Those who believe in fengshui, believe that all things must be in balance, especially your living areas. This goes for your kids’ rooms too, and Master Goh Guan Leong of Way Fengshui Group shares ten things you should consider when it comes to doing up the spaces that your kids study and sleep in, and they all aren’t just fengshui-related, but are logical too.
Pick the right colour for the room
According to fengshui, the decoration and furnishing layout of the bedroom impacts a child’s action and behaviour. Therefore, colour choice for furnishing and wallpaper should contrast that of a child’s personality for yin yang balance. As a general guideline, if your child is extroverted, use cool colours. Likewise if the child is introverted, warm vibrant colours should be scattered throughout the room. The room should also not be too colourful as having a wide variety of colours can cause confusion and negatively impact a child’s mental development.
Avoid having any electronic devices in child’s room
Having electronic devices, particularly those used for entertainment purposes, can create an unconducive learning environment and this reduces the child’s motivation to study.
Furthermore, electronic appliances such as television sets and computers emit harmful electromagnetic waves which may affect a child’s sleep and mental health. This will in turn negatively affect his academic performance.
Face the bed away from the door
If the bed faces the door, a child may find it difficult to fall asleep due to movement outside or corridor lights. Additionally, the child may experience excess dreaming and this leads to sleep that is not restful.
Do not place the bed directly under a beam
If bed is under a beam, it creates unnecessary ‘pressure’ for a child that may result in fatigue, emotional turmoil and poor academic performance. If you are unable to shift bed position due to lack of space, consider hanging paintings to alleviate the negative effects but do not use portraits.
Bed should not face air-conditioning; fan should not blow at the child’s feet
If the bed faces the room’s air-conditioning unit, this can cause respiratory discomfort for the child, preventing a restful night’s sleep. Besides, avoid placing a standing fan at the foot of the bed as air blown at your child’s feet for a prolonged period of time can negatively impact health.
Place the study desk to face the child’s Wen Chang position
In fengshui, Wen Chang is the academic star that governs scholarly success. Basking in the benevolent aura of Wen Chang star will help boost chances of academic excellence. An individual’s Wen Chang position is determined by the last digit of their birth year and here is a table that you can use to find out what your child’s Wen Chang position is.
| Last Digit of Birth Year | Wen Chang Position |
| 1 | North |
| 2 | Northeast |
| 3 | East |
| 4 | Southeast |
| 5 | South |
| 6 | Southwest |
| 7 | West |
| 8 | Southwest |
| 9 | West |
| 0 | Northwest |
For example, if your child is born in 2005, his or her Wen Chang position is South. Therefore, that is the direction you should make the study desk face to promote academic brilliance.
The study desk should not be situated directly below a bathroom
As the toilet contains contaminated forces, it is not favourable to have such negative energies hovering over your child’s head. Additionally, the flushing sounds from water pipes can distract a child and break their concentration. If it is an unavoidable situation, do take extra effort to place the table as far away from being directly under the toilet as possible.
Let the study desk face a wall
Children tend to be easily distracted, especially if there are things moving in front of them. Facing a wall, free from distraction will encourage the child to a lack of movement in front of your child when he is studying shall encourage concentration.
Bedroom light should not be too bright; use table lamp for study desk
Dim lighting creates a soothing and relaxing atmosphere, and is conducive for good sleep. If your child’s study desk is situated in his bedroom, install lights that allow you to change the lighting intensity accordingly for sleep and studying purposes. If adjustable lighting is not possible, consider placing a table lamp on the study desk.
It is also best if natural light (sunlight) can filter into the room through during the day as the yang energy from natural light stimulates creativity.
Don’t place lamps at the foot of the bed
It is a cultural taboo to place a lamp at the foot of the bed as lamps are traditionally placed at the foot of a coffin to act as a guiding light for the deceased on their way to the underworld.
Other than avoiding shining light on the feet, lights in the room should be positioned such that it doesn’t cast shadows due to the moving ceiling fan. Otherwise it can distract your child and cause him nightmares while he sleeps.
If you’re looking to find places and inspiration to decorate your child’s rooms, click here for a list of stores in Singapore where you can purchase furniture for your little ones.
