How Bathroom Lighting Can Affect Feng Shui

According to feng shui, bathrooms can have a surprisingly strong effect on your home, mood, and well-being. Feng shui expert and interior designer Julie Schuster explained to Greatist, "From a traditional feng shui perspective, bathrooms have a bad reputation as they are thought to drain and flush away positive energy. This is because Chi, or positive energy, is represented by water, which will either sit stagnant or flow out bathroom pipes and drains."

Your bathroom should be a peaceful, relaxing place where you can purify your body, rejuvenate your spirit, and shed negative energy. Some ways to keep the bathroom positive in feng shui are to use efficient plumbing, keep the toilet seat closed, and declutter surfaces frequently. However, many homeowners and even avid feng shui enthusiasts forget about the importance of lighting. How might recess lighting, sunny windows, or pendant lamps change the vibe in your bathroom? And what can you do to correct sources of stress? Check out these tips for promoting healthy chi through your bathroom lighting. 

One of the biggest rules for feng shui is to avoid hanging light fixtures like pendant lights or chandeliers. Hanging lights are considered unlucky anywhere in your home, but they're especially damaging in the bathroom where energy is already precarious. Recessed ceiling lights, torchières, or wall sconces are a better option, but they should only really be used in the morning to boost energy and help you apply makeup or skincare products. Install a dimmer switch with these types of lights to avoid overwhelming the room in the evening. 

Julie Schuster said, "Ensure your bathroom receives plenty of sunlight and fresh air — both are wonderful disinfectants and natural energy boosters," (via Greatist). Natural light is also key for keeping healthy plants in the bathroom, which have an extremely positive effect on your chi. However, too much light in the bathroom can generate anger and hostility, so it's important to have balance. Large, bare windows can impact the sense of privacy in your bathroom, raising tension, weakening your chi, and projecting negative vibes. To remedy this, hang lightweight curtains or apply a frosted window tint to any large windows. Blinds are another good option in feng shui, but stick to horizontal blinds, as vertical blinds also project harmful energy.

You can't always change the windows or light fixtures your bathroom, but you can still influence your chi with ambient touches, starting with in your lightbulbs. Ideally, you should use lightbulbs with a warm cast in peaceful areas like the bathroom, and save cool-toned lights for energetic areas like the living room or home office. Cold lighting can have a tendency to feel powerful and sterile, bringing too much yang energy into a space where yin should preside. Warm-toned lights around the vanity or shower area will tone down chaotic energy. 

To create even more feelings of calmness and renewal in your bathroom, opt for ambient lighting wherever possible. Lamps, candles, and lanterns should be placed around your bathroom so that all of the dark corners can be softly illuminated. Small, warm light sources are ideal to use at night to invite relaxing yin energy into your home before bed. Because bathrooms are mostly water-centric, fire from candles helps to balance the flow of energy through the space. Plus, they give your bathroom a spa-like appeal that will soften your mood and relax your eyes. For the best results, choose all-natural candles that match your wall color or opt for a soothing shade like white or orange.