'Never sleep with a chair facing you' – Feng Shui experts bust this viral myth about your bedroom layout

When it comes to Feng Shui, there are certain rules practitioners follow to ensure that spaces are well organized and have good qi. However, we've recently seen the idea trending that you should never sleep in a bedroom with a chair facing you. 

It's a pretty common layout, so we wanted to get to the bottom of whether it has any basis in bedroom Feng Shui. 

'While there is no hard and fast rule to placing a chair in the bedroom, you can choose specific areas based on the metaphysical tool in Feng Shui called the bagua,' says Laura Morris, a Feng Shui educator and co-founder of Mindful Design Feng Shui School. So, as it turns out, there might not be a reason not to have your chair facing the bed, but there is a case for where in your bedroom you position it. 

To understand this better, and to make your bedroom the ideal haven, here's what Feng Shui experts had to say. 

Is it okay to face a chair while sleeping?

There isn't, really, any Feng Shui principles that say a chair shouldn't face the bed. The correct placement of the bed is important in Feng Shui, and while there is some guidance around the chair (such as it is best to place it away from the bed so it doesn't restrict your line of sight to the door), truly it can be placed anywhere, 

'In Feng Shui, the bed is the most important element,' says Feng Shui expert Anjie Cho. 'You want to first be sure that the bed is in a commanding position, which means when you are leaning against the headboard you can see the door, or the bed being in line with the door. The chair doesn't need to be in a command position because the primary purpose of the bedroom is to sleep and not to sit in it.'

'The other thing to consider is that you always want to make sure there is thoughtfulness put into accommodating yourself and your partner/or future partner in this space,' says Anjie. 'So generally it's best to have a bed that is a single bed big enough for two people and not a twin size one. And when it comes to a chair in the bedroom, if possible you want to have two armchairs; one for each person. Just one tends to create more imbalance.'

What is the ideal placement of the chair in the bedroom?

To ensure your modern bedroom furniture is placed in the right and key areas of the room, push all loose items towards the walls. Instead of placing the chairs facing you, keep them where you'll use them. 'Usually, the chairs become a place where you add clutter and clothes, and eventually, it becomes an eyesore. So, the best placement is perhaps adjacent to a window, against a wall, or by a seating area,' says Anjie.

'One good place to add a chair in the bedroom is the front left corner of your bedroom, as this area represents knowledge and self-cultivation so it is a great spot to sit and read or meditate in,' says Laura Morris. 'Another nice spot to place a chair is the front right corner of your bedroom. This is a way to symbolically invite a helpful person into your life.'

Where should you place a chair in a small bedroom?

As per small bedroom organization, you want to ensure that the space is as comfortable, as it is functional. 

'When arranging furniture in a small bedroom you want to make sure there is enough spaciousness in the room and that you don't need to squeeze by to get to places and corners,' says Anjie. 'In cases of smaller bedrooms, either go for small, slim chairs or it's better to have no chairs and just focus on the bed. Ensure a minimum 3 ft distance between furniture pieces.'