Feng Shui Colors and How to Use Them

White

White is connected to the metal element, which represents mental clarity, productivity, and completion. It’s connected to the Children and Creativity area of the feng shui bagua map.

In the absence of color, white is a blank slate. It represents the yang side in the Tai Qi, or yin-yang symbol. In many cultures, white relates to winter, which is a dormant state when the earth is resting. White and off-white can be used to complement other colors in your home.

Black

If white is the absence of color, black is the sum of all colors. It’s also the yin side of the Tai Qi symbol. Black also represents the water element, which is related to stillness, wisdom, and quiet contemplation. It’s connected to the Career area of the feng shui bagua map.

In many cultures, the color black is associated with darker themes, but in feng shui, it also has a more positive connection to depth and personal exploration. Black is a great accent color to work with to bring timeless elegance into your home.

Gray

Gray is the combination of black and white—but it's also connected to its own area of the feng shui bagua map that helps you connect to helpful people in your life. The color gray represents clarity, connection, and wisdom.

As a neutral color, it can work in most homes. The shade is unique in that it can be used in darker or lighter shades to accent or complement an area of your home.

Blue

The feng shui meaning of blue changes depending on the tone. Mid-tone blues and teals, for example, represent the wood element. Wood is connected to growth, vitality, and compassion. A deep midnight blue and almost black connects to the deep, dark water element.

In many Asian cultures, certain shades of blue are connected with mourning. In Buddhism, blue is related to wellbeing, symbolized by the lapis-colored Medicine Buddha. Blue is also connected to the Family and Knowledge areas of the feng shui bagua map.

Green

Green is the feng shui color of renewal, fresh energy, and regeneration. Green represents the wood element and is connected to the Family area of the feng shui bagua map.

When working with green color, it is important to have at least several different shades to maximize the feng shui energy effects. This color can be included in your home with home decor accents, paint, or even with a living green houseplant.

Red

In feng shui, red is the color that supersedes all others. It’s the most powerful color in feng shui and is considered very auspicious. Red is also the color of the fire element and the Fame area of the feng shui bagua map, which is connected to visibility, inspiration, and clarity.

Red is often used to protect and clear a home or a person’s energy. In the Black Sect Feng Shui tradition, red envelopes honor and protect feng shui consultants and their clients. Red is also very activating and energizing, and too much red can overwhelm some people. It’s best to avoid large amounts of red in spaces that are meant to be more relaxing, like bedrooms. A beautiful rug with red tones can be a gentle way to bring in the energy of red.

Pink

Pink is a delicate color in feng shui associated with the Partnership and Love area of the bagua map. It's a color used to activate self-love, and softness, and attract a relationship.

This color is also associated with femininity, sensitivity, and romanticism. A blend of the colors and energies from red and white, pink gives the vibe of love, nurture, and compassion when used in the home.

Brown

Earthy tones like browns bring the Earth element into your home. The Earth element is about grounding, stability, and self-care.

Brown wood floors or furniture is a wonderful organic way to invite the earth element into your home, highlighting warmth and nature.

Yellow

Depending on the situation, yellow can remind us of warm, glowing sunlight or lush, oxidized soil. It’s the color of the earth element and the Health area (or center) of the feng shui bagua map, which is grounding, nurturing, and stable.

Yellow also symbolizes both high standing and humility. Bright golden yellow represented gold for the Chinese emperor’s robes. In Buddhism, the ochre yellow of a monk’s robes is connected to humility and surrender.

Orange

Like blue, the feng shui meaning of orange changes depending on the tone. It’s a combination of both yellow and red. This makes it a strong color because it has the power of red and the stability of yellow. This also means it can shift between the earth and the fire element.

Bright, fiery oranges bring to mind the glowing embers of a fire, while yellowy oranges are more earthy and grounding. It is important to maintain a balance with the color orange when decorating so the energy the color represents is not swayed one way or the other.

Purple

From lavender to richer eggplant tones, purple is connected to nobility and wealth. It’s a color that inspires respect, and it can be used to connect your qi with power, prosperity, and abundance. Deep red moving into purple is a very auspicious color, symbolizing wealth and power.

As a combination of fiery red and cool blue, purple can also invite harmony and balance, but must be used carefully in the home. Consider various shades of purple and different objects to introduce the color (a vase, pillow, curtains, or accent wall) for specific rooms in your home. For example, using purple in an office space might create better energy than using it in the living room, but this depends on which sector of the bagua map the room is in.