the kitchen in the center, it symbolizes “fire attacks the heart”, the center of the house being the “heart” due to its central location. this has the ability to bring down the luck of all the occupants of the house, causing instability and health problems.
There are also other practical considerations. If the kitchen is in the center, cancer-causing grease smoke and cooking fumes can easily travel throughout the house, including the bedroom. how would that make you feel?
2. Kitchen is NOT Suitable at Front of House
The kitchen is best located in the back of the house, just as the bedroom should be in the back of the house. Using the same concept, the kitchen should not be near the front door. that’s because the front door is at the “front” end of the house. but why is this?
In ancient times, the kitchen was likened to a source of wealth due to its function: to produce food. furthermore, because the amount of wealth (and/or prosperity) a family has is a private matter, the kitchen should be placed in the back so that it does not expose its wealth to the public. so if the kitchen is at the front of the house, there’s a chance the wealth is slipping away.
3. the kitchen is not suitable outside the house
as mentioned above, the kitchen function as the production of prosperity. having the main kitchen outside the house will make it difficult to accumulate prosperity qi.
Wealth is not the only aspect that will be affected. Some experts say that this setup can cause family members to live in different regions, making a family reunion difficult. However, this will not be a problem if you have an outdoor kitchen that’s barely used.
4. avoid cuisine in a specific northwest section
to be specific, the kitchen should not be located between 300 and 330 degrees northwest of the house (according to the compass). if so, just make sure the stove is not inside that section.
This is mainly because the northwest section correlates with the health of the father (or the male head of household). cooking in this place can cause various health problems, including headaches, high blood pressure, strokes, or other head-related illnesses. male residents older than the male head of household may also be affected.
The effects for women is not as harsh. Instead of health, social relationships will be negatively impacted, especially in terms of career promotions.
5. avoid cuisine in a specific southern section
To be specific, the kitchen should not be located between 165 and 195 degrees south of the house. if so, just make sure the stove is not inside that section.
with the kitchen in this place, the residents of the house tend to have a bad temper and social relationships will not be as desired.
however, if your kitchen stove is not between 165 and 195 degrees south, the effects are greatly reduced.
6. avoid cooking in a specific northern section
To be specific, the kitchen should be located between 345 and 15 degrees north of the house. if so, just make sure the stove is not inside that section.
Cooking in this place affects relationships between family members, including the family’s conjugal relationship.
just like cooking in the south, if your stove is not between 345 and 15 degrees north, the effects of this cooking are minimized.
7. the kitchen should not face the entrance door
technically, this applies if the kitchen stove faces the front door. however, I have included it here because some experts will say that the kitchen door should not face the front door, which would apply only to architectural design in certain countries. For example, in the United States, there isn’t actually a kitchen door, and so I would look for the stove instead of a kitchen door.
So here are the specifics of this rule. The front door and the kitchen door (or the stove) should not form a straight line. If you enter the front door and can see the stove or the kitchen on the side, then it’s not a big deal.
If the kitchen door or stove forms a straight line with the front door, then the Qi that enters the home will be demolished by the kitchen’s fire. Further, it is possible to experience health and financial problems. An easy remedy is to place a heavy furniture or a divider between the front door and the kitchen.
8. kitchen location according to your kua
I won’t go into detail here because it can get quite specific and lengthy.
In general, cooking fire energies have the ability to suppress negative qi due to their cooking and fire energies. therefore, good locations for the kitchen can be based on the unfavorable areas of your kua. that is, if you are in the western kua group, then the kitchen is suitable in the north, south, east and southeast of the house.
9. location of the kitchen based on the kua house
again, I won’t go into details.
Like a person’s kua, the house also has its own kua determined by the direction you sit and face.
The kua of the house can be interpreted in a similar way to the kua of the person, where there are four lucky and unlucky sectors. As a general rule, the kitchen should be located in one of the four unlucky sectors. its purpose will be to suppress the negative qi brought by that unfortunate sector.
10. location of the kitchen based on the bagua
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the kitchen brings a strong fire element, and its strength is much greater than the colors or shapes that are used to enhance the energy of fire.
That’s why you’ll also need to check the location of your kitchen on your bagua. you should check if there is a conflict with the element associated with that location. (water conflicts with fire and fire weakens wood)
Generally, South and Southwest are considered ideal Feng Shui spots for the kitchen according to the Bagua, as long as the stove is not within the narrow southern section indicated in #5 above. If it is at other locations, you’ll need to find remedies to balance the energy of that area.
11. the bathroom should not face the kitchen
This may be counterintuitive to some people.
The kitchen is where food is prepared. the bathroom is where bodily waste is disposed of. having the two in front of each other can stifle your appetite. after all, when was the last time the sight of a bathroom was inviting?
also, the bathroom is full of water element. having the two opposite each other brings about a conflict between the element of water and fire, which can potentially cause many kinds of disruptions in life. the easy cure in this situation is to close the bathroom door. make it a habit!
