Feng Shui for a Studio Apartment (& the Perfect Feng Shui Layout!)

At first glance, it might seem like feng shui for a studio apartment would be more complicated than feng shui for a house.

But you couldn’t be more wrong!

A studio apartment is actually a great space for feng shui because everything counts!

Feng shui for a small apartment is a bit easier because if something is “off” with the energy, it’s a lot more obvious and (I would argue) easier to fix!

Reasons Why It’s Easier to Feng Shui a Studio Apartment

Smaller spaces mean there are fewer places where issues can hide.

It’s a lot harder to have hidden clutter or even hidden maintenance issues, which means it’s a lot easier to have great energy flow throughout your apartment.

Small changes make a huge difference.

With studio apartments, making a small change actually makes a huge difference in your apartment’s feng shui.

You’ll notice an immediate difference in your energy and therefore your life!

It’s easier to figure out bagua placement.

Using the bagua in a studio apartment is much easier than trying to figure out a layout for a huge home.

That makes it a lot easier to figure out which areas of your apartment correspond to the different areas of your life.

How to Feng Shui a Studio Apartment

Apply the bagua.

Align the bagua map so that your front door aligns with the bottom of the bagua.

That means your front door will fall either in the Knowledge & Wisdom Area, the Career Area, or the Travel & Helpful People Area.

For a picture of the bagua and how to use it, see this post: What is the Feng Shui Bagua Map? The ULTIMATE guide for applying it to your home!

Decide where you want to start.

To keep things simple, choose ONE area of your studio apartment to start feng shui.

You don’t have to do the whole thing at once! Choose one area and focus on it.

You can start with an area where you’re struggling and want to make an improvement, or you can just start with your front door and then work your way around.

Whatever makes the most sense for you is best – use your intuition!

Make one or two changes at a time.

Feng shui for a studio apartment will work best if you only make a couple of changes at a time.

That way you can prove to yourself that it works.

You’ll get results and that will give you the momentum to make more changes!

Of course, if you’re a person who likes to go “all in” and do everything all at once, you can do that too.

But don’t feel like you HAVE to. If your life is working pretty well, you don’t have to up-end your entire apartment just to make it “good feng shui.”

woman laying on her bed in a studio apartment

Four Important Areas for a Studio Apartment

The Bathroom

Bathrooms represent draining energy (not to mention germs.)

But they are also important areas in feng shui because they represent health and self-care.

Having a clean, organized bathroom space helps to keep good Chi circulating.

You should also keep the door shut as much as possible to keep Chi circulating in the rest of your apartment. See this post for more information: feng shui bathroom tips – how to create a spa-like experience at home!

The Kitchen Area

Kitchens represent health and wealth in feng shui.

They are responsible for nourishment but also abundance (health is true wealth!)

Keep your kitchen area as neat and tidy as possible.

If you have a stovetop, use all of your burners to keep the fire element (activating energy) going! See this post for more information: 7 feng shui kitchen tips for creating a healthy & wealthy home!

Your Bed

In feng shui, your bed represents rest and romance.

Ideally, it should be separated from the rest of your apartment, by either a screen or curtain or some other kind of separation.

That way it can be protected from the active energy of the rest of your apartment.

Of course in a small studio apartment that isn’t always practical, so just make sure you have a well-defined sleeping area that is as neat and tidy as possible!

The Front Door

Your front door is one of the most important areas of your apartment.

It is where fresh Chi enters and it’s how the Universe sends you the things you ask for!

If you can create a defined entryway in your apartment it can help enhance this area and greet the Chi when it enters.

But if you don’t have room for a defined entryway, just keep your front door and the area around it neat and tidy!

And make sure that your door opens freely without anything blocking it (so that the good Chi can enter easily!) See this post for more information: how to feng shui your front door to attract new opportunities and good fortune!

loft studio apartment with table, chairs, and couch

Easy Ways to Feng Shui a Studio Apartment

Declutter.

This is always one of the first steps for feng shui, regardless of the space.

Clutter causes stuck energy, and you want as much energy flow as possible.

