There are certain differences between living in an apartment or house, and living in a home. According to Vaastu Shastra, there are certain practices of designing the layout of a residence which help transform it into a home of your own. These are practices that are pivotal to the energy and environment of homes, regardless of whether they are ready to move flats in South Mumbai or any other region. There are a number of benefits of making your home Vaastu-compliant. We at L&T Realty have put together a guide to help you get a better idea of Vaastu and how to make your home more Vaastu-compliant.

Get the ‘Why’ of It: Reasons to Have a Vaastu-Compliant Home

Foster Deeper Connections
It is said that the environment that Vaastu creates in a household is one that helps in nurturing relationships and strengthening ties with the people in our life. It helps encourage a more positive energy, enhancing your moods as well as perhaps brightening your overall outlook with other people. This kind of energy also helps in making amends and fixing severed bonds of the past, not just with your family but maybe even with the people you meet or work with.

Enhance Overall Well-Being
Vaastu is believed to have a good effect on your overall health, whether it be from a physical standpoint or a mental one. A Vaastu-compliant home will typically have a certain flow, making the best possible usage of space as well as allowing for a healthy inflow of lights and air. This will not only create an ideal environment for your physical health, but it will also be a comfortable and relaxing space for your mental wellbeing.

Bringing Financial Prosperity
As we mentioned in the first point, a home that is Vaastu-compliant is a home that has a positive energy and atmosphere. And according to the practices of Vaastu, having such positive energy means a clearer path to success and perhaps more luck. Having such an exemplary environment also means that you are in the optimal headspace to make clear and correct decisions, which can be very fruitful from a business standpoint.

Improve Overall Happiness and Contentment
Living in a Vaastu-compliant residence means that you are possibly in a better place, with regards to your mental health and psychological state. This entails reaching a point where you do not deal with excessive stress and anxiety, as the environment and layout of your own home is ideal and can give a sort of inner peace.

Reality Check: Homeowners of all faiths can implement Vaastu.
While Vaastu shastra may be a practice and a philosophy that was originally developed in Hinduism, it has now emerged as a secular concept that can be used and applied by anyone in today’s day and age. While it is deeply rooted in various Hindu beliefs and practices, an individual of any religious background can choose to adhere to its teachings, because of the positive energies it brings to a dwelling and its occupants.

Know the ‘How’ of It: Making a Home Vaastu-Compliant

Pro Tip – Get the directions right.
It is incredibly important for one to understand the reasoning behind why certain Vaastu practices are the way they are and what the best ways to make your home Vaastu-compliant are. A lot of these have to do with the directions which specific sections of the house are facing, and why they must be so. In many cases, you will know the directions which the various sections of the house are facing by the site map and floor plans provided to you by the builder. If not, then you can always use a compass application on your phone to figure out the directions yourself. Back in the day, people would use the position of the sun and the shadows it would cast in order to know specific bearings. Directions are of utmost importance in Vaastu, and they play a vital role in the prosperity of a household.

The Entrance: The Face of Your Abode
The entrance of a home is obviously the first thing you will see of a home, and first impressions really do matter. According to the practices of Vaastu Shastra, it is said that the front door should be the biggest of all the doors in your home. It is said to keep the residents of the house healthy and in good spirits. It is also said to be very important for the front door to be facing the east towards the morning light, with sunlight entering through the doorway.
While it’s fine for the entrance to face the north as well as the west, avoid having an entrance which faces the south or south-west if you can. Vaastu shastra teaches the importance of having a door which is robust and made of strong material. It’s also preferable that you have a nameplate outside the entrance, but avoid keeping a dustbin or shoe rack right next to the entrance as it hinders the importance of the “face” of the home.

Living Room: The Heart of Your Home
The living room is the center of the home, and has to be the main area for social activities such as entertaining guests and family bonding. Vaastu encourages the use of wooden furniture, preferably in square or rectangular shapes. It is also commonly said to avoid using darker shades, and dark hues will absorb and hold negative energy more easily.
It is often said that the living room should be facing north, east, as well as north-east, with the furniture to be placed on the south or south-west side. While it is certainly the most active part of the house, it is encouraged to minimize the clutter and remove any unnecessary items which may be strewn anywhere in the room. Vaastu shastra also says that any electronic devices and appliances should be situated on the south-east side of the living room.

Kitchen: Creating Flavors and Memories
The kitchen is an integral part of your home, and is the place where our source of energy – food- is created. Vaastu teaches that a wash basin and the cooking sets, whether that be an oven or a stove, should not be next to each other. This is because water and fire are opposing elements, and doing so could make for an environment of hostility and conflict.
Vaastu shastra places a lot of importance on the way a kitchen should be set up in order to maintain a good energy, as doing so brings health and harmony. It is encouraged that the kitchen is located in the south-east side of the house, as it is said to be the domain of the lord of fire, adding to the balance of the various elements. Avoid having your kitchen on the north side or in the south-west corner. Try keeping appliances which represent opposing elements at a distance from each other, preferably on a separate platform. For instance, keep water-based fixtures such as taps and basins in the north-east, away from the stove and oven which can be in the south-east corner.

