Buying a property in India is a long and tedious process, often accompanied by Vastu considerations. Although Vastu Shastra experts say that all directions are equally good, several myths prevail on the subject. For example, a south or west-facing property is considered less favourable for owners, whereas an east-facing property is believed to be luckier for the residents. Sometimes, people are ready to pay extra for Vastu-compliant homes. However, is it worth it? Let us find out.

What is an east facing house?

If you are inside the House, in front of the entrance door, it is the direction you face while coming out of your home. If you face east while exiting the home, you have an east- facing house.

An East facing apartment/house is one of the best things according to Vastu Shastra. If one looks at it from a scientific point of view, the Sun rises in the east thus providing the early morning sunrays to those in an East Facing House. The early morning sunrays are good for health.  This direction extracts maximum positive energy.

Are east facing houses good?

It is often believed that the houses that are more spacious in the east, are blessed with more fortune and luck. Homes that are broad and at a lower level in the east than other directions, are considered luckiest.

Vastu for east facing house or property

According to Vastu Shastra guidelines, east-facing properties are believed to be good for buildings and multi-storey apartments. However, for independent houses and bungalows, this direction is not counted amongst the best choices. Also, there are certain Vastu rules, guidelines and principles that have to be followed when it comes to Vastu for an east-facing property.

Main door Vastu for east facing house

In order to figure out where to design the main door in an east-facing home, firstly imagine and divide the east length of the house from the northeast corner (first step/pada) to southeast corner (ninth step/pada) in nine equal parts. As per the guidelines of main door vastu for east facing house, each part is referred to as pada or step. The fifth pada is auspicious for the main door as it is the location of Sun, the god of fame. It will invite name, fame and respect for the residents.

If you have an east-facing home, take caution while placing the main door entrance. Always ensure that your entrance is exactly in the middle and not in the south-east or north-east, as these two corners are considered unlucky for placing the main door in the east-facing property, according to Vastu.

If your entrance is in the north-east corner, make sure the main door does not touch the north-east corner. For this, you can leave at least 6 inches (1/2 ft) gap between the wall and the main door.

If you have a south east facing house main entrance, follow these remedies to nullify the Vastu dosha:

1. Place three Vastu pyramids, one on each side of the door and the third one on the top of the main door, in the centre.
2. You can also place the symbol of Om, Swastik and Trishul, on both sides of the door.
3. Install a Siddha Shukra Yantra for eliminating negative energy from the home.
4. Alternatively, you can also use a Siddha Vastu Kalash, to amplify the positive energy generated in this part of the corner.

East facing house Vastu plan

If you are planning to construct an east-facing house, it is important that you adhere to a Vastu-compliant house plan, to ensure flow of positive energy inside the home. You can also consult with an architect or a planner, who can come up with a customised east-facing Vastu house plan, as per your requirements. Here is a brief about how your house plan should look like, if you have an east-facing home:

The above house plan is for east-facing house. It has been divided into nine padas from north to south.

Here are some other facts that you should keep in mind when planning the construction:

• Place the main doors in fifth pada, if your home is east-facing. It attracts respect, fame and recognition. If the fifth pada is small, you can also use the third, fourth, sixth or seventh padas.
• Avoid the first