12. the kitchen is not suitable next to the bathroom
Like the previous rule, this rule has more to do with how bathrooms affect people’s appetites.
The bathroom doesn’t have to be directly across from the kitchen for someone to lose their appetite. they may be within vision. they can be next to each other. in fact, I know some people find it disgusting to know that food is prepared next to the bathroom.
Companies understand this. that’s why supermarkets often hide toilets in plain sight. this way, people won’t be upset and food sales won’t suffer.
13. the kitchen should not overlook the bedroom
In my opinion, the reasoning here has more to do with hygiene than feng shui.
Cooking produces fatty smoke, which is known to cause health problems. imagine having to inhale that toxic gas even when you sleep. how would that affect your health? Also, the smell of food can linger in the bedroom, which I know can hurt some people’s quality of sleep. the easy cure is to close the bedroom door when cooking and keep the kitchen (or other areas) well ventilated.
14. the kitchen is not suitable under the bedroom
If a kitchen stove is right below your bedroom, some say the energy from the fire can cause insomnia or liver problems.
Although I have my doubts on this one, many Feng Shui experts advise against this placement. I personally have slept above a kitchen stove for years. Perhaps I was young and didn’t feel its effects, or perhaps the energy couldn’t rise to the bed because of the high ceiling in the kitchen.
15. “the kitchen is not proper in the west”
I put this in quotes because I have big doubts about it.
As far as I know, there is a saying that the kitchen is not suitable in the west sector because it tends to have a higher ambient temperature (caused by the sunset). Because of this, food has a greater tendency to spoil, creating additional health risks.
this may be true in ancient times. today, however, we have the refrigerator where food can be stored for days (or weeks) without spoiling. That’s why I have great doubts about this rule.
feng shui for kitchen stove
16. the kitchen stove is not suitable under the toilet
The idea here is that the energy of the water in the toilet can affect the energy of the fire in the stove. this only applies if the stove is directly below the toilet bowl. plus, it’s not a concern if the ceiling is high and separates the two of you far apart. the suggested height is 15 feet, according to a recognized expert.
if this is your situation and your ceiling is not high enough, the remedy is to move the stove to another location. however, this can be expensive. if you’re not experiencing significant setbacks in life, I don’t think this cure is necessary.
17. stoves in a central island
There is a bit of debate around this. Here, I’ll share why some experts prefer center-island stoves.
Having the stove to the center island allows the cook to prepare meal in a command position, which is preferable. This is similar to having the bed placed in command position, which gives you a sense of security because you have vision of the whole kitchen area (and perhaps the living room).
18. have a wall at the back of the stove
here is the other side of the story of the above rule. Most Asian feng shui experts say that the stove on a center island is bad feng shui because it doesn’t have its back against the wall.
The stove is the key element of the kitchen, just like the bed for the bedroom, the desk for the study room and the sofa for the living room. everyone should have their back against the wall. Some say that an island stove setup makes it difficult to accumulate wealth, get married, or have children. another renowned expert says that qi can come from multiple angles into the stove and affect the food, leading to health problems.
Contradictory information from different experts may be due to architectural differences and preferences on different continents. Personally, I would prefer a configuration where the stove has a wall behind it.
19. direction of the stove according to its kua
Earlier, we talked about kitchen placement based on your kua and the kua of your house. here, we are only talking about your kua and the stove.
Not to mention the specifics, your stove should be facing one of your lucky directions. Just to be clear, the cooktop’s facing direction is the opposite direction you face when cooking.
20. stove in front of the kitchen door
This mainly applies to architectural designs in Asia where the kitchen is walled in rather than in an open area.
According to a renowned feng shui master, having the kitchen door directly in front of the stove is like a small t-joint in front of the stove. the incoming qi from the gate is said to affect the food and thus your health. the simple (if simple) remedy is to move the stove to another location.
21. location and direction of the stove in relation to the direction of the house
here is a rule that is not commonly seen.
if the stove is in the back of the house and its direction is opposite to the direction of the house, then there is the possibility of losing large amounts of wealth. again, the cooktop’s facing direction is the opposite direction you face when cooking.
one thing to keep in mind is the address of the house. in some cases, it is not the same address as the front door address.
22. avoid beams above stove or kitchen area
Lightning is notorious in feng shui because it brings suppressive qi. although beams can be cured with large plants that grow upwards, plants are not suitable in the kitchen area.
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Lightning not only harms the person preparing the food, but can also cause fluctuations in qi. As a result, the feng shui of the stove can be violently affected, bringing ups and downs for the family.
Please note: false beams have no effect in Feng Shui simply because they are “false.”
