The Chandelier Mistake You Need To Avoid, According To Feng Shui

When many people picture their dream home, they might imagine a grand entryway with a gorgeous chandelier welcoming guests into the foyer. After all, who doesn't love the way chandeliers glimmer and gleam in the light? While both new and vintage chandeliers may be beautiful, they aren't always the best lighting choice if you're concerned about your home's feng shui. Tapered and pointy chandeliers, in particular, are dangerous because they send out poison arrows toward anyone unfortunate enough to walk below them. This is why you should never hang a sharp chandelier or low pendant light at the entrance to your home.

Light fixtures in general are a tricky subject in feng shui, and hanging the wrong light in the wrong area can have serious consequences for your health, wealth, and happiness. Luckily, it's still possible to style some chandeliers and pendant lights in a way that won't harm your home's feng shui. Here's what you need to know about the negative forces projected by sharp chandeliers and how you can encourage positive energy through your home's lighting.

It's a well-known rule in feng shui that sharp angles should be used with caution. Whether in lighting, furniture, or building architecture, sharp corners and edges shoot out poison arrows, or "cutting chi." When you hang a tapered chandelier or sharp pendant light, you're creating a giant poison arrow than sends negative, chaotic energy down into your home. Large, low-hanging pendant lights can have a similar effect by creating a depressive downward pressure. In feng shui, low-hanging lights are considered to bring bad luck to the home and anyone in the space.

Most people want their front entryway to feel like a welcoming space, but poison arrows can make guests feel uneasy, agitated, and defensive as soon as they walk in the door, as if dozens of fingers are pointing straight at them. According to Red Lotus Letter, poison arrows can even be damaging to health, limit your wealth, and sap energy from relationships — not something you want you or your guests to experience every time they walk through the door.

Besides the front entryway, you should also avoid placing pointy or low-hanging lights above places where people tend to relax and congregate. A large light fixture above the bed, for example, can make it feel impossible to relax and affect sleep quality.

What should you do if you have a chandelier that you can't bear to part with? Although it's difficult to offset poison arrows, there are a few remedies you can implement in your home to slow them from hurting your home's feng shui. One method involves creating a barrier between the sharp point and the rest of the room. This can be difficult with a light fixture, but you may be able to drape a tapestry or chiffon curtain around the chandelier, as long as you can do so without presenting a fire hazard. Another tactic is to place a table with a mirrored surface or reflective décor in your front hallway. This won't remove all of the negative energy, but the mirror will help to deflect some of the poison arrows back up and away from your houseguests.

The best solution, however, is to avoid poison arrows in the first place. The best lighting option for good feng shui is anything round or flat-faced that can diffuse light evenly around the room. Recessed lighting is a safe choice, but lamps and wall-mounted lighting are even better. These lights mimic natural fire and create a safe and cozy feeling in the room. In the entryway, consider placing wall sconces on either side of the door or decorating the hallway table with a soft, warm lamp. For even more feng shui boosting benefits, install a dimmable switch.