Feng Shui Tips for the Kitchen: An article by Master Cecil Lee + His seven commandments of stove placement

[Cecil Lee]

[Published on July 2004]

Seven (7) Commandments of Stove Placement

1. Shield from vibrant wind. Avoid having a big window behind the stove.
2. Do not place next to sink. If you have to, try to leave a gap or distance between the two.
3. The stove should not face the main door; a toilet door; a bedroom door and the kitchen door.
4. The stove should not be under a beam or below sewerag or drainage pipes.
5. Do not place it in a corner.
6. It should not share the same wall as a bed-head.
7. It should not share the same wall as the toilet bowl or toilet sink.

A Cook's Harmony

The kitchen is a central part of the home.
Where many of our basic needs are met.
With good Feng Shui, you can enhance your kitchen's healthy flow of abundance.

Wake up to the aroma of freshly brewed coffee or the tantalizing whiff of bacon and eggs and chances are, you will be looking forward to the day bright eyed and bushy tailed.

Kitchens are the nucleus of every household. It represents both wealth and health. This may explain why Chinese families boil plenty of water at the start of the day - to ensure a never-ending abundance of the Earth's life force.

"In Feng Shui, each compass direction is associated with an element, "says Cecil Lee, Principal Consultant and founder of GEOMANCY.NET: Center for Applied Feng Shui Research. "In any kitchen, there will always be the interplay of water and fire elements. Ensuring a good balance between yin (water) and yang (fire) will  result in favourable fortune. Upsetting the balance could result in poor health, loss of weath or both."

A key factor to harmony in the kitchen is the location of the stove in relation to the door, sink and window. The metal element, which is common in this area of the home and represented by cooking utensils for example, is often used as a bridge between the water and fire counterparts. So what happens if there are imbalances?

According to Lee, it depends on the severity of the situation, "The solutions can range from the re-orientation of the fridge, moving the stove, using a mirror to renovatng the kitchen."

Comfortable surroundings breed content so it is vital that the person who spends the most time cooking in the kitchen has a conducive environment. Any disturbances could affect the cook's energy and the overall ambience of the home.

Having enough working space is a good start to encourage a steady flow of chi. Practise basic Feng Shui hygience such as keeping the area neat, orderly and clutter free. This can be achieved by having plenty of storage space to put things away. Take note that a refrigerator stocked with fresh foods symbolizes prosperity in the household.

"Make sure you have a well-lit, properly ventilated kitchend and preferably one where the person who is cooking can see the door way," suggests Lee. Airflow ensure that heat and vapours do not permeate the rest of the house. The cook needs to be aware of the presence of visitors or other family members to avoid unwanted surprises. Dangerous situations can present itself in the activity zone of the kitchen when an suspecting cook could accidentally spill extremely hot contents and hurt someone.

More advice

On the location of the kitchen and stove
1. Avoid placement in the North which is associated with the water element: water drowns fire
2. Avoid placement in the Northwest or Heaven's gate as it also represents the head of the household, that is, the father.

On the location of the fridge and sink
1. Avoid placing them next to the stove as this can cause a conflict of water versus fire.

[Cecil Lee]

Copy of the above article

 

 

[Cecil Lee]

Case Study: Avoid Stove facing a Toilet door

1. This layout design is popular with Singapore Housing Development Board (HDB) in the Period 7 era.

2. If the stove is facing the toilet door, it would then have to face a sink. 

2.1. Here, sink TAP (water element) vs stove (fire element) = a clash. Thus to be avoided

3. [Below] It would be worse-off if the WC faces the toilet door. As this is based on Common sense.

3.1. Here, if the WC lid (down) at the closed position; flushing the WC would mean that water gushes into the WC confined area and forced out of it.

3.2. Leaving the WC lid open is just as bad. As the micro droplets from the WC  "shoots" upwards instead of horizontally. 

3.3. If one really has a toilet seat that faces the toilet door; frankly, it is better to have the toilet seat lid "open" all the time instead of this closed, position.

[Cecil Lee]

Related:

 

[Dre]

My stove is directly across my sink. Can I use a green mat to use as remedy? 

[Cecil Lee]

14 hours ago, Dre said:

My stove is directly across my sink. Can I use a green mat to use as remedy? 

