When I look at magazine layouts of architecture and design, I look at them with my feng shui eyes. While it’s always impressive to see luxury homes where no dollar was spared, that doesn’t mean they got the feng shui right. Here’s a recent example I found in Dwell Magazine. The first photo is the view of this new Hamptons home from the street. You can see right inside the living area. But not only that, you can see right THROUGH to the backyard! This is a big feng shui no-no. It’s called a “poison arrow” as it is more than one window or door in direct alignment (especially negative when it exposes your home from front to back like this one does). The magazine said there were plans to add some shrubbery for privacy. That’s a good start but more will be needed to solve the feng shui problem. A better design for privacy and feng shui would have been to have a solid wall towards the street side with a clerestory window running all along the top of it, letting in natural light and a narrow view of the trees and sky with NONE of the street exposure.
Another view of this interior shows a long corridor like feel with a bedroom door at the end of it. This is yet another “poison arrow” and it crosses the first one created by the window-window arrow. A better design would have been to create a barrier wall so the entry to the bedroom was unseen and one would have to change directions a few times to enter the room. Keeping the door closed will help a little in the meantime.
What does a poison arrow matter? It creates too-fast-moving ch’i energy. If you’re “caught in the crossfire” of one poison arrow (let alone two or more) you will not feel comfortable or at ease. Often people will move into a house like this and move out within a short time, not knowing why they do not like living there. It’s about the “feeling” and subconsciously we will not feel safe here.
Here’s the master bedroom of the same house. I think it feels rather cold and uninviting despite the sunny yellow upholstery on the chair and the warmth of the wood floors. The feng shui problems: the closet doors to the left appear to be mirrored. In a room like this where there is already so much natural light from floor to ceiling windows, having the mirrors will cause an overabundance of stimulating ch’i. The light and the energy will be bouncing all over the place. Another problem is the choice of lamp overhead. Much cozier and more intimate to have two lamps, one on either side, instead of what looks like a stand up lamp hanging overhead. The window treatments look very industrial. Altogether not a successful room (in my opinion). Do you like it? Let me know why.
Feng Shui By Fishgirl 
Very interesting. Have to say, your observations make a lot of sense. thanks for helping with developing feng shui eyes 🙂
Interesting & “feels” right about things flowing through – I know a bookshop that suffers through its doors making you feel like you’re in a laneway.
But – what about things like the English narrowboats (just something I like looking at/playing with online) where windows opposite each other are just about the only way to go?
I’m unfamiliar with English narrowboats…but there are feng shui cures for windows opposite each other. Crystal prisms hung in the windows, for example, would divert the qi energy somewhat. Can you send us some pics of the exact situation so I can have a look? Thanks for posting, Miss Heliotrope!
Wondering what a cure would be if I’m in the center of my workshop with dozens of shelving corners & desks, like arrows, pointing at me (no matter where I move in the room? Located in the Helpful People/Travel corner. Cathy.
Cathy,
Yes. I’d advise you to hang a multi faceted feng shui crystal above ur workstation to diffuse the poison arrows. The crystal should be on a 9″ red cord and should be energized with the 3 Secret Reinforcements ritual. I can sendyou one when i return from india. http://goingtogoa.wordpress.com
Katy
I have several problem areas in our bedroom: the entry door on the south wall opoens across the head of the bed; a closet, also on the south wall, jutting into the room forms a poison arrow pointed directly at the bed; the angles of the roof come together on the northwest corner to form a large poison arrow pointing at the bed. The head of the bed, on the east wall, is on the bathroom wall; there are two windows on each of the west and north walls. Please advise as to solutions short of moving….many thanks
Dianne,
The best advice that I can give you is to hire an experienced feng shui consultant and pay them for their expertise to solve it. You haven’t mentioned how these poison arrows are impacting your sleep–be sure that your advisor interviews you thoroughly to get the complete picture of what is happening with your energy and life, not just the architecture. Also, I strongly advise you to take into consideration the entire home space and not just feng shui the one room. Good luck (and let us know what happens)!
fishgirl