Vastu Shastra is an ancient Indian architectural science that harmonizes our living spaces with the natural and cosmic energies around us. Dating back thousands of years, it offers profound wisdom and principles for creating balanced and positive environments.
According to Vastu Shastra, all things in the universe have a level of energy and every building or land has a vibration of energy associated with it. The universe is built of positive and negative energy. Thus, Vastu principles aim at eliminating negative energy and enhancing positive energy.
As per Vastu, the universe is made of 5 elements - panchatatva, namely Earth, Air, Space, Fire, and Water. It says that the balance of these elements is very important for attracting positivity at home. Every element has a dominant direction as follows:
It is known for providing stability and patience. It dominates the Center and Diagonal directions in every corner.
Known for bringing the element of fun and happiness in life, it dominates the East.
It represents cognitive energy & mental space. Space is responsible for all forms of social energy, and it dominates the West.
The energy of fire represents confidence, money, and success. It dominates the South.
Water is one of the major supporting elements of human life. Hence it is associated with immunity & health. It dominates the North.
While modern science and technology have come a long way over the years, certain religious beliefs cannot be replaced. Even with the advancement of architecture and interior decor, the ancient Hindu view of building, decorating and organizing the house per Vastu is hard to change. That’s the reason, most real estate developers nowadays pay a significant emphasis on integrating ancient Vastu Shastra with modern architecture to build Vastu-compliant homes.
However, if your home isn’t in compliance with Vastu Shastra, don’t worry – these Vastu decorative items for your home will save you the hassle. Just welcome these elements into your space and enjoy positivity and auspiciousness!
As per Vastu, the home entrance is the conduit for the entry and exit of positive and negative energies. So, avoid placing any bins or garbage disposal near the main door. Instead, adorn the main door with religious symbols like Om, Swastika, pictures of Gods, or rangoli designs. Moreover, you can place home decor things that improve the ambience and attract positive vibes:
Placing decorative bowls or urli at the house entrance is another popular décor idea. Urlis are artistically and meticulously embellished with a variety of engravings and motifs, including carved deity idols. These bowls are filled with water, flowers or floating candles added as a decorative element. Water symbolizes wealth and prosperity, so having a water feature or flowing water at the entrance invites them into the home.
Though a common practice in our households, hang a name plate if you haven’t done so already. According to Vastu, putting your name outside your house, helps opportunities and positive energy find your address easily. In our homes, guests are given the utmost respect and welcome. This theory applies here since it is believed in Vastu that happiness and prosperity can land at your doorstep at any time and in any form.
Being a social zone, the living room is one where families and friends gather. Vastu guidelines for the living room are aimed at keeping this zone as harmonious as possible to build positive energy and long-lasting relationships. The hall or the living room is one of the busiest areas of the house. Therefore, it requires more décor attention compared to other rooms.
According to Vastu, you can adorn your walls with decorative artwork and paintings but it is important to pick the right image to bring good luck. Artwork depicting seven running horses is auspicious but be careful to choose the right direction of their movement. Other recommended themes include nature-inspired images like calming landscapes, a sunrise, flowing water bodies, and mountains for the living room. Plants and flowers are themes but avoid those with thorns. Also, stay clear of abstract paintings or themes that evoke sadness and negative emotions.
Plants have the power to brighten up and transform any living space in the house, whether outdoors or indoors. They also help energize the home with positivity. Indoor plants like Brahma Kamal, Money plant, Bamboo plant, Aloe Vera plant, Snake plant, and Tulsi are preferred Vastu decorations for home. They eliminate negative energies, bringing greenery, happiness, and harmony to a space. But keeping thorny plants like cactus at home is not recommended at all.
For living rooms, white, blue, orange, red, and yellow curtains will work. Blue promotes peace, orange is associated with good energy and health, yellow with happiness, and red with passion. Green symbolizes nature, relaxation, and healing and is good for bedrooms. White is associated with purity and innocence and is great for any room but Vastu suggests pairing it with another auspicious colour. Green, pink, and blue are also great for dining rooms.
The dining room is the place where a family comes together for meals. It is the heart of your house, which is why you must pay attention to Vastu principles when designing this area. Make sure the area is well lit and clutter-free. You can go for small home decor items for the dining room or large decorations if there is sufficient space, which will help create a positive and peaceful atmosphere.
According to Vastu Shastra, it is auspicious to place mirrors in the dining room. The placement of a large mirror in front of the dining table helps double up the food, health, and wealth, denoting abundance. This arrangement in the dining area is also an excellent way to boost the décor quotient of the house.
The dining room is a sacred space and the dining table is a symbol of health, nourishment, and bonding. The dining table should be square or rectangular in shape and not round, oval, or any irregular. The dining table should not be kept empty. To attract prosperity, always keep a bowl of fruits, a jug of water, or some food items on the dining table. Dress up the table with fresh flowers and colorful table linen. Ensure that the table is visually appealing, including the crockery and cutlery. Do not clutter or use damaged crockery as it creates stagnant energy and impedes the flow of positive energy.
