Feng shui (pronounced fung shway) is an ancient Chinese philosophy that focuses on living harmoniously with the environment. In a home, positive energy or “chi” can be channeled through proper placement and design to achieve balance among the elements fire, earth, water, wood, and metal.

One of the easiest things to follow when choosing a property or home with positive feng shui is the lot. A house with positive chi has a lot shaped like a rectangle or square – never a triangle. Triangles are considered incomplete and irregular because its sharp points indicate ill omens. The lot should also have a natural source of running water, like a river or a creek beside the home, be located near nature or animals, placed between two hills with different sizes that are not larger than the house itself, or placed in front of a hill.

The house itself must face south to allow warmth and sunlight into the home for a good part of the day. A house that is positioned at the end of a dead-end street or a cul-de-sac have less chi because its positions trap in the sha, or the negative energy.

Design-wise, houses that use natural materials like stone or concrete countertops and wooden flooring have a clear flow of chi. Other design elements need to be considered. For instance, the master’s bedroom should be located farthest from the front door, preferably at a back corner. Loud colors and art should be avoided, and you shouldn’t be able to see yourself on a mirror from the bed as your reflection disturbs your sleep patterns.

Whether you actually believe in the flow of positive chi or you just like the location of your lot and the way your furniture is arranged, the philosophy of feng shui is all about harmony and balance – elements that are needed in any home.