Indoor Water Features and the Art of Feng Shui

When it comes to arranging their homes, people all over the world turn to Feng Shui. Feng Shui is a Chinese art dating back thousands of years, and is based on balancing the energy, or “Chi”, within a space so that it promotes good fortune for its inhabitants. One great way to use Feng Shui in your home is to incorporate indoor water features.

About Feng Shui 
In English, Feng Shui translates to “Wind” and “water”. These elements, in traditional Chinese culture, relate to good health. Thus, when the principles of Feng Shui are applied properly, good luck will follow.

An important part of Feng Shui is the “Five Elements” – water, wood, earth, metal, and fire. These elements interact with each other in cycles that represent certain aspects of life and the natural world. Proper placement of these elements in your home encourages positive chi (energy).

Water is one of the most important elements. According to Feng Shui, when water is placed and moving in the right direction, it brings wealth, prosperity, harmony and health. Flowing water is especially beneficial - it mimics the movement water in nature, which produces harmonious chi.

Feng Shui and Indoor Water Features
An excellent way to incorporate the water element of Feng Shui in your home’s interior design is by using features such as indoor fountains. There are a variety to choose from, depending on your preferences. Tabletop fountains can be easily used in, or relocated to, any room of the house. Indoor wall fountains or freestanding floor fountains provide an interesting design element, and mimic flowing bodies of water such as waterfalls that are found in nature. You can even combine one of these fountains with a small pool; the more your features resemble naturally occurring water, the more harmonious your home’s chi will be.

Placement of Indoor Water Features
Where you place your indoor water features, both within the house and within the room, produces a variety of effects through Feng Shui. Of course, you’ll want to have an arrangement that creates a positive flow of energy. You can also use different placements to encourage different positive results:

• Good marriage: Southwest
• Wealth and luck: Southeast
• Career success: North
• Educational success: Northeast
• Good friendships: West
• Good health and family relationships: East

There are several placements to avoid, since they create a negative flow of energy and bring inauspicious consequences. Feng Shui advisors say never to place indoor water features in the bedroom, as this promotes worry. You should also never place your features directly south, as this is where fire should be, and fire and water conflict with each other.

Feng Shui Factors to Consider
Adding other design elements to your indoor water features brings additional benefits. Incorporating lights or adding floating candles to the pool of your fountain brings you life, happiness, and positive thoughts from others. Placing a mirror behind your features expands your home’s chi. Incorporating heavy items such as stones or pebbles retains positive chi. Features that incorporate wood also produce positive energy, since water is necessary for wood to grow in nature.

The shape of your indoor fountain should be considered, as well. Feng Shui advisors recommend that fountains be round in shape, or have rounded corners. The larger the size of the fountain, the more effective it will be at producing positive energy. Square fountains should be placed in the corners of rooms, while round ones should go in the center. Rectangular fountains should be avoided.

When using Feng Shui for your interior design, incorporate indoor water features. With all the options to choose from, you can find the elements that are right for you and your home.

Polly Godwin is the owner of IndoorFountains.com, a company specializing in indoor water fountains and home décor.