6 Feng Shui Mistakes That Practitioners Always Notice When They Walk Into a House

According to the experts, these faux pas are best avoided for a home that feels perfectly in harmony

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An earthy living room with beige walls, wood shelves, a beige rug, a round pillow, a coffee table with wood legs, a bobbin-style side table, a pair of gray armchairs, a gray sofa, a wood panelled sideboard by a TV, and a textured wall hanging
You don't want to be caught committing these common Feng Shui mistakes if you're after good energy in your home.
(Image credit: MKG Studio. Design: skollab designs)

Do you feel unsupported by your bed? Or perhaps, your entryway is crowded with clutter. Maybe your desk's layout feels blocked in. These are just three of the Feng Shui mistakes that practitioners clock the moment they set foot into your home.

If you're keen to flood your home with good energy, familiarizing yourself with the principles of Feng Shui is essential. And these popular faux pas are the red flags you should look out for.

And they aren't just chosen at random. Each mistake has a clear reasoning behind its negative influence on the energetic ambiance of your home. So let's take a look at why these are best avoided and what you should be doing instead.

1. A Neglected Entryway

An entryway with a colorful rug and runner, by a wood side table with a vase of flowers, a lamp, and an animal statue below a round mirror

DO INSTEAD: Keep a clutter-free entryway for a good first impression and clean energy.

(Image credit: Gibeon Photography. Design: ALI + SHEA)

One of the biggest entryway Feng Shui mistakes involves turning a blind eye to the build-up of clutter. "In Feng Shui, the front door is known as the 'mouth of chi'," says professional practitioner Marie Diamond.

"It's the primary entry point for energy, opportunity, clients, relationships, and financial flow. When this space is crowded with shoes, deliveries, storage items, or dying plants, the message is clear: there is no space for new opportunities to enter."

Marie explains that the entrance should feel bright, clean, intentional, and welcoming. "Good lighting, healthy plants, an unobstructed pathway, and a door that opens fully without resistance all signal openness to abundance," she notes. "If your front entrance feels chaotic, your life often reflects that same pattern."

To that note, it's also important to know the Feng Shui entryway houseplants to avoid, so your efforts don't go to waste.

An expert headshot of Marie Diamond
Marie Diamond

Marie Diamond is a world-renowned transformational leader, speaker, and global best-selling author. She is a Feng Shui master and star of the global phenomenon 'The Secret'.

2. Unsupportive Beds

A bedroom with a sandy wallpaper, a framed bunny sketch, a mustard headboard, a bed with a stack of pillows, a side table with a lamp and a vase of flowers

DO INSTEAD: Select a high-quality bed that abides by the rules of Feng Shui.

(Image credit: Lucy Call. Design: Studio McGee. Architecture: Reagan & Andre Architecture Studio)

"Your bedroom governs restoration, relationships, and personal stability. One of the most common issues I see is a bed positioned directly under a window or floating without a solid wall and headboard behind it," says Marie.

"Without proper backing, your energy drains during sleep. Over time, this can manifest as instability in the emotional, financial, or relational areas of your life. A bed should be placed against a solid wall with a strong headboard and balanced space on both sides."

She also points out that creating the perfect Feng Shui layout for your bedroom includes prioritizing support behind you while you sleep, which in turn translates into support behind you in life.

Don't underestimate simple changes like this. A good Feng Shui headboard can make a major difference.

3. Wall-Facing Desks

A white office with a large window, a chrome desk with stacked legs, a white chair, and multichrome glass wall features

DO INSTEAD: Shift your desk so you're in a position of authority.

(Image credit: Felix Forrest. Design: Nina Maya Interiors)

According to Marie, when it comes to good home office Feng Shui, your desk placement reflects your professional outlook. "When a desk faces a blank wall, your energy and your opportunities can only move as far as that wall," she explains.

"It often corresponds with stalled growth, limited vision, or feeling overlooked. The ideal placement is the 'power position', where you're seated facing into the room with visibility of the door and a solid wall behind you."