These are some considerations:

1. The idea stems from the notion of placing WOOD between the sink and stove.

2. Not practical in a HDB flat or in a condo unit chiefly because of space constraints.

3. Some even have the idea of wearing a green apron or green clothing when cooking. And this is considered as "peanuts" or not that effective.

3.1. Here is it as good as a "pseduo" or sugar coated cure.

4. Usually, most homes can still sustain with a stove facing a sink. As most homes have sufficient buffer for this kind of thing. As often, a home often has Feng Shui when there are at least three or moe major "leaks".

4.1. For example, if one cannot or do not want to relocate the stove or sink, then what you had written has more to do with Habit Number 12: Head Banger:-

4.2 Other Feng Shui Habits like Habit 1: FS Triage, 2: Fix-the-other-leaks, 3: Maximising OVERALL marks in other areas of the home are a good "insurance policy"

Reference resource:-

5. Just last week I had clients who went for House Hunting at two ECs: Whitewater (Pasir Ris) and Chestervale (Bukit Panjang)

5.1. The original layouts all have the sink facing the stove:-

5.2. Below: A typical Chestervale unit: original layout showing the stove and sink facing each other:-

 

5.3. Below: Majority of Whitewater EC 1st owner units also has the sink and stove facing each other = X and Y:-

6. Many of the residents have stayed in these many years. For example Chestervale T.O.P. in 1999. And many units still keep the stock kitchen layout plan with stove and sink facing each other.

6.1. Whitewater EC is slightly newer as the T.O.P. was in 2005. And yet, I visited two units last week and both have the stove and sink facing each other also.

7. In conclusion, majority of the home can still sustain such a situation. And not that every single home with such a configuration will fall into deep trouble.

[Cecil Lee]

Often for larger kitchens, it is not possible to have a complete or single back splash mirror.

If so, make sure that the joints of the back splash tempered glass mirror does not split the stove and/or the sink.

As shown in the following illustrations:-

 

[Cecil Lee]

Landed property with three storeys (levels):

"Master Lee can I double check the last time we talk at my house there u said cannot have bed above the stove right. Tats for the 2nd floor bedrooms right!!? Doesn’t affect the 3rd floor room right?"

Yes correct

 

[Cecil Lee]

Related:

https://www.geomancy.net/forums/topic/15510-kitchen-feng-shui-in-the-house/

[Cecil Lee]

Related:

 

[Cecil Lee]

Hi Master Lee, can I check with you if dishwasher can be install under the stove area ?

 

Hi Master, can I install it to be like how the photo is? So the stove and sink will still have the 30cm gap. Then dishwasher is in between the stove and sink


Not perfect but okay

And the dishwasher water pipe must not run at least 40 cm below the stove if anythanks 

 

 

 

 

 

[Cecil Lee]

Hi Cecil, I would like to know if I can make the frosted glass oil spill panel at my cooking stove.  Or the fda grade stainless steel panel will be more suitable.

Reply: No issue = can. But Frosted don’t make sense. As when oil spills onto parts of it.. parts will be shiny?

And when one starts to wipe the oil off..  again streaks of oily and shiny surface. Flawed logic

 

 

[starling00]

hi master.  i have a few question.

1. the main door and stove is not directly opposite. but the main door can see the dining + kitchen. what should i do ? add full height partition wall ?

2. the position of the stove and fridge. is it ok? if not, then what can i do? prefer some work around with minimal renovation. 

Appreciate your advise. Thank you.

 

 

[Cecil Lee]

1 hour ago, starling00 said:

hi master.  i have a few question.

1. the main door and stove is not directly opposite. but the main door can see the dining + kitchen. what should i do ? add full height partition wall ?

2. the position of the stove and fridge. is it ok? if not, then what can i do? prefer some work around with minimal renovation. 

Appreciate your advise. Thank you.

 

 

An easy fix for the kitchen is to utilise opaque film similar to this...

Based on the concept of: "If cannot be seen, no longer a threat".

P.S. If one places an item close to the opaque film window, one might still see a shadow or shadows. But this is a non-issue.

 

[starling00]

thanks for the easy fix! 

But.. can I paste the opaque film lower so I can see my kids when I am cooking in the kitchen? 

