I love Feng Shui! Whether you believe that this ancient Asian design method is based on ancient wisdom or superstition, Feng Shui includes some valuable principles and is just plain fun. Consider these Feng Shui rules:

– Do not sleep with your feet facing the bedroom door.

– Position the head of the bed so that you can see the entrance.

– Do not sleep next to the wall that has the meter box.

– Do not place the head of the bed next to the bathroom wall.

So where do my husband and I put our bed according to these rules? In our bedroom with four walls, one wall is all the cabinets, one wall is behind the bathroom, one wall is all the doors that open to the garden, and the last one (oh!) Has the meter box! Don’t worry, Feng Shui has all kinds of rules to fix any problem, including using crystals and indoor plants to counteract negative energy.

Design Psychology, based on years of scientific research, reaches some of the same conclusions that Feng Shui practitioners, based on years of experience, use. But Design Psychology boldly contradicts the Feng Shui rule that you can’t sleep with your feet facing the bedroom door.

Design psychology creates spaces to support happiness and well-being. The bedroom, a personal space to refresh and enjoy, requires attention to details such as the placement of the bed for comfort. As the main attraction, the bed is usually the focal point of the room. Therefore, place the headboard directly opposite the entrance against a wall. This creates the visual expansion of the room and underlines the importance of the bed. A more important reason to position the bed so that it faces the door is the feeling of security. People feel safe when they can easily see the door.

The bed represents the beginning and the end of life. In the past, people were conceived, born, and died in the same bed. You spend more time in your bed than on any other piece of furniture. Therefore, follow the rules of Feng Shui or the principles of Design Psychology and place your bed with the headboard towards the entrance of the room. This place will not only reinforce the importance of the bed in your design plan, but you will also feel comfortable and sleep well.

(c) Copyright 2005 Jeanette J. Fisher. All rights reserved.