The dining area should have adequate light and not be dull. It’s advisable to create a warm and inviting dining area, to make mealtime enjoyable. Choose attractive pendant focus lights or a chandelier above the table, to create a soothing ambience. Paintings near the dining area should be cheerful. Avoid paintings that symbolize violence and negative aspects of life. Ideal depictions include fruits, vegetables, farms, relaxing natural sceneries, or Annapurna (goddess of food).
A bedroom is a place for relaxation and it should emit calm vibes for a restful night’s sleep. Thus, one should follow the Vastu guidelines when designing bedrooms. It is better to avoid keeping televisions and appliances in the area. However, furniture such as dressing tables and wardrobes are an integral part of the room. Make sure that the mirrors in the room do not reflect the bed.
Crystals are exceptionally wonderful Vastu decor items for the bedroom if you suffer from sleep issues like insomnia or sleep paralysis. It is believed that crystals soak in all the negativity from their surrounding atmosphere and allow positivity to roam around.
A swan pair showpiece Vastu item or even artwork depicting a pair of swans is considered auspicious as they symbolize unity and love and are ideally placed in the bedroom.
An elephant showpiece vastu decorative item, paintings depicting elephants or elephant print soft furnishings attract luck and blessings and boost relationships among couples. Elephants symbolize strength and frogs symbolize wealth – so a figurine combining the two is a powerful Vastu item for home décor.
The following are positive energy Vastu items for home interiors that can be placed in multiple areas of the house.
Wind chimes have a huge relevance in Vastu. The soothing notes of this Vastu-approved gizmo will purify your home’s energy, and eliminate any negativity from the air. Hang it in your window, garden, balcony, or verandah, and let its mellow music fill your house. Not to mention how this tiny addition will beautifully elevate the semblance of your home, making it look calm and serene.
The different poses of the Buddha statues signify different meanings. The pose where Buddha is seated with one hand raised in a blessing is best suited facing the entrance or at the entrance of the home. The reclining or sleeping Buddha should face west while the meditating Buddha should be placed in the pooja room. The Bhumisparsha Buddha showcases the mudra formed with all five fingers of the right hand extended to touch the ground should face east where the sun rises. The laughing Buddha symbolizing happiness and abundance should be placed in the southeast direction. If you are placing a Buddha statue outdoors, put it in or near a water feature or flowering plant.
Other than water bowls decorated with flowers and floating candles, Vastu showpieces for interior décor also include small water features with flowing water. Small water fountains or architectural waterfalls placed inside the home or in the garden/balcony areas are not only soothing to the senses but also invite prosperity.
Moreover, fish, according to Vastu principles, attract wealth. Besides creating a serene atmosphere in your living room, an aquarium placed in the southeast direction can play a vital role in ensuring success, happiness, and harmony in your life.
Choose a crystal or a wooden tortoise to decorate your home and attract positivity. A tortoise’s shell is known to be hardy and protective, denoting protection against misfortune or any disaster. Place the crystal tortoise in the southwest or northwest side of the room. The ideal location for keeping wooden tortoises is the southeast corner.
A crystal tree Vastu decorative item made from colourful gemstones is ideally placed in a southwest direction to cultivate prosperity and harmony. A brass owl showpiece Vastu decorative item is auspicious as it is believed to remove financial troubles and ward off negative energies. It is ideally placed in the southeast corner. Peacock feathers and peacock showpiece Vastu decorative items are also considered favourable home décor.
Unknowingly, you could have these objects in the house that might attract negativity. Create a positive sanctuary by getting rid of such accessories, artworks, or materials that create clutter, chaos, and confusion.
Many households often store shattered glass, chipped crockery, and broken trays among other similar items, ignored and forgotten. These objects, however, evoke a sense of melancholy, sadness, and hopelessness within the residents. It is important to ensure that your accessories remain free of cracks and stains, and in case something breaks, it should be promptly repaired or discarded.
Portraits depicting negative images like shipwrecks, wars, crying children, and the setting sun, etc, create an environment of sadness and pain in a house. Also, painting and pictures of waterfalls, fountains, oceans, rain, or aquariums in the bedroom can cause mental and emotional problems and financial issues. That’s because water is an unstable element and creates an unsettled environment at home.
While nature is always a happy, welcome element in homes, flowers or plants that have wilted or dried can have the opposite impact on dwellers. These plants hamper positive energy flow in the house. Carnations should be avoided indoors, as they bring bad luck. The same can be grown outdoors, in the garden or terrace. Plants with thorns should also be avoided as they can cause interpersonal conflicts and issues among family members.
Taxidermy animals, panther and tiger skin, ivory sculptures, snails, shells or antlers should be avoided. These objects have stagnant energies and have death looming over them. According to Vastu, anything that is unnatural must not be kept in the house. This is why Bonsai plants are also discouraged, as they are shrunk and disallowed to grow to their full potential.
Worn-out clothes, torn outfits and patchwork quilts can create issues in your love life. Old clothes hamper renewable energy at home. So, it is highly advisable to rummage through your cupboards once a month and remove items that are faded or you no longer use.
Remember, Vastu Shastra is not just about the physical design of your home, but also about the energy that flows within it. Creating a positive energy flow ensures that your home is a place of peace, prosperity, and happiness.
Incorporating these Vastu tips into your home design can help to create a space that is harmonious, balanced, and conducive to overall well-being.