[Cecil Lee]

Yes, feel free to do so!

[Cecil Lee]

Typical newer generation > 2002 HDB flat

Hi Cecil just to confirm for my kitchen - either my stove or my basin can put either sides right?

Reply: No. If your unit is not the highest floor; your stove may end up directly below the upper floor waste pipe

[panelsg]

is a framed picture of The Last Supper bad to put on a wall opposite kitchen door? 

[Cecil Lee]

1 hour ago, panelsg said:

is a framed picture of The Last Supper bad to put on a wall opposite kitchen door? 

Feng Shui does not micro-manage such things.

But there are parallels of one encounter a Feng Shui Master that pulls in religious beliefs or even use it as a motive to give an excuse to sell products.

These are the people, one should ask such questions. And see what their replies are.

[Cecil Lee]

Hi Mr Lee, sorry for late msg, is there anything in fengshui that cannot have stove / hob near window?
 

Reply: Because of common sense = wind vortex if windows are opened. (Flame out) Or the heat may crack the glass.

[Cecil Lee]

Q: Hi master, i intend to overlay my kitchen floor and a friend of my says the kitchen floor cannot be higher than the living room floor due to feng shui and will affect the wife's health. Is that true?

Actually more to do with the past. Where live animals were slaughtered and kitchen floor is constantly being washed.

What happens if kitchen floor is higher than living room, then all the cleaning will spill water into the living room area.

Somehow such common sense thing most likely end up as everything .. blame it on bad Feng Shui, lah!

[Cecil Lee]

May I ask if Refrigerator can be place opposite Stove?
 

Fridge is okay as it is a metal element.

But if the fridge has a water or ice dispenser, this dispenser unit should not face stove

[Cecil Lee]

Hi Cecil, is it ok if we swap the stove and sink position?

( If this is not the highest floor)
Check to see if waste pipe of the upper units = neighbour’s are not above the new stove position if not if not then ok

[Cecil Lee]

Interesting....

THE INSIDERS

Nobody Wants an Open Kitchen, Says Washington, D.C. Architect

By adding walls, pocket doors and butler’s pantries to kitchens, Nicholas Potts prioritizes moments of peace at home

Source and Credit: BY REBECCA BRATBURD, ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON APRIL 18, 2022 
MANSION GLOBAL

Extract:

Apologies for the cut-off photos.. Didn't want to capture everything in case infringe on copyright....

He found that consciously sealing the kitchen off from the living room with a door and a wall made a noticeable impact. Separating the rooms made each feel properly proportioned. The living room, now more cocoon-like, was easier to furnish. Thus, what’s old is new again.

“Maybe it’s a post-pandemic thing, but nobody wants an open kitchen,” Mr. Potts said. “They want light and spaciousness, but no one wants a mess. It’s more calming, frankly, to have definition and to be able to remove yourself from a room where somebody might be on a video conference, or where you just made lunch but don’t want to do the dishes yet.”

[Cecil Lee]

Some HDB Kitchen Sink infrastructure (water pipe and waste pipes) are located here:

Which leads to several Feng Shui related concerns:

1. Stove can be seen from the front door

2. Sink can be seen from the front door

3. Stove should not face the Sink

4. Fridge (if have a water/ice dispenser should not face the stove. 

5. While this is not Feng Shui: sink and stove on the opposite side is not ergonomic As after cooking, the "hot" utensil has to be brought over to the other side.

5.1. Sometimes with young children, one may have to "look left, look right before bringing it to the sink area. In addition, liquid (or oily contents) may drip on the floor while this is done. Therefore, not particularly ergonomic situation 365 days a year - and repeat.

OPTIONS A TO C

1. Some new HDB estates like Tampines GreenCourt has it's kitchen sink infrastructure located at Options A to C.

OPTIONS D TO G

1.1. For example, it is not an easy task to relocate the same sink (especially it's waste pipe towards the opposite wall as shown under Options D to G.

 

Master, I have thought of 7 layouts and the follow up questions. Could you please advice on the best layout please?

1st choice = D
2nd choice =G

if somehow there is a miracle than B is the alternative over D and G. No issue with fridge face door. But if it is a door door fridge; must avoid a water /ice dispenser if any facing part of the stove or oven.

 

RESOURCES