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Front Doors – The Mouth of Ch’i

Recently I received this question from one of our students: If a client’s front door is in their Career gua, is a red door or a black door a better choice?

Front doors–usually seen as the mouth of Ch’i for the entire home, and therefore deserving of the most ch’i enhancement possible. But the traditional red door is a Fire element, which is not the element we think of using to enhance the Career gua, the home of Water. So here we have to choose between function (front door ch’i) versus gua (career—black tones) And then we need to factor in the client’s own preferences, and the existing or future color scheme of the house.

I usually give clients with an already developed decorating sense the encouragement to choose the door colors they really are craving, while always letting them know what the general effect will be on (a) their Bagua energies and (b) the five element balances and movements and (c) the Yin Yang effect. In general: Red=Fire, inviting Ch’i, outward movement, Fame, celebration, life blood, Yang. Black=Water, deep profound mystery, downward movement, internal identity, Yin.

Red front doors, in the more bold spectrum of red, are always attention getters, and this is sometimes exactly what a hum drum little family house needs to bring its occupants back into the circle of society, friends, influence, power and good fortune. But if it does not go well with their existing house colors, it is often just an uncomfortable accommodation to “the rules of Feng shui”. So, they have to be intrigued by the boldness, and have a sense of fun about it to make a bold red door truly do its magic for them. I don’t find that the darker reds, or brownish reds do the real “red door” magic.

Any understated (darker or earth toned) color tends to blend in a bit, and doesn’t “call in ” that “wild grace” ch’i quite as much. So, when folks have a fairly bland or understated front door color, I always encourage them to get creative. And, if they love that mellow color, then I make sure they have some OTHER Ch’i enhancements there (windchimes, bright flowers, wind sock, etc.) to call in sufficient Ch’i. Of course, any other colors in the more bold hues (turquoise, purple, lime green, bright yellow, hot pink, etc.) are also attention (ch’i) getters, with the happy benefits of delighting the client who loves that color, AND the specific 5 element energy that each color will bring to the space. Sometimes a bold Wood or Earth color can do as much as a bold Fire color, especially when the color choice goes well with the rest of the decor. But “fire engine red”, or “chinese red” will always be the queen of these choices.

Now for Black: I have seen black front doors that absolutely glowed with power because they were also a bold statement in the color scheme of the house. Especially when they are a true black in a glossy finish, with some bright elegant hardware. (The more matte/flat paint finishes have a more quiet effect.) When a black door IS a bold attention getting color choice, and it is in the Career gua, it does become a great Career enhancer. It’s effect is much more Yin however, so that’s going to be the main difference between red or black for a Career gua front door.

Lastly, the Yin vs Yang question—Do the folks want and need a more Yang boost to Career? If the client is searching for a job, seeking career advancement, looking for fame or new, bolder opportunities to express their individuality, then Yang colors are the answer. Or, do they need a more powerfully Yin boost? Deeper personal fulfillment in an established career, stability of existing good finances, receptivity, integration of career into family or leisure priorities are some of the results of a Yin choice. These can be the questions that you pose to your clients to better understand which color is going to bring them the result they are seeking! Have fun!

3 Comments

  1. What do you say about doors that are almost 80% glass-  with a wooden edge? 

  2. These doors are essentially large windows, and can be lovely IF they are looking out onto a private and safe space.   They become problematic when they create a feeling of being too exposed to an unsafe or otherwise undesirable outside world.  They may also be literally unsafe–breakable and intruder friendly. They are inadvisable for a publicly visible front door for that reason.
    Aside from the safety and privacy concerns, when glass doors are the front door they are still serving as the main mouth of Ch'i for the home. They could be seen as very open to the flow of Ch'i, and also open for letting it quickly out again! Fastening a curtain over the glass, perhaps in the gua color of choice, could assist in holding that Ch'i into the home, while providing needed privacy and a boost of 5 element color. Personally, I would only keep such a door, no matter where it was on the house, if I had the most private and safe location possible, such that it's generous wide-open-to-the-world feeling could be truly embraced and luxuriously relaxed into.

  3. well, my front door faces north and is a bland dark beige- i have had many amazing opportuniites that have not worked out – i have now put a broked glass mirror and tile symbol on the front door to break up and bad energy coming in- but i still cannot find work, love or money… is there a book you can recommend or a quick fix- shall i paint the door red?? I dont want to move but according to vivian too i should- just cannot afford or i would.  i am considering it-
     my birthday is feb. 5 , 1965
     Help,
    Thank you,
    Mimi