23. stove in front of the water element
This happens when the kitchen sink and stove face each other and form a straight line. (For more on the five elements of other kitchen appliances, see the last rule in this article.)
When this happens, the water element of the sink and the fire element of the stove will come into conflict. having this configuration can bring health problems, lovers’ fights or a decrease in intimacy between lovers.
If the stove cannot be moved, an island can be placed in the middle. another expert mentioned that the wood element can be used as a cure, such as placing a green rug or rug between the stove and the sink.
24. stove next to the water element
again, this has to do with the clash between water and the fire element. only applies to sink and stove.
The clash between water and fire exists only when the stove and sink are next to each other, which can cause relationship problems such as infidelity. If the sink and the stove are 1 – 2 feet apart, you do not have a problem with the clash between water and fire.
25. small kitchen appliances are mini stoves
Not many experts mention this, but I’ve read that kitchen feng shui can also be applied to other kitchen appliances like the oven, microwave, or rice cooker. they can be counted as mini stoves, and applying feng shui to them can help mitigate undesirable stove or stove locations.
One way to apply feng shui to these appliances is to use their kua number. if possible, you’ll want the device to face your lucky directions.
but location is just one thing. you will also need to use these appliances to prepare food. In other words, using them as decorations will have no feng shui effect.
26. no matter the number of stoves
some people are experts in numerology. however, feng shui has little to do with numerology.
That said, it doesn’t matter how many stoves you have. also, whether the stove should use gas or electricity depends on personal preference and not feng shui.
other feng shui kitchen etiquettes
27. the mirror is not suitable in the kitchen
The kitchen is usually not a suitable place for mirrors. That’s because mirrors have the ability to amplify the energy of the fire element, which can cause imbalance and fluctuations in your life.
Further, kitchen is said to have bad Feng Shui energy. Having a mirror there can amplify those energies. You wouldn’t want that, do you?
28. “Do leaky faucets cause loss of wealth?”
There is a saying that a leaky faucet causes an outflow of wealth. That’s because some experts equate water with wealth, and a leaky faucet is akin to an outflow of wealth qi.
however, I personally don’t think leaky faucets lead to a wealth drain. it is true, however, that your water bill will increase unnecessarily. perhaps this is what losing wealth meant?
29. keep the kitchen well ventilated
The kitchen is where you prepare food. that’s where cancer-causing cooking fumes and grease smoke are produced. (which is also why the kitchen is said to have bad feng shui energies). this is especially true if sautéing is your preferred cooking method.
Keep the kitchen well ventilated so other areas of your home don’t fill with the harmful gas produced by cooking.
30. “open knives is bad feng shui”
Knives are sharp objects. Strictly speaking, it should have its own form of xa qi (negative feng shui energy) due to its shape: a sharp edge. that’s why some people feel uncomfortable when they are in sight.
However, not all Feng Shui practitioners think that this is a Feng Shui practice. According to a renowned Feng Shui expert, organizing knives in knife block or magnetized knife block is not harmful or bad Feng Shui. In other words, there’s no need to keep your knives hidden from plain sight.
31. cleaning and hygiene
Again, the kitchen is where the food is prepared. For this reason, food remains can remain in various corners of our kitchen, derived from activities such as cutting green onions, tenderizing meat or putting food on our plates.
If these food scraps are not cleaned up, bacteria will grow and can cause hygiene problems. In addition, these food remains, if not cleaned, can attract insects or even rodents.
In short, if you don’t keep your kitchen clean, the negative feng shui that the kitchen brings can be worse than your bathroom!
other feng shui kitchen tips
32. Are there suitable colors for the kitchen?
According to a renowned feng shui expert, using blue as your kitchen color theme would not be a problem. In other words, the energy of the water element that brings the color blue would not collide with the fire element that produces the kitchen.
Of course, it’s very popular to select a kitchen color based on where it is on the bagua. but this is my suggestion: choose the colors you like best.
33. do not overclassify the elements water and fire
some experts believe that all kitchen appliances have their five elements. however, there are other experts who would tell you not to overclassify such objects for feng shui purposes.
for example, some say that water and fire would collide if the stove is right next to the refrigerator (or if they are across from each other, like the sink). however, electronics can also be considered fire. So what element is really the refrigerator?
The tip here is to ask you NOT to over-classify things according the Five Elements, or else you’ll just be confusing yourself endlessly!
conclusion
kitchen feng shui is essential when you want feng shui in your home. According to experts, the stove placed in improper places can cause health problems because bad qi can influence the quality of food. Additionally, the negative feng shui energies produced by the kitchen can be used to suppress other negative feng shui elements depending on you and the Kua number in your home.
Although kitchen feng shui is important, it is only one part of home feng shui. If you really want to benefit from feng shui, I suggest you find a consultant instead of doing it yourself.
have you applied any of these feng shui rules and tips? how have they worked for you? let me know in the comments below!