This is part 8 of the series of 9 articles presented on Vastu Shastra. A home buyer, at times, begins the journey of owning a home with a single point agenda of ‘Vastu compliance’. The journey is not an easy one, and is riddled with many roadblocks and confusions. These articles are meant to ease the confusion, or perhaps, bridge the lack of a balanced perspective around Vastu while: i) planning on buying and/or constructing a home, and ii) to assist the home buyer to zero-in on the most sensible choice of an apartment. 

For a clearer perspective on Vastu Shastra, it is recommended that all the 9 parts of this series on Vastu Shastra be read. 

However, should the reader be in a hurry, it is recommended to at least go through the ‘4 steps to understanding & demystifying Vastu’ and the ‘conclusion’ in part 9 of the series. This will hopefully impart a well-rounded balanced perspective on Vastu Shastra, its implications and its applicability. Above all else, it help us shape (or choose) our overall demeanour and approach in dealing with the dilemmas posed by Vastu Shastra effectively.

Note- An index with links is given at the bottom of this article to help you navigate and jump directly to the desired topic of this 9-part series.

Vastu Guidelines or Tips on ‘rooms’ & ‘spaces’ in our homes:

Let us now explore the various Vastu recommendations or guidelines on the design-related, location-specific elements as well as the factors of ‘interior and exterior spaces’, and the influence they have on the behavioural disposition of the inhabitants (positive or negative). The intent remains to attain harmony with the elements of nature, to optimize on their beneficial effects, and to minimize (or eliminate) the harmful effects.

Described below are the ‘exterior spaces and internal rooms’, and how they scientifically interplay with the elements of nature. The Vastu recommendations are based both on a scientific (logical) as well as a nature-inspired perspective aimed at bringing peace, harmony, prosperity, good-health and wellness to the residents of a house.

Upper floors

• Upper floors are approached through the staircase; The lower floors are more noisy since the inhabitants of a family spend time socializing, interacting, eating, playing and so on in the ground floor in the living, dining or Kitchen area
• Upper floors, especially in a duplex, are composed predominantly of bedrooms where the inhabitants relax, unwind, and are limited in their own private space; Hence, the upper floors should exude tranquillity, warmth and create a soothing ambience
• Vastu defines ways in which upper floors can be made more inviting and relaxing by having the correct placement of rooms, furniture, doors and windows
• Balconies: The balconies to be placed in the North, East and North-East to enjoy morning (East), and day-long beneficial Sunlight (North & North-East); West is avoided since it tends to get very hot post noon, and it is not pleasant sitting in the evening in the West all around the year (particularly Summer)
• Bedrooms & Study: 
  • To be placed in the upper floors being personal spaces requiring peace and tranquillity
  • Main bedrooms to be placed in the South, especially the master of the house; North is good for living room, and for guests, therefore, the main bedroom far from South should be nestled in the South
  • Do not have bedrooms above garage, car park or kitchen; This secures health by avoiding the nasty fumes of the kitchen as well as those emanating from the car’s exhaust
  • Avoid bedrooms in the North-East which is chosen for pooja room, or living-room
• Guidance for Master bedroom:
  • Location: South-West of the upper-most floor; Not to use this for children, else they tend to dominate; Avoid master-bedroom in the South-East since this is ideal only for Kitchen, being the place for ‘Agni’ (fire)
• Best position for Guest bedroom in upper floor:
  • Location: North-West, since this represents ‘Vayu’, hence, the guest comes and stays for a short-stay, and moves on like passing winds; This location gets constant Sunlight being in the North; Plus, Guests being in North part secures privacy for the members of the house who are tucked-in around the Southern part of upper-floors
• Children’s bedroom in upper floors:
  • East or West side so that it is bright and well-lit with Sunlight; It is a good location for student life for studying; Likewise, bedroom in East gets good morning Sunlight, and is good for studies early morning
• Vastu guidance on fixtures, furniture and vents (openings) in the upper-floors
  • Maximum number of doors and windows recommended in the North and East sides to allow ample Sunlight to stream-in
  • Avoid storing heavy objects in upper floors; Instead place or Store heavier objects in the ground floor
  • Ceiling-height of lower floor should be taller than upper floor, to give it a stable feel-good factor; Besides, it looks appealing and inviting to see a stable and proportionate building of this nature

