Some schools of feng shui, including the Classical, Compass, and Flying Star schools, work with the magnetic compass directions. In these schools of feng shui, a practitioner will determine which direction your door faces to give you insight and advise you on how best to work with your front door. For instance, you can use this information to learn what colors support that direction, which can inform your choice of paint color for your front door.
How to Find Your Front Door Facing Direction
To find the feng shui facing direction of your front door, you will need a compass. This can be a dedicated feng shui compass, or simply the one on your smartphone. Stand in the front doorway of your home looking outside and then determine the direction that you are facing with your compass—that is the facing direction based on your front door. In Classical Feng Shui, the west direction is related to the element of metal, as well as the Children (Dui in Chinese) position on the feng shui bagua. Metal represents precision, joy, and communication. Metal is also the element related to Dui, which is connected to children, completion, and the season of autumn. A feng shui consultant would likely look to Dui if you are interested in supporting your children, or if you want to complete projects that you’ve started.
Paint Colors for West-Facing Doors
One way to support a west-facing door is to paint it in a color that is related to the metal element. In the five elements system, the elements work together in a cyclical way to feed and support each other. Earth is the element that feeds metal, so you can also support a west-facing door by painting it in a color that represents earth. The earth element also represents groundedness, stability, and nourishment, and can be especially helpful if you experience anxiety or need to focus more on self care or boundaries.
Metal Element Colors:
White: White represents purity and simplicity. It’s a very brilliant and active color. Off-white: Off-white is a warmer version of white, and it can be a great option if true white feels too stark or isn’t the best fit with the exterior of your home.Metallics: Metallic colors are a great way to bring in the metal element. They can also be very elegant and striking when used mindfully. Gray: Since gray is a mix of white (yang) and black (yin), it is a peaceful, quiet color. It complements and supports most other colors.
Earth Element Colors
Brown: We see shades of brown frequently in nature, so this color can be soothing and nurturing. Think of the colors we see in tree trunks, soil, and on sandy beaches. Yellow: Yellow can add a bright, cheerful energy to your front door, while providing stabilizing earth energy. Orange: Like yellow, orange is a brighter, more stimulating way to incorporate earth element colors into your home’s entrance. Earthy colors: Other colors that we see in the earth, like terracotta and taupe, can also be nurturing and grounding, and are great choices for a west-facing door.
Other Options
If you’re having a hard time determining the facing direction of your front door and figuring out which color would be most supportive, it can be helpful to work with a Classical Feng Shui consultant. A trained expert will be able to draw on their wisdom, knowledge, and experience to help support you in your unique situation. If you aren’t able to paint your front door, there are other ways to bring the metal or earth element to this area of your home. Get creative and think about how you could incorporate the same colors mentioned above into the decor surrounding your home’s entrance. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
Add a healthy plant in a white or metallic planter to represent the metal element, or a brown or ceramic planter to represent earth.Place a peaceful gray welcome mat in front of your door for metal, or an upbeat yellow welcome mat for earth. Hang a wreath on your front door that includes metal or earth element colors.