She finds that this creates authority, awareness, and control over incoming opportunities. "When you can see what is coming, you are better positioned to respond to it," she adds.

By avoiding bad home office Feng Shui, you can prioritize energy that evokes success in this highly important zone of your home.

4. Improper Mirror Placement

A bright bedroom with a beige overhead lamp, a cream bed, brown curtains, an arched mirror, and a door leading to a balcony with black metal fencing

DO INSTEAD: Place a full-length mirror to the side of your bedroom, preferably with a view of the door.

(Image credit: Dave Wheeler. Design: Modify Homes)

It's no secret that mirrors are powerful amplifiers of energy. "They double whatever they reflect. In a bedroom, which is meant to be a Yin, restorative space, a mirror facing the bed creates excessive stimulation," she says.

"This can result in restless sleep, subtle tension between partners, or a feeling of being watched or unsettled. Symbolically, mirrors reflecting the bed can represent third-party interference in relationships."

Whether interpreted energetically or psychologically, Marie explains that the effect is often disruption in what should be a sanctuary. "If possible, remove the mirror from direct view of the bed," she suggests. "If not, cover it at night."

Designing this reflective decor into your bedroom with Feng Shui mirror guidance is the best way to go. And as always, pay attention to the view it's mirroring.

5. Bathrooms in Clear View

A bathroom with dusty blue walls, a set of blue towels, wooden drawers and cabinets, a semi-circle mirror. wall sconces, and a vase of flowers

DO INSTEAD: Avert attention from your toilet by keeping the bathroom door shut.

(Image credit: Roger Davies. Design: Studio Emblem & Co.)

Marie tells me that in Feng Shui, water represents wealth. And so, she finds that a toilet, especially when visible from the front door, symbolizes money and energy draining away.

"While structural changes are not always possible, simple corrections help. For example, keep bathroom doors closed, toilet lids down, and introduce Earth elements such as stones, ceramics, or neutral earthy tones to stabilize the water element," she says. "Small adjustments can significantly reduce the feeling of energetic loss."

While you're removing bad energy from your home, I also recommend reducing the drainage effects in your bathroom. It'll help this space step into an even better plane of energy.

6. Broken Belongings

A white living room with a shelf of books, a white armchair, a black pillow, a rattan style lamp with a marble base, a gold wall sconce, a large mirror over a marble mantel, and a black fireplace

DO INSTEAD: Do a thorough decluttering to banish any broken items from your home.

(Image credit: Mary Wadsworth. Design: Nancy Gouldstone Architects)

And finally, while this might seem like an obvious Feng Shui mistake, it's one that all of us have committed at one point or another. "Broken objects carry the frequency of dysfunction and stagnation," says Marie.

"Yet many homes contain drawers, closets, or corners filled with items kept 'just in case'. When broken items sit in wealth areas, relationship zones, or workspaces, they subtly reinforce patterns of incompletion and lack."

Marie's advice to fix this Feng Shui mistake is to repair what is meaningful and release what is not. She finds that this will allow energy to circulate freely for new opportunities to arrive.

Especially since the Year of the Horse has just begun, a quick decluttering of any broken items will help you boost the energy in your home for the rest of the season.

Feng Shui Books to Read

Speaking of the energetic emblem for 2026, now's also a good time to learn about the Feng Shui mistakes for the year of the horse. Taking a more specific approach to weed out the faux pas will help you intentionally tailor your home to the theme of the year.

Amiya Baratan
Amiya Baratan
Home Wellness Writer

Amiya is a Home Wellness Writer at Livingetc. She recently graduated with a Masters Degree in Magazine Journalism from City, University of London, and has lent her words to beauty, fashion, and health sections of lifestyle publications including Harper’s Bazaar and Women’s Health. Her experience as a research analyst has equipped her with an eye for emerging trends. When she’s off the clock, she can be found reading, listening to music, or overanalyzing her latest Co-Star update.