5 entryway Feng Shui mistakes experts always notice as soon as they step foot into a home

The entrance to your home is so often disregarded as merely a place of transition from indoors to the outside world, but it's one of the most important spaces that introduces your home's interior and welcomes guests. Because of their busy nature, they can so quickly become cluttered zones, but by adopting Feng Shui principles, you might be able to alter your entryway's energy and create a calming entrance to your home. 

Feng Shui is the ancient principle that looks to the energy flow of spaces to create harmony. 'Feng Shui in the entryway is crucial because it's where vital energy, or Qi, first enters your home,’ explains Victor Cheung, founder of Feng Shio Nexus. ‘A well-designed entryway ensures that this energy is positive and nourishing, promoting good fortune and well-being. It helps in creating a positive, welcoming atmosphere, and ensures that you start and end your day with good energy, promoting a sense of wellbeing.' You might not have realized you're making these entryway Feng Shui mistakes, and correcting them could be the key to bringing a good energy into your home.

1. Incorrect mirror placement

(Image credit: Tina M Witherspoon. Design: Office of Ordinary Architecture)

All entryways need a mirror, giving you the opportunity to check your reflection before leaving the house and to bounce light around these typically narrow and light-lacking rooms. 

According to entryway Feng Shui, mirrors and reflective surfaces can help amplify the energy in the entryway, making it feel more spacious and vibrant. ‘Avoid missing out on this by strategically placing mirrors or reflective decor to enhance the energy flow and create a sense of openness,’ says Victor Cheung, founder of Feng Shio Nexus. 

But be wary about where you hang your mirror, warns Feng Shui-based interior designer, Lali Kafi Gonzalez. 'A common mistake is to hang mirrors in our entryway directly across the front door,' says Lali. 'It’s not a problem to have a mirror in your entry, and can be a good way to elevate the design, but make sure it’s hung perpendicular to the front door so that it’s not reflecting the Qi right back out the door.'

2. Forgetting that the entryway begins outside the front door

(Image credit: Ben Cole. Design: Fabric Architecture Studio. )

Your entryway is often almost a mirror shape of the outside entrance or porch area, so include this part of the home in your entryway's design, and think about how the two spaces work together. 'The entryway begins outside the home,' says Lali, 'so don’t forget to make the outside of the entrance inviting, clean, and organized.'

Have the house number clearly marked, make sure to clean away debris, and light the space with neat outdoor pathway lighting. 'If you have Feng Shui plants outside, don’t forget to care for them and keep them healthy. If there is a pathway to your door, make sure it’s well-kept, lilt with outdoor pathway lighting, and accessible.'

3. Choosing the wrong lighting 

(Image credit: Tina M Witherspoon. Design: Office of Ordinary Architecture)

Lighting is always important, but have you considered that your entryway lighting might be contributing to poor Feng Shui energy? 'Most people do not have enough lighting around their doors and inside their entrance,' says Lali. 'Lighting is a way to elevate the Qi of an area.'

'Inadequate lighting can create a gloomy and stagnant atmosphere so make sure the entryway is well-lit, inside and out,‘ agrees Victor. 'Ensure your entryway is well-lit with both natural and artificial light and use warm, welcoming lighting fixtures to invite positive energy into your home, making the entryway feel inviting and energized.’ Considered a layered scheme, much like you would in the main rooms of the home like the kitchen, bedrooms and living rooms. 

A table lamp on a console table can illuminate a vignette, adequate overhead ceiling lighting will provide a general glow, and add a couple of wall lights if you have the space to contribute to the brightness of the space like this example from Office of Ordinary Architecture.

4. Allowing clutter to build up

(Image credit: Armelle Habib. Design Austin Design: Associates)

‘In creating an optimal entryway feng shui, it's crucial to maintain a clutter-free environment, allowing energy to effortlessly flow through the space,’ says Tommy Zung, principal designer at Studio Zung. 

Clutter is a major energy blocker and when your entryway is cluttered with shoes, bags, or excessive decor, it hinders the smooth flow of Qi. 'To avoid this, regularly declutter the area, keeping only essential items at the entrance, and create designated entryway storage spaces for shoes and bags to maintain a clean and open passage.’ 

Hall trees can be a great storage addition, a handy one-stop shop for a clear pathway that might include a bench, drawers, and hooks that provide a dedicated zone for all that entryway clutter. 

5. Introducing obstructions that alter the path of energy

(Image credit: Armelle Habib. Design Austin Design: Associates)

It might sound simple, but the key to good entryway Feng Shui all comes down to how quickly your energy flows around the space, so think about the obstructions and eye-line. Firstly, ensure your door can cleanly and seamlessly open and close. 'Ensuring that the door opens fully without obstructions is important to allow energy to enter smoothly,’ says Victor. ‘Declutter the space and remove any unnecessary items to allow for a clear and open path.'

Avoid back door and front door alignment too, or seeing directly out to the back garden from the front door which can cause the energy to flow too quickly through the house.

'Have a foyer just inside the entrance to collect, contain and slow the flow of energy,' says Jane Langof, Feng Shui Master from Feng Shui Concepts. 'A foyer allows energy to accumulate before circulating throughout the house. This helps in creating a balanced and harmonious energy flow in the entire home.'