Feng Shui Master Andrew Chan — Home Feng Shui: Case 2 Toilet Under Stairs

With the popularity of modern duplexes, Loft apartments, and villas, many interior designers, in pursuit of maximizing space utilization, prefer to place ground-floor restrooms or washrooms in the triangular area beneath the stairs. While this design makes the most of the physical space, from a geomancy perspective, it violates a serious taboo in residential feng shui layouts.

In multi-story residential designs, stairs are not merely passageways for people; they are the sole “throat” connecting two floors and guiding the circulation of qi. The qi field of stairs exhibits dynamic and fluctuating characteristics. Hong Kong Feng Shui Master Andrew Chan points out that placing a toilet beneath the stairs is equivalent to installing a source of pollution at this crucial hub of fluctuating qi. Every time people ascend or descend the stairs, the generated airflow and dynamic qi will carry the dampness and sha qi from the toilet towards the private bedrooms on the second floor, making the entire building's “qi” turbid and impure.

• Suppressed Career Prospects

  Stairs exert a constant downward physical and psychological pressure, and the toilet itself is a place of waste. The superposition of these two negative energies at the 'throat' of the residence can cause occupants to feel stagnant in their careers, often experiencing a sense of being 'underappreciated' or suppressed, easily falling victim to boss's pressure or malicious individuals.

• Declining Health and Mood

  The foul qi, spreading throughout the house with the airflow, first harms the occupants' respiratory and nervous systems. Long-term residence in such a space can lead to inexplicable arguments among family members, and emotions of anxiety and irritability, directly resulting in poor sleep quality.

For existing layouts, Hong Kong Feng Shui Master Andrew Chan suggests the following methods for qi adjustment:

• Maintain Door Closure and Visual Obstruction

  The toilet door under the stairs must remain tightly closed when not in use. It is best to hang a knee-length curtain over the door to provide a double barrier, both physical and visual.

• Install a Long-Burning Lamp to Enhance Yang Qi

  The area under the stairs is usually dark, and the toilet itself has strong yin qi. Therefore, a warm-toned, long-burning lamp must be installed inside the toilet to introduce 'yang energy' through continuous illumination, suppressing and transforming the gloomy qi.

• Physical and Qi Purification

  Place natural coarse salt or highly absorbent bamboo charcoal bags in the bathroom to absorb moisture and odors. Additionally, a peach wood calabash can be hung to collect and neutralize the sha qi generated by the oppressive nature of the stairs.