Bedroom: Your Sanctuary to Rest
The bedroom is your safe space where you can return and rest after a long and tiring day, so creating a good environment in such a personal space is crucial. One such way to do so is to avoid placing the bed in a corner, as it may cut off circulation and the flow of the room. This should be a common practice, whether you are looking at property in Bangalore or flats in Navi Mumbai. It is also preferable to choose colors which are more neutral, and certain shades of brown are known to elicit calming feelings. For the same reasons, it is always encouraged to use mood lighting as well as using scented oils or incense.
It is also important to get the energy and vibe of your bedroom just right. Vaastu teaches a number of ways you can do this. It is often said that the master bedroom should be on the south-west side, as doing so is considered to bring good health and prosperity. Specifically avoid the north-east, as it is said to bring health problems, and south-east side, as it may bring conflict between the couple residing there. A very common practice is to avoid putting a mirror or a television in front of the bed, as seeing your reflection in bed is said to cause disruption and fights.

Kids’ Bedroom: Backdrop to Your Little One’s Growing Years
This is a vital part of the house, and the resting place for growing and learning children. Which is why they need to be in the very best conditions that ensure they have a healthy atmosphere of fun, learning, and happiness. Vaastu says that a child’s bed should not be placed in front of a window, door, or mirror. This is because it might lead to disturbance to their sleep schedule, caused by distractions from the outside or from possible illusions of the mirror.
It is preferable that a kids’ bedroom is situated in the west side of the house, or even the south-west. Vaastu also says that peaceful sleep is attained when children sleep with their head on the east or south side. In order to invite harmonious and joyful energy, a child’s bedroom door should be facing towards the east. Prominence of colors such as light green and yellow will brighten and open up the whole space but it will also lighten the mood.

Dining Area: Delicious Dinners and Compelling Conversations
The dining room is another area where core memories can be formed, a place where the whole family comes together to share a meal at the end of every day. A dining room that is designed and decorated in an ideal manner is one that can bring health and success to every member of the family. It’s important to make the dining room a relatively warmer environment which is well-lit, creating an appealing and welcoming atmosphere.
The ideal location to have your dining room is the west side of the house, and preferably keep it close or even connected to the kitchen. Having it as close to the kitchen as possible is not only more convenient, but it is also considered auspicious. Also try to ensure that any decoration and paintings in the room are cheery and bright, to add to the joyful happy environment.

Bathroom: Cleanse and Refresh
People who practice Vaastu shastra for their home often tend to ignore such practices when it comes to their bathrooms, and this causes the bathroom to become an area of negative energy in the household. The place where you cleanse and refresh yourself on a daily basis should be treated with better care, and Vaastu teaches a range of practices to do so. One of these is that the interior of a bathroom should mainly feature earthy and neutral shades, such as beige, brown and cream.
Vaastu states that a bathroom should be situated in the north-west part of the house, as that is a direction that encourages cleansing and the elimination of waste. The bathroom door, preferably wooden and solid, should always be closed to prevent bad energy from entering various parts of the home. It’s also important that the bathroom has adequate ventilation and natural light, as good ventilation prevents bacteria in the bathroom.

Guest Room: A Comfortable Haven for Visitors
Vaastu places immense significance on treating your guests well. The guest room will probably be the part of the home that is used the least, as it is mainly for those who do not typically reside in the home. For this reason, the Vaastu practices for the guest rooms of the house are not too extensive or strict. Ideally, a guest room should be placed either in the south-east or the north-west of the house. The bed should be positioned in such a way that the guest’s head is facing towards the south or the east direction.

Storage Room: Stocking Up
Store rooms can be hugely beneficial to the organization and the efficiency of a household. A store room that is not set up well invites clutter and chaos into this organization and harmony. According to Vaastu, a store room must be located in the south-west or northwest corner of a house, as these are said to maintain a certain harmony and order. Any food and grocery items should be kept in the north-west side of the room, and any heavy items and stock can be kept in the south-west part of the room.

These are just a few ways to make your home Vaastu-compliant, and these tips have been practiced in India for numerous generations. While it is likely that most of us have heard about Vaastu shastra, many are not aware of what its effects are and how it can be practiced. This guide can be the perfect starting point for you to understand the layout of Vaastu-compliant homes, whether they are flats in Powai or any other place. As one of the leading realtors in India who embrace modernity while staying true to our cultural roots, we at L&T Realty are set to offer Vaastu-compliant homes in a few of our upcoming residential projects.

Disclaimer: Stock image used for representational purpose only.