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!