Look at your space with fresh eyes.

Look for any area where it’s hard to walk or things are blocking your path.

Is there anything that sticks out to you as super obvious?

Anything that blocks the flow of energy in your space will block good Chi (life-force energy) from circulating.

Is there anything that you feel could be better organized or that looks “off” or that you wish you could change?

Make a list and decide if it’s something that can easily be changed.

These days there are all sorts of removable wallpaper or decals, fabric curtains, or even pictures you can hang to hide things you don’t like! Don’t assume you have to live with it.

Check for stagnant Chi items.

Things that cause stuck energy, drain positive energy, or attract negative energy are:

Dead or dying plants.
Dirt and grime.
Broken items.
Items you have negative emotions towards.
Old pictures of sad times in your life.
Sad artwork.
Piles of paperwork.
Overflowing trash cans.
Anything that makes you sad when you look at it.

Create defined spaces.

If you can, creating defined living areas can enhance the feng shui of your studio apartment.

In feng shui, any area that has a clearly defined purpose has great Chi!

Creating a living space, a dining/kitchen space, a workspace, and a bed/sleeping space can really help the energy in your apartment.

If you can’t really have defined spaces, you can store items away when you aren’t using them.

For example, putting your work away when you’re finished can help you create separation so you don’t feel like you’re working all of the time.

Making your bed every morning (or putting your bed away if you have a sofa bed or murphy bed) can help you separate your active time from your resting time.

Come up with creative ways to make your space work for you!

example of a studio apartment layout using shelves and divider walls

The Perfect Feng Shui Layout for a Studio Apartment

As we discussed above, creating separate and defined areas with purpose can be a great way to create a good feng shui layout in your apartment.

You can also use the bagua map as a guide to determine what items go well in each area.

But really, the perfect feng shui layout is the one that works best for your space.

You can’t exactly move the kitchen or bathroom (unless you’re renovating or building, of course) so the BEST feng shui layout is the one that makes sense!

It’s better to create a layout that flows well than it is to put your desk in the career area just because you “should.”

Another thing to consider: Don’t have things in your studio apartment that you won’t use!

When it comes to a feng shui layout for a studio apartment, the MOST important thing is to do what works for YOU.

You don’t have to have a dining table just because there’s a dining area.

You don’t have to have a separate bed if you’d rather have a pull-out couch.

Your apartment should be as unique as you are! Use your space!

And create a layout that YOU love, regardless of what it means for the feng shui of your studio apartment.

woman laying on her bed, looking at her phone

Some general feng shui layout ideas for a studio apartment:

Try to place the bed as far away from high-traffic areas as possible.

This will create separation from the “active” areas so you can sleep better. Placing the head of the bed against a solid wall can help too!

Think about the command position.

In feng shui, the command position means your back isn’t to the main door when you’re seated.

Ideally, you should be able to see the door when seated on the couch, lying in bed, or using the kitchen stove.

Of course, that isn’t always possible, but being in the command position helps relax your nervous system (no one can sneak up behind you) and puts you in charge of your space.

Consider poison arrows.

Poison arrows are sharp corners that point directly at you when you’re sitting (or laying in bed!)

Try to arrange your furniture so that sharp corners of tables, counters, walls, or other furniture don’t point directly at you while you’re seated or in bed at night.

Sharp corners direct fire energy and can feel uncomfortable or disrupt sleep.

If your furniture can’t really be moved around or the sharp corner is a wall, you can cover the corners with fabric (like table cloths) or soften them with plants in front of them.

Be careful with mirrors.

Mirrors bounce energy and double everything they reflect.

Try to place mirrors so they aren’t directly across from the door, because this will bounce the Chi out of your apartment.

It’s also best that they aren’t directly across from the bed.

This post has more information about feng shui and mirrors.

Remember – good feng shui is what works for you!

If you feel great when you’re in your space, and things are going well in your life, then the feng shui in your studio apartment is probably already a-ok!

You can always optimize things, but nothing is inherently good or bad when it comes to feng shui.

Everything is open to interpretation and how YOU feel about your apartment is ultimately what counts!