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Kitchens should be placed closer to the dining room, for practical reasons.

It is a lot better if you don't see the kitchen upon entering your house. If that is the case, and you can't just go ahead and change that feature, there are ways to harmonize this type of configuration. What happens in these homes is that there is a tendency for its occupants to develop unhealthy eating habits.

Having a bedroom and a kitchen sharing a common wall or having a bedroom immediately above a kitchen is not indicated for safety reasons. If in your home a bedroom shares the same wall with the kitchen, do not place the stove on that wall. Kitchens pose some fire hazard, especially associated with the stove.

Another concept to explore while placing a kitchen within a house is in which area of the bagua the kitchen will fall. There are different ways to look at that and a lengthier discussion could take place here.

An open floor plan for a kitchen design is in agreement with good Feng Shui principles. Some families would rather avoid this type of design for noise reasons. However, for many of us, noise from the kitchen is not really a problem and having the ability to stay connected with everybody else in the family while cooking can be a plus.

Ideally, kitchens should have just the standard height ceiling. A low ceiling does not allow for all the heat from food preparations to disperse. High ceilings, on the other hand, disperse that energy too much. Just keep it simple in this room.

Include in the design of your kitchen cabinets that have curved lines. That will help to keep the energy moving and it is safer too. We tend to hurt ourselves on sharper corners of furniture.

Place the stove in the command position. Ideally, the cook should see all the doors. This can be accomplished when you locate your stove in an island in the kitchen. This allows the cook to have command of the whole area. This is also a very practical kitchen configuration, making cooking an easier process because everything can be arranged within arm reach. It is also more enjoyable because you spend your time not facing a wall.

Ideally, try to place the stove facing the center of the house to increase prosperity, and avoid placing it facing towards the front door.

If possible, avoid placing the stove directly opposite to the sink. Also, avoid placing the stove side-by-side to sinks or refrigerators. These placements create conflicting energies, not only from a Feng Shui standpoint, but also from an energy efficiency standpoint (cold and hot). Try the traditional triangle design with the sink, refrigerator and stove making up each point of a triangle.

Do not have a window above the stove. There are safety issues associated with that (having window treatments catching fire) as well as practical issues. As you cook, the window might become foggy, depending on your ventilation system. In Feng Shui, it is not a good idea to "lose" the wonderful energy generated by a stove through the window. For the same reason, avoid a sky light right above the stove.

If you can, avoid microwave ovens altogether, for a number of different reasons. There is much in the literature about the use of microwave ovens and how they can affect our health.

Kitchens should be always be kept neat and uncluttered. Clear counter tops make the space feel large and more comfortable—keep the knives completely out of sight when not in use. I do realize that the dream of a chef is to have all these knives in display. This is not a good idea from a Feng Shui stand point. It increases the feeling of danger in the kitchen, creating a not-so-calm atmosphere. Design your kitchen cabinets to accommodate your knives and other cutting utensils.

Place trash and recycling containers out of sight. They carry lower vibration energies. If you can't find room for those inside cabinets, at least have a trash can with a lid.

Avoid storing cutlery in corners. The stagnant energy of corners is not so compatible with cutlery as we use them so often. They need to be placed within easy reach.

Overhead hanging racks, although recommended in some cases where space is limited, can create a feeling of insecurity as well as a not so calming design. Not to mention that if you plan to hang pots and pans, they will need to be absolutely perfect and sparkling at all times. In many families, is just impossible, unless the only things you are hanging are decorative items. Then, there are others ways of decorating your kitchen that will accomplish aesthetically pleasing effects.

Always choose for you kitchen food that are in alignment with the lifestyle you want to live. Prefer natural foods, fresh fruits and home grown herbs. They not only enhance the energies of your kitchen, but also, bring vitality to your body.

Consider food preparation a sacred and holy act. Take the time while preparing food to praise the Creator of all things, and to be in awe with the wonders and perfection of our natural environments. If you are religious or feel compelled to, make prayers of thanksgiving. Food that has been prayed over can channel healing forces and benefit body, mind, soul and spirit.

Give back to nature to the best of your abilities. Always recycle empty containers and consider creating your own natural fertilizer by decomposing the wastes of the food from your kitchen.

Share you happiness with others! Invite people over to experience healing food and inspiring conversations.