Not feeling the love in the bedroom these days?
Turns out, feng shui can help keep that romance alive by optimising the energy in your bedroom.
"It's not just about the physical presentation of the room and the accessories in it," according to Laura Cerrano, a New York-based feng shui consultant.
As is common in feng shui, she says, "It's important to have an emotional connection that aligns your intentions with your heart, allowing yourself to open up and feel the energy of the room."
She shared some tried-and-true strategies for improving the energy of a bedroom to bring luck and prosperity into your married life in this Year of the Rat (but especially during the extended circuit breaker!).
Get the right bed
In order to promote feng shui in marriage, you have to make sure you get the bed right. Make sure the bed is not pushed into a corner.
The bed should be easily accessible from all directions. This promotes positive energy and balance in the room. This is symbolic of creating equal space for you and your partner.
Opt for a wooden headboard (or bedframe)
Your headboard and bed frame play a significant role in optimising the feng shui of your bedroom and therefore, your relationship.
Choose a solid wooden headboard and frame because the element of wood relates to the symbolic nature of supporting your body and energy when sleeping alongside your spouse.
Always keep the doors shut
No door should be open in the bedroom, especially during the night time, when you and your spouse go to sleep. An open door is a good sign of opportunity, but only when it comes to business.
It is not a good sign for your personal life, as it provides an invitation for external influences.
Avoid bodies of water
One of the most important tips for feng shui for romance would be to avoid water bodies in the room. This does not necessarily mean a waterfall.
Even a small fountain or even an aquarium would be a bad idea to put inside a bedroom because water will "dilute" your love.
Remove the television
Having a television or even a radio in the bedroom is a disruptive force and can draw attention away from more important things like marital sex.
There are some feng shui theories that even state that having a television in your bedroom is like an invitation for a third party to come into this relationship.
Keep some plants or flowers around
Plants and flowers have always been symbols of love, beauty and life and it would be beneficial for you to have some greenery in the bedroom or even the house.
Keep them in the southwest corner as much as you can. Remember to take care and remove all dead flowers and leaves as regularly as you can for this is an unwelcome aspect of feng shui for love.
Have twos of everything
Feng shui for romance dictates that you have things in pairs around the house. Have twos of everything, as much as you can.
For example, instead of having one side table, have two side tables. Instead of one frame on the wall, hang two. That may help to improve your love life.
Choose the right colours
Your bedroom colour has to be compatible with feng shui for married couples as well. Go for the romantic colours, for they will enhance the romance aspect in the relationship. Pink or red are good options.
Avoid using black, brown and green in your room decoration.
Mirror, mirror not on the wall
From a feng shui perspective, mirrors in the bedroom are a no-no because they possess past energies that have the potential of bringing in a third party to your marriage.
Also, mirrors are said to be particularly charged, which can lead to restless sleep. It's best to keep your bedroom reflection-free and look at each other instead.
Be strategic with artwork
The photos and pictures you choose to bring into the bedroom directly correlates to the energy you bring into your life. Keep busy, street scenes off your walls and instead swap it out for calm, romantic scenes like a couples photo.
It's also wise to avoid artwork with groupings of three, which can bring the thought of a third party into the relationship.
This article was first published in The Singapore Women's Weekly.