What It Means & How to Fix It
In many older residential buildings, it’s common to see the front door directly facing a staircase. While this layout may seem normal in terms of structure, it is considered inauspicious in feng shui. Depending on whether the staircase goes upward or downward, the implications for your health and wealth vary significantly.
1. Front Door Facing an Upward Staircase: Affects Health
When the front door faces a staircase that leads upward, it causes the qi (energy flow) to rush out or scatter, preventing it from settling in the home. In feng shui, this can lead to poor health, particularly issues related to the respiratory system, nervous system, or general energy levels.
Feng Shui Remedy: Add a Door Threshold
A simple and effective solution is to install a raised threshold (about 3 inches high) at the entrance. This small barrier acts as an energetic buffer, slowing down the rushing qi and allowing it to circulate properly inside the home. This helps stabilize the home’s energy and supports better health for its residents.
2. Front Door Facing a Downward Staircase: Harms Wealth
If the front door faces a staircase going downward, the symbolism is more serious. It suggests that wealth and energy are flowing away from the home, making it difficult to save money or maintain financial stability. In extreme cases, lending money while living in such a home could mean never seeing it returned—much like the Chinese idiom: “Liu Bei borrowed Jingzhou and never gave it back.”
Feng Shui Remedy: Hang a Concave Mirror Above the Door
To counter this type of energy drain, place a concave (inward-curving) mirror above the door frame. In feng shui, a concave mirror is used to collect and pull in energy that is escaping. This helps gather and retain wealth, improve financial flow, and create a more balanced environment inside the home.
Having the front door directly face a staircase—whether it leads up or down—is generally considered negative in feng shui for home entrances. However, both issues are relatively easy to fix:
For upward-facing stairs: Install a threshold to buffer and stabilize energy flow;
For downward-facing stairs: Hang a concave mirror to retain wealth and prevent energy loss.
By making these small adjustments, you can significantly improve the energy dynamics of your home and enhance both health and financial well-being.
