Feng Shui and the Front Door
In Feng Shui, the front door is one of the most important areas of the home. From a purely practical perspective, your front door allows you to come and go out of your home. It’s the first thing visitors see when they stop by, and the “face” your home puts on for the world. Energetically, a front door can also represent how energy (both good and bad) and opportunities flow in and out of your life. Your front door is a portal through which these energies enter your home and thus, impact you. One way to strengthen your front door’s power is to paint it in a color that supports your intentions. Color is one of the simplest and most powerful ways to shift your energy, and it can be a great place to start if you are new to feng shui. There are many different schools of feng shui, all with different approaches. Some schools, including the Classical, Compass, and Flying Star schools, take into account the magnetic compass directions of certain features of a home, including the front door. In these schools, knowing the facing direction of your front door is one thing that can help determine which paint colors would be most supportive. To find your front door facing direction, stand in the doorway of your home facing out. Use a compass to determine which direction you are facing—you can use a dedicated feng shui compass to do this, or simply open the compass app on your smartphone.
Feng Shui for South-Facing Doors
In Classical Feng Shui, the south direction is related to the fire element, as well as Li position on the feng shui bagua. Li is also connected to fame, reputation, and how you are seen by others. When you’re deciding what color to paint your south-facing door, it may be helpful to choose a shade that supports the fire element. This can either be a color directly related to the fire element itself, or a color related to the wood element, which feeds fire in the five elements system used in feng shui. Fire also represents passion, inspiration, and expression, so painting your door a fire or wood element color can help you bring more of these qualities into your life.
Fire Feng Shui Colors
Red: Red is the most auspicious color in feng shui. It is very yang, or active. It’s also very dynamic and can invite a lot of new energy, so it’s a great color if you’re feeling like the qi in your home needs a boost. Red is also protective, which can be beneficial for the entrance to a home. Orange: Like red, bright orange is a very active and uplifting color. Think of the way you feel when you peel a fresh orange or tangerine. If your intention is to add the fire element, stick to brighter shades of orange, as more muted, earthy tones are connected to the earth element. Vibrant yellow: Similar to orange, yellow is thought of as an energizing and uplifting color. It’s best to opt for a brighter version of yellow, which is associated with fire, rather than a softer, more buttery shade that is associated with earth. Purple: Often thought of as the color of royalty, purple is used in feng shui to represent nobility, abundance, and dignity. It’s also associated with intuition and spirituality and can be a great way to welcome abundance into your home. Pink: In feng shui, pink is the universal color of love and marriage, bringing soothing energy to a space. Opt for shades that have a bit of red mixed in (such as a vibrant fuchsia) instead of blush hues that appear slightly muddy.
Wood Feng Shui Colors
Green: Green (as well as other wood element colors) represents healing, vitality, and growth. Choose a vibrant green that calls to mind the brightness of a new blade of grass or the leaves on a big, healthy tree. Blue: Blue is also connected to the wood element in feng shui. Different shades of blue go well with many house colors, and they can all be very soothing and healing. Like green, it’s a color we often see in nature, in the sky, or on the surface of the water on a clear day. Teal: In between green and blue, teal is another great choice for a wood element paint color. Choose a softer shade or something more vibrant, depending on your style and the color of the rest of your house.
Colors to Avoid for a South-Facing Front Door
As a general rule of thumb, try to avoid any colors like yellow and black that are associated with the earth and water elements. The reason: at their most basic nature level, these elements deplete fire—earth can weaken it, and water can extinguish it altogether. Since fire is the energy of the south sector, if fire supports you, you may not want to do anything that may diminish its power.
If You Can’t Repaint Your Door
If you can’t paint your door, you can still incorporate fire and wood element colors into your front door decor. Here are a few ideas to get you started, but feel free to get creative!
Place green plants outside your front door to represent the wood element. You can also put them in a blue or green planter to add even more wood energy.Spice up your front step with a fiery red welcome mat. Add plants with red flowers, like petunia or begonia, to bring in more of the fire element. Hang a wreath on the front of your door to bring in your favorite shade from the fire or wood element color family.