Door and windows

• • Door and windows allow cross-ventilation, and protect against the negative energies when placed in the right position
  • With correct position, the doors and windows allow seamless flow of air, light and energy from exteriors to the interiors of the house
  • This has an over bearing positive effect on the health and well-being of the family members leading to overall contentment and joy
  • Number of doors: One should have even number of doors in the house (4, 6, 8 and so on); Avoid odd number as per Vastu guidelines; One may exercise discretion over this directive since, there is no logical explanation for this
  • Location: 
    • Internal doors: Doors and windows should ideally be located opposite to each other to allow completion of the ‘positive and negative cycle’; This basically means ‘cross-ventilation’, where the fresh air is allowed in to unsettle the stagnant air inside the house; Stagnant air is harmful for health as it causes breeding of bacteria and other harmful microbes
    • Door should not be placed in the centre; Additionally, it should NOT be in the extreme corner as well; Central doors are structurally unstable; Doors in extreme corners must be avoided to allow some space to support the lintel with the help of some bearing should cracks appear
    • For houses where two main doors exist, then choose to have doors in combination as follows:
      • East in combination with North & West
      • West in combination with North & East
      • Benefit: the objective is simply to have flow of air and energy with adequate cross-ventilation that doors on the opposite walls begets

• Location of the main entrance/door:

• • • Main door must be located to evoke maximum positive energy
    • The placement of main door depends on which side the house is facing; Depending on this, the door must be placed either in the centre, in the left or in the right; It all depends on which side the house is facing

• Main door (entrance) for East Facing house: 

• To avoid positioning the door in the left half (i.e. South-East part); Instead choose to position it in the North-East i.e. right half
• North-East part allows Sunlight to flow in in abundance
• Similarly, have as many window opening also in the North and East
• Be sure to keep the aperture a few feet away from extreme corner (more towards the centre) to allow for some windows that can remain open for a longer duration, and allow constant Sunlight throughout the day

• Main door (entrance) for South Facing house: 

• To avoid positioning the entrance door in the left half of the room i.e. South-West corner; Instead place it on the South-East corner (the right half)

• Having lesser openings in the South-West ensure that the strong and hot UV rays of Sun post noon do not enter the house, and make it excessively hot and unbearable

• If there is a main entrance in the South, one should choose to have one in the North direction as well to allow Sunlight entering the home throughout the day as well

• Main door (entrance) for West Facing house:

• Do not place a door in the South-West direction, i.e. the right half part of the room, and avoid the excessive Sunlight and the heat owing to infrared rays of the Sun
• North-West is a preferred location for the entrance
• Have a complementary door in the East as well to allow gentle and beneficial Ultra Violet rays from the Sunlight sweeping through the entire house during early morning time; The Sunlight at this time is a source of Vitamin D, which is healthy and required for the human body

• Main door (entrance) for North Facing house:

• To avoid positioning the door in the North-West corner of the room i.e. the right half
• Choose to position the door in the North-East side, which is the left half of the room
• Have more openings like doors and windows in the North and East to allow the morning and healthy Sunlight penetrating the house during the wee hours of the day (from East) as well as throughout the day (from the North)

• Location of the windows in the house:

• • • Windows should be located opposite to the door to ensure that the air circulation is optimized; As per Vastu logic, it allows completion of the ‘positive and negative cycles’ by having adequate cross-ventilation; Thus, stagnant air is pushed out and replaced with fresh air which enhances overall well-being and good health of the inmates by eliminating the harmful bacteria, fungus or viruses besides taking care of the dampness
    • The windows in the North wall should a bit more towards the North-East to allow healthy Sunlight, and good air-circulation, besides the morning Sunlight penetrating from North0East direction
    • Similarly, the windows located towards the East wall, should be concentrated more towards the North-East, and should be long and wide to allow for Sunlight and good air circulation
    • Must avoid excessive windows towards the South-West to avoid the excessive hot Sunlight post noon which are high in Ultra Violet rays; Hence, lesser the windows here, the better

• Specifications of Windows:

• • Windows should be uniform in shape, rectangular in shape, and maintain a proportionate height and size which makes it aesthetically appealing; Irregular shaped windows are considered inauspicious, and Rectangular shaped windows are considered stable structurally
  • Avoid auto-closing doors as they are unsafe, and cause unwanted injuries to the inmates, particularly to infants and small children
  • Make sure to have doors and windows that are free of cracks; A damaged window or door can be harmful and also a potential threat to the safety of the house

Noisy or creaking doors must be repaired or replaced; It is considered to fuel disharmony in the house in the form of quarrels as per Vastu pundits; Besides, creaking windows and doors evoke fear, and are an indication of something bad happening; Hence, either repair, replace or oil the hinges or joinery to get them in order