First impressions matter. The architectural front door to a home or business is the first thing that people see and will leave a lasting image about what or who you are. This is why the entry is considered to be one of the most important spaces in feng shui. When open and welcoming, your front entrance communicates your desire and willingness to receive helpful experiences, people and opportunities. This is especially important in a business or retail setting.
 
     The front door is also the “mouth of ch’i” or point of entry where vital energy flows in to your space.
 
     There are many levels of complexity to making an auspicious entry but here are a few simple tips for creating good front door feng shui.
 
     Consider color. Red is traditional for welcoming prosperity. You can use any shade that you like from classic red to burgundy or magenta. Another way to select color is to be more specific about qualities you want to draw to your home. Blue is excellent for healing energy while green is grounding and instills harmony. Bright yellow is the color for mental power and will express an extroverted personality. Whatever color you choose should harmonize with the style and color of your house and be a clear signal as to the location of the door.
 
     Both inside and outside entry spaces should be safe, well maintained and free of clutter. The message is “keep out” when trying to enter a doorway that sticks, squeaks or will not open freely due to coats or shoes blocking the swing of the door. So fix the cracks in the sidewalk, oil the hinges and re-locate those coats, backpacks and shoes that tend to accumulate in the entry.
 
     Many home front doors suffer from neglect due to lack of use. The way modern homes are designed it has become common practice to enter through the back or garage door. To keep the ch’i moving to your home or business use the front door at least once per day.
 
     During a recent walk through downtown Marshfield I noticed many attractive storefronts but several stood out as examples of positive feng shui. Four Seasons Antique Mall, The Back Porch and the new Thimbleberry Books all provided a clear identity and placed things out on the sidewalk to draw attention to the store. Each of these stores promised passersby a positive experience if they entered.
 
     Take a look at your entry and front door and see what impression it makes. If you don’t like what it says about you, spruce it up, add a healthy plant or wind chime and get ready for opportunity to start flowing your way.

This article was first published in the July, 05 issue of the Marshfield, Wisconsin's News Herald.  Presented here with the kind permission of Eileen Kelz.