Q&A Sunday: The Best Front Door for Creative Entrepreneurs

Dear Anjie,

Hope you are doing well. Thank you so much for your podcast; it's very helpful. I'm in the process of moving to a new house. It would be very helpful if you could please let me know which is the best front door direction to look for, as I and my wife are creative professionals. I write music for film and tv and she writes and edits novels and short stories. And both of us work from home. We would like to strengthen our financial stability and growth. And we would also like to attract more opportunities in our respective careers.

Jaikumar S., Mumbai, India

Dear Jaikumar,

Thank you for your email, and I’m glad you like the podcast!

I understand you would like to know the best front door direction for your family as creative professionals who work from home. There are dozens of feng shui schools, and the one that I practice is called BTB feng shui. BTB feng shui does not prioritize the direction of the front door on the basis of the compass directions, rather we look at how the door is located in relationship to the flow of qi (or energy). 

Because you noted that you and your wife would like to attract more opportunities, it would be best if your entry door was easy to find and visible from the street. Ideally you would have the house number very easy to find and a clear path to reach the front door. This means that the qi can find you, therefore the opportunities can also reach you with ease. 

I would discourage a front door to a home that is on the side or back of the house, or hidden. If it’s hard for your friends to visit you, it will also be for all the opportunities and prosperous qi. 

You mentioned that you and your wife would like to work on financial stability and growth. With respect to the front door, you could make sure that the home has a door that is stable and in good condition. Repair any non-functioning items and oil any squeaky hinges. You can even repaint the door to refresh the qi. The colors related to growth are bright blue and green. These colors relate to the wood element. Or you can opt for a deep green like the color of a deeply rooted and stable tree canopy.

Remember to keep your entrance well-lit and free of clutter as well! I encourage you to also take a look at some of the blog posts on creating a productive home working space, like The Feng Shui Home Cleanse That Will Bring Your Intentions to Life, as well as Q&A Sunday: Feng Shui for Career Growth and Direction, another relevant reader question. Thank you again for reading the blog and listening to the podcast. I hope these adjustments help!

by Anjie Cho

If you’d like to learn more about feng shui check out the Mindful Design feng shui cerfication program. Laura Morris and I launched our program in September 2018. Check us out at www.mindfuldesignschool.com

Mindful Design is a new way to learn feng shui. Our a unique training program takes an holistic approach to learning the art of feng shui design. Mindful design is about becoming aware, and attentive, to the energy around you: both inner and outer qi. It is about promoting a better way of living and creating sacred spaces that support, and nourish.

Thanks for reading our "Q&A Sunday".  We will be answering questions submitted by our readers. Click here to submit any Feng Shui or Green Design questions!

Q&A Sunday: Fu Dogs or Qi Lin?

What is the meaning of the fu dogs that are just standing on all fours or just laying stretched out with nothing under their paws like the others?

Wanda B., Lexington, SC

Hi Wanda,

Thanks for your question. I am not an expert on fu dogs, so I asked around…

One colleague told me that she had never seen a fu dog in this position. We suspect that the Chinese statues described here as an animal standing on all fours, or stretched out with nothing under their paws are typically Qi Lin (chi lin). They look similar.

Fu Dogs and Qi Lin are mythical creatures and heavenly guardians believed to have the ultimate protection and power to ward off evil spirits and keep harmful people at bay (such as robbers)—silently watching over homes, temples and businesses. They also bring in more good fortune (happy chi, good business) by improving the Feng Shui of the entrance.

Fu dogs come in pairs, a male and female. The male is depicted playing with a ball (symbolizing authority and command of the householder) while the female has its claws on its cub (symbolizing loyalty and maternal protection). These Feng Shui guardians are usually placed at the front door facing outwards at ground level or on shelves at either side of the front door. Or, they can be raised high up on both sides of your main gate. The male is placed on the left side (from standing inside the doorway of your building looking outside) and the female on the right. Ideally, you’d have them activated by your Feng Shui consultant performing the traditional “Opening the Eyes” Ceremony.

Qi Lin can be single or in pairs, and is a dragon-like figure. Typically it has the head of a dragon and a horse-like body. They can be used outside or inside of a home. Did you see these statues inside or outside? Hopefully this provides a little clarity around fu dogs! Send in a photo if you see them again. We’d love to share!

by Anjie Cho

If you’d like to learn more about feng shui check out the Mindful Design feng shui cerfication program. Laura Morris and I launched our program in September 2018. Check us out at www.mindfuldesignschool.com

Mindful Design is a new way to learn feng shui. Our a unique training program takes an holistic approach to learning the art of feng shui design. Mindful design is about becoming aware, and attentive, to the energy around you: both inner and outer qi. It is about promoting a better way of living and creating sacred spaces that support, and nourish.

Thanks for reading our "Q&A Sunday".  We will be answering questions submitted by our readers. Click here to submit any Feng Shui or Green Design questions!

Q&A Sunday: Is a Canopy Bed in a Bed Alcove Good Feng Shui?

I'm moving into a studio that has an alcove for the bed right next to the front door. Because of the layout of the apartment, there is no other position for the bed that would work (it would literally be in the kitchen, lol). Would having a canopy around the bed, and keeping it enclosed, help with the feng shui in this scenario?

Nakia, on Organizing your Studio Apartment: Feng Shui Tips

Hi Nakia,

Thanks for responding to our Organizing your Studio Apartment: Feng Shui Tips post! 

I hope your move went well. So, you are correct, you definitely don’t want to have your bed in the kitchen! Hahaha! We have to work with what we’re given, and sometimes we are presented with obstacles because there’s a teaching in that. 

With a studio, or sometimes they call them junior one bedrooms, there’s some sort of separate alcove for a bed, but it’s all one open space in the living area. You were wondering if a canopy around the bed would work to keep it enclosed, since a canopy bed typically has a curtain around it. While it would definitely serve a function to enclose the bed, isn’t it already enclosed because it’s in an alcove? I am getting the feeling that it would actually feel pretty tight and maybe suffocating. But I don’t know how big your alcove is. My first thought is a no. Why would you want to make the alcove seem even smaller? There may be a specific reason for you that would be beneficial, but in general I would not advise it. If you want to visually separate the bed, I’d rather see one use a curtain or perhaps a room divider. 

You may want to double check our posts on the commanding position and other bedroom tips and see if any of those adjustments apply to your new space. It’s your apartment, so you should make it comforting and relaxing for you, and there are usually feng shui tips for this.

by Anjie Cho

If you’d like to learn more about feng shui check out the Mindful Design feng shui cerfication program. Laura Morris and I launched our program in September 2018. Check us out at www.mindfuldesignschool.com

Mindful Design is a new way to learn feng shui. Our a unique training program takes an holistic approach to learning the art of feng shui design. Mindful design is about becoming aware, and attentive, to the energy around you: both inner and outer qi. It is about promoting a better way of living and creating sacred spaces that support, and nourish.

Thanks for reading our "Q&A Sunday".  We will be answering questions submitted by our readers. Click here to submit any Feng Shui or Green Design questions!