Creating Balance in a West-Facing House
According to feng shui practice, a west-facing house has unique challenges because of the type of energy located in this direction. Feng shui experts believe that a west-facing house can have excessive yang energy because of the setting sun.
Yet, this active energy also provides opportunities that allow you to channel this energy to create focus, clarity, and an abundance of stability and good fortune for you and for the next generation.
Is Yours a West-Facing House?
There are different schools of feng shui that use different methods to determine the “front” of a house. In most cases, you can determine your house’s facing direction by looking at your front door. Stand facing out from your front door and use a compass or a phone app to show the facing direction. This reading will show you if your house is a west-facing, east-facing, north-facing, or south-facing home.
Some house designs are more complicated than this. In some cases, the active side (or yang side) of the house is not where the front door is located. Perhaps your back door area is the most active side of the house. In these instances, you should consider this side the facing side of the house. Consider hiring a feng shui practitioner if your home’s direction is something you want to seriously consider in your planning.
To keep these ideas more contained, we will consider the front of a house as its facing side. You can apply these principles to any side of the house once you have determined the facing side of the house.
West-Facing Houses and the Bagua Map
A bagua map is a tool that can be used to map the energy flow throughout your home. Each area of a bagua map corresponds to a different area of your life. Each area also corresponds with a cardinal direction. The west direction is associated with children and creativity. Thus, feng shui experts believe that a house facing west is particularly helpful for people who have or desire children. West-facing houses are also auspicious for generating and supporting creative pursuits.
West-Facing Houses and the Elements
Each area of the bagua map also corresponds with one of the five elements: metal, wood, water, earth, and fire. The west section coincides with the metal element. Thus, you can use symbols and colors that represent the metal element to activate the specific energy of houses that face west. These symbols include metal objects, white and gray colors, and circular or spherical objects.
Within the cycle of elements, each element can work to support or weaken another element. The earth element supports and strengthens the metal element. So, you can also use symbols that represent earth energy to support west-facing houses. These symbols include square and rectangular objects, decor made from pottery, crystals, and shades of the earth like brown and yellow colors.
Ideas for Creating Balance for a West-Facing House
West-facing homes are associated with active yang energy, so houses in this direction can feel overwhelming to some people. You can harmonize your home environment by incorporating these feng shui ideas to bring more balance and peace to a west-facing house.
Paint Your Front Door
One easy and cost-effective way to balance the energy for a west-facing home is to paint the front door either a shade that symbolizes metal or earth energy. Consider light shades like white or gray, which create a classic look. You can also use metallic shades like silver, gold, and copper to represent the metal element. Warmer tones like beige and dusty yellow and even stained doors represent the earth element. These are ideal if you want to ground and stabilize your home.
Use a Metal Front Door
Metal objects are tangible symbols of the metal element. Use a metal front door to symbolize this auspicious element for west-facing houses. Some options include steel and aluminum. Steel doors are some of the most secure, strong, and long-lasting. Aluminum doors are lightweight and much less expensive. They are also weather resistant, easy to install, and have versatile styling.
Helpful Barriers
The yang energy of the afternoon sun can be intense depending on the landscape protections around your home. Some homes are more exposed than others and lack natural protections. While sunlight is healthy in feng shui belief, too much sunlight can generate an excess of yang energy, leading to feelings of unsettledness. Consider adding shades or black-out curtains that will shield the inside of your home during the brightest time of day. This will help make your home more comfortable and restful.
There are also landscaping options if your home is exposed to too much afternoon sun. While dark and shady spaces are not desirable in feng shui, you can add landscaped tree borders that bring your home some relief from the hot sun. These barriers will not just help to reduce the yang energy in the home; they will also help reduce your energy bills for cooling your home during the hot summer months.
Inward Opening Front Door
The front door is the place in feng shui design where energy enters your home. For homes facing west, it is particularly vital that your front door opens inward. This invites the energy inside rather than pushing it away as with an outward opening door. Do not store anything behind the front door as this can inhibit the full opening of the door.
Add Symbols of Metal and Earth
An attractive and welcoming front door entrance is beneficial for a home facing in any direction. Use symbols that represent metal and earth energy in order to optimize a western-facing front door. These symbols include wind chimes, metal sculptures, earthenware planters, crystals, circular symbols, square and rectangular-shaped objects and plants with white or yellow flowers.
Color and Symbols to Avoid
The five elements also exist in a destructive cycle. Each element helps to strengthen but also destroy another element. In the destructive cycle, fire destroys metal. Therefore, you should avoid colors like vibrant reds, oranges, and purples. These can overstimulate metal energy and create confusion.
West-Facing House Pros and Cons
West-facing house orientations are beneficial in particular climates and environments, but they have drawbacks that you should also consider when considering a western-facing property in certain locations. This list is particular for homes in the northern hemisphere.
Pros:
- Afternoon Sunshine – Western-facing houses have ample afternoon sunshine. This is beneficial for people who come home late in the day and still want a chance to relax in their outdoor environment.
- Dark Mornings – A west-facing house is good for people who prefer dark mornings to sleep or take their time waking up.
Cons:
- Lack of Energy Efficiency – West-facing houses are not particularly energy efficient in any environment.
- Afternoon Glare – Afternoon sun on western houses can create a glare that can be uncomfortable for people in warm climates.