Door of a feng shui living room should ideally open towards the inside and be made of wood. Well lit alcoves and corners, bright paintings and lamps bring in positive energy. A clutter free and well lit entrance also attracts chi. Feng shui encourages maintaining equilibrium between the yin and yang, i.e. masculine and feminine elements. For instance, balance should be maintained between soft and bright colors, horizontal and vertical arrangements, or low and high items. A circular or octagon shaped seating arrangement creates room for more openness in interaction and higher comfort level.

Superimposing a ba-gua map on the house floor plan helps in determining corners that affect education, relationships, career, children, wealth, travel, fame and family. Feng shui recommends placing of fish tanks, wind chimes, potted plants with round leaves in such corners for achieving fruitful results in the above eight aspects. Pictures of tress on the room’s eastern wall drive a family together, while lake or waterfall pictures on the northern wall brighten up career prospects. Furthermore, feng shui strongly recommends placing fireplace, family photographs, and mirrors in a living room. However, placing of mirrors opposite to the entrance would reflect back chi entering the room. Also, electromagnetic waves disrupt the flow of chi if electronic goods are placed in important corners. Feng shui also discourages placement of dry flowers.

Similar to Feng shui living rooms, Vastu Shastra rooms also have presence of bright paintings especially of sun rise and waterfalls. Feng shui encourages the use of metal and earth element colors such as white, silver, light yellow, gold, light brown, and gray in the living room area. Vastu Shastra recommends use of similar lighter shades in the room. Both concepts encourage bright lighting for tapping positive energy. Removal of clutter in a living room is given equal importance in both concepts. Maps are an integral part of both concepts. Vastu Shastra uses ‘Vastu Purusha Mandala’, which facilitates in studying the flow of positive energy. On the other hand, the Ba- gua map in Feng shui is an indicator of aspects such as prosperity, wealth, travel, health among others in a building.

However, designs in Vastu Shastra have a stronger mathematical base and accurate measuring systems. In contrast, Feng shui techniques are not derived from logical calculations, are subjective and not often explained by experts. In contrast to Vastu Shastra, Feng shui does not believe in uniformly categorizing directions as good or bad for all individuals or buildings. It believes that the advantages and disadvantages of a direction vary from each individual and building. Also, Feng Shui concentrates on tapping solar energy, while Vastu Shastra designs also focus on capturing positive energy from other planets as well.

In ancient times the human habitats were generally constructed according to the rules of Vastu Shastra and people lived happily. In those days the members of a joint family used to be content, prosperous and happy. But, today, despite the families being small, peace and happiness remains a far cry. As times advanced, we started ignoring our old culture and tradition. The rules of Vastu Shastra too were ignored. No wonder the people experienced all kinds of troubles. You will be surprised to note that even today the residents of South India follow the rules of the Vastu shastra and are more peaceful and materialistically and economically more prosperous than North India.
This science, after propounding the rules of construction, goes to prove that by constructing properly our buildings, villages, towns, cities, shops, offices, factories and industries we can make ourselves prosperous.

The Vastu Shastra is founded upon the laws of nature. The equilibrium, significance of it can very well be noted from the movements of motorcars, ships, airoplaines, trains. The Buses are so accurately balanced that even deflation in any one of the tyres, can cause a serious accident if it is running at a high speed. Similarly, when a building is constructed without observing the rules of Vastu Shastra, various calamities, diseases and accidents take place. This is the eternal rule of nature and it has no place for any logic, doubt or debate.

Energy Flow

The directions of East and West are important as far as obtaining the energy from the sun is concerned. The importance of the directions of the North and the South lies in the flow of magnetic waves which flows from North Pole to South Pole. Therefore southward portion of every building should be higher than the northward portion.

Importance of Five Elements

Earth

The selection of site for building construction is very important. Besides, congenial environment, greenery and availability of water, we should also see if the land is suitable for building construction.

Water

As far as the flow of domestic water is concerned, it should be borne in mind and that such water should be drained out in North – East. Wells, tubewells, swimming pools etc. should all be in the North-East. The water from the toilets and bathrooms, too, should be drained out in the North- East. The North-East direction is always auspicious and suitable for water. There are sewer-systems in the cities. The Septic tanks or the flow of sewer systems should be towards North – West. The flow of rain or fresh water should be towards North- East.

Fire

The direction of Fire is South-East. The Kitchen, fireplace, geysers etc. should be placed only in this direction. Alternatively these could be placed in North-West, because it is at 180 degree to South-East.

Air

The air should enter the building from North -East. All the openings and media for air entry such as doors, windows, ventilators coolers, air-conditioners, verandahs, balconies etc. should be in this directions.

Space

The open sky influences greatly. We can get the effect of terrestrial-energies uninterruptedly. But the buildings prove a barrier to the effects of open sky. Therefore, the importance of roofs or lawns gets emphasized, but the Vastu shastra has refrained from deliberating in detail over it, because it is related chiefly to building construction and we will discuss only this aspect. Traditionally every house in India used to have an open space (Court Yard) in the center of the house. It provided the dwellers not only the open sky but also sunlight and cross-ventilation of air.

A first important thing to evaluate is the chairs and couches position. Ideally, they should be facing the door, or at least never with their backs towards it. People who are in feng shui living rooms should always be able to see the door from where they are sitting without having to turn for it. Seats should also be placed following a octagonal or circular shape.

Corners or dark areas should be lightening up through the use or combination of clear colors, plants, mirrors or light. That would attract chi to them which otherwise wouldn’t flow through those areas. It is important that chi is able to flow through all the living room space, among the furniture and in the corners as well.

The television or any other metal based objects should not have a central position in your feng shui living room. A fireplace would be an ideal element to have as room center and, in case you have it, you should place the furniture based on where it is placed. It is important that the living room should invite people to have good conversation and should make them feel comfortable and relaxed in it.

Mirrors are an important element to have into account in a feng shui living room. A mirror strategically placed can have many advantages; it can bring more light to a specific spot or reflect a symbolic element in it. It can also make the room look wider and can be used to reflect the door allowing to see it from a chosen spot.

The feng shui living room’s main table should be tidy and invite people to sit at it. Besides, this table symbolizes health and therefore it should be clean and neat. Placing natural flowers or plants on it would also be good for the health of the people who sits at it.