One bathroom in next to the main entrance and the other one is on the second floor, above the bathroom that is next the main entrance.
I've been told that it's good for bathrooms to put a mirror outside the bathroom door because the chi will be distracted and will not enter the bathroom and go away with the toilet's water. (is this correct?) I don't like the idea of hanging a mirror outside the bathroom that is next to the main entrance.

The current consensus amongst many Feng Shui authors is that a `normal mirror' can be used to reflect' Qi. As for placing a mirror outside the bathroom door, this could be `invented' by someone who feels that the above `theory' would work to reflect Qi.

Personally, like you, I don't like the idea of hanging a mirror outside the bathroom next to the main entrance. For one, it is not auspicious to place a mirror in the main entrance area.

However, it is acceptable to place mirrors in the dinning room but a Feng Shui Master would caution: Watch where you are placing it! As a Feng Shui Master will say if the location is inauspicious you will have `double' bad luck. To side track a bit, Chinese dialect group: the Cantonese particularly like mirrors placed in their dining room. But do take note of this.

In your case, it would be advisable to simply close the door - will do.

Personally, in my years of doing Feng Shui audits or visiting new show flats, I do not recall anyone placing mirror outside the bathroom door.. and like you feel quite odd about doing so.

Where possible, since the bathroom is next to the main entrance, do check :

1. How compatible is the house for you? Use the Eight House Theory.

2. If this is one of your auspicious sector, you should try to paint the entrance (walls) either neutral white or the colour of the location. This is to create a more `yang' environment to counter the `yin' (bathrooms are Yin). The rationale here is to let in more Yang to `conqueror' Yin.

At the same time, for the toilet, keep it bright also. Can you confirm where is the bathroom door facing? Is it facing `out' to the living room? or it needs to be accessed from another location e.g. the kitchen. Ideally, the door should not face the living room. Does it face the dining room?

If you can provide me more details, I see what I can think of . and ponder over this.

3. Which direction is your main entrance facing? And is the toilet on the right or left of it and at which compass direction?

In addition, please note that many Feng Shui Masters feel that if you are installing mirrors please remember not to install too "short " a mirror such that it cut's off a person's head or when you view the mirror, part of your head is missing. This is inauspicious.

Do I need a full length mirror?

As for the lower part of the body, it is ok if the mirror covers say from the shoulder to the head of the body. For example like the bathroom mirror. You do not need to install a full length mirror.

Cecil Lee
Center for Feng Shui Research
January 1999