Home Design & Decorating Feng Shui

How to Place Your Bed for Good Feng Shui

Where you position your bed is key to good bedroom feng shui

Minimalist bedroom with white walls, white bed with red cushions and two wooden night stands with white shelves

The Spruce / Christopher Lee Foto

Your bedroom is an oasis for three things: rest, relaxation, and romance. To ensure the highest quality of each, implement proper feng shui bed placement. The ancient Chinese practice considers the bed the most important piece of furniture in your home, so follow a few easy feng shui principles and you could be a few adjustments away from a better night's sleep.

Considering how many hours you spend in your bed, you'll want to feel balanced and calm—especially since you’re in a passive “yin” state while asleep, which makes you more susceptible to the energies around you. Think of it this way: bed placement affects you in both sleep and alertness.

Read on for quick, easy ways to place your bed for the best feng shui—and some solutions for when you're limited due to space or layout.

Why Bed Placement Matters

There’s little you won’t try to ensure a good night’s sleep. While there are plenty of (at times expensive) strategies for increasing your chances of quality shut-eye, feng shui bed placement is one of the simpler ways to better your zzz’s.  

Here are some reasons why getting your bed’s feng shui placement right is so important: 

  • Encourages restful sleep
  • Boosts energy levels
  • Reduces stress
  • Creates a sense of calm
  • Promotes good health
  • 01 of 06

    Arrange Your Bed in a Commanding Position

    Feng Shui

    Illustration: The Spruce / Caitlin Rogers

    To encourage good feng shui, the bed should be placed using the principle of the commanding position. You want your bed located so that when you’re lying in it, you can see the door to the bedroom without being directly in line with it. A good rule of thumb for bedroom feng shui is to place the bed diagonal from the door.

    See the diagram above, which show the most ideal locations.

    Depending on the size and door placement in your bedroom, this isn't always possible. There’s still hope—if you can’t be in the commanding position, place a mirror so that when you’re in bed you can see the reflection of the door.

    Tip

    A freestanding mirror is easy to place and adjust to the correct angle.

  • 02 of 06

    Be Aware of Your Bed's Relationship to Doors

    A sleek bedroom with a chevron wooden bed and a matching chevron wooden barn door

    Michelle Berwick Design

    Besides the commanding position, you'll also want to be aware of how your bed is placed in relation to the doors in the bedroom. Try not to have any doors opening up directly onto any part of the bed. Also avoid having your feet point straight out the door. This is often referred to as the “coffin position.”

    If the only place your bed fits is in line with a door, it can be corrected by hanging a faceted feng shui crystal ball halfway between the door and the bed.

  • 03 of 06

    Place Your Headboard Against a Solid Wall

    A white-filled bedroom with a beige headboard and several almond throw pillows

    Pure Salt Interiors

    The head of your bed should sit securely against a solid wall. You always want the support of a wall behind you, so avoid windows behind the head of the bed if possible. Make sure it's securely attached and, whenever possible, opt for a headboard with soft edges.

  • 04 of 06

    Locate the Bed Away From Same Wall as a Toilet

    Bedroom with an ensuite bathroom

    The Spruce / Alyssa Vela

    Avoid sharing your headboard with the wall of the toilet. You don’t want to have a toilet on the other side of the wall from your head for many reasons; good feng shui is just one of them.

    If that's unavoidable, you can place a mirror on the wall above and behind the bed to expand the view of the bedroom beyond. This will energetically erase the toilet.

    Continue to 5 of 6 below
  • 05 of 06

    Ensure There Is Space on Both Sides of the Bed

    Tranquil bedroom with light gray painted walls and large window facing backyard

    The Spruce / Christopher Lee Foto

    For adults, it’s best to have open space on the both sides of the bed—at least 18 inches on each side if your bedroom's square footage allows. It’s not ideal to place your bed with one side up against a wall

    The space on both sides allows a balance of your yin and yang, as well as adequate space for each partner (or a future partner). If this is not possible, do the best you can to have space, even if it's just a couple inches, on the wall side. You can also place a mirror on the wall that the bed is up next to. This can expand the view energetically. 

    For children, it’s okay to have a bed against the wall as it can give them some support.

  • 06 of 06

    Avoid Beams, Soffits, and Sloped Ceilings

    primary bedroom

    Design by Emily Henderson Design / Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp

    For the best feng shui placement, you want the area above your bed free of beams, soffits or sloped ceilings. These architectural features above the bed can create unnecessary pressure.

    If it’s unavoidable, a correction is to drape fabric to conceal the ceiling feature. It may also be possible to simply blend the feature into the ceiling by painting it the same color. This makes the dropped ceiling areas feel less oppressive.

Feng Shui Bed Placement Checklist

Here’s a quick overview of what to keep in mind when placing your bed for good feng shui:

  • Place your bed in a commanding position, or correct it with a mirror.
  • Check that doors don’t open up directly in line with the bed. If it’s unavoidable, correct it with a feng shui crystal ball.
  • Have a solid wall behind your headboard for support.
  • Avoid placing your bed on the other side of a toilet wall. 
  • Have space open on both sides of the bed for the adults in the home.
  • Avoid beams, soffits, and sloped ceilings above the bed, otherwise, try to cover them with fabric to lessen the impact.
FAQ
  • Which direction should your bed face for good feng shui?

    Arrange your bed using the principle of the commanding position: when you’re lying in bed, you can see your bedroom's door but aren't directly in line with it. A good rule of thumb for bedroom feng shui is to place the bed diagonally from the door. If that isn't possible, place a mirror so that when you're in bed you can see the reflection of the door.

  • What should you hang above your bed for good feng shui?

    The area above your bed should be kept clean and uncluttered. Meaningful and positive artwork that's scaled in proportion to your bed is a good choice, or you could choose to keep the space bare. One thing you'll want to avoid hanging above your bed: a mirror, which can disrupt the flow of energy.

  • Are loft beds bad feng shui?

    Loft beds aren't conducive to good feng shui. The energy of an elevated bed is less grounded, creating an unstable source of energy that can affect the quality of your sleep. Lofted beds are usually installed to make use of the space underneath, which is another no-no for good feng shui. If possible, completely clear the space under your bed. That way energy can flow freely and evenly around your bed as you sleep, rejuvenating you overnight.

  • Are metal bed frames bad feng shui?

    It’s best to avoid metal headboards and beds. Why? Metal is thought to be not grounding and can conduct negative energy, which can be disruptive to your sleep. Instead, opt for solid wood headboards with rounded corners or upholstered fabric headboards, which are both soft and secure.