Why the Kitchen Is Important
Let’s take a moment to think about how much time you spend in the kitchen, and what kinds of things you do there. The kitchen is where you cook food for yourself, and maybe your family also. It represents how you nourish yourself, which affects your vitality and overall well-being. The kitchen is also a place where you store food, which affects your wellness as well. Another important aspect of the kitchen is that it generally functions as the heart of the home: It’s a central place where families and friends often gather to warm and nourish themselves, tell stories, and spend time together. In feng shui, the kitchen also represents how well you can do in the world, because if you can nourish yourself and your family with nutritious, supportive meals, then you can have a lot of success and prosperity. Without the sense of well-being that comes with being well-fed, it’s really hard to have these things. People often ask about the best feng shui colors for a kitchen. There are many different ways to look at colors in feng shui, but one of the simplest approaches to applying feng shui color theory is to look at the five elements.
Balancing the Five Elements
The five elements, or the five phases, is a practice we use in feng shui. The five elements are earth, fire, water, wood, and metal. Each of the elements corresponds to certain types of energy, and they work together to balance and feed one another. Each element is also connected to specific colors. One way to work with the five elements and color in the kitchen is to consider that there are already two elements present: fire and water. The most important element in the kitchen is fire, which you’ll see in the stove. Even if your stove is electric or gas, you still have the heating fire element where you cook your food. You also have the water element, in the form of a sink. Because kitchens already have the fire and water elements, you may want to avoid adding more fire and water element colors. We want the five elements to be in balance, without any excess or lack of one particular element. Water is connected to the color black. It’s OK to have black accents, but too much water can put out the fire needed in the kitchen, so it’s best to avoid too much black. You may also want to avoid having a lot of red in your kitchen, which represents fire. Too much fire in the kitchen can burn up your resources. Instead of adding more fire and water, it’s considered better to bring in the remaining elements (metal, earth, and wood) to create balance. If you do have fire and water element colors in your kitchen, though, don’t panic! This is OK, but you may want to consider finding ways to balance the extra fire and water. Again, you can do this by adding the other three elements to create a more harmonious environment. See below for some simple ways to add metal, earth, and wood to your kitchen through color.
Metal Element Colors
White, connected to the metal element, is generally thought to be a great color for a kitchen because it creates a clean backdrop that highlights a rainbow of foods. White plates, cabinets, and countertops can all be beautiful additions to a kitchen. White also represents purity and cleanliness, which are positive qualities for a kitchen, and it makes sense on a practical level because it’s easy to make sure your white kitchen items are clean. Metallic colors like stainless steel, silver tones, and brass are also great for bringing in the metal element and creating more balance in a kitchen. One way to incorporate metallic colors into your kitchen is to add metal cabinet handles.
Earth Element Colors
Earthy colors like yellow and brown can also be supportive in the kitchen. This could look like brown wood floors or cabinets, or a brown wooden dining table. Yellow is said to increase your appetite, which may or may not be a consequence you’re hoping for.
Wood Element Colors
The wood element is connected to blues, greens, and teals. You can bring in the wood element with teal napkins, a bright blue or green backsplash, or an herb garden with live green plants. Blue is also the least appetizing color in feng shui, so based on your goals, you may or may not want to include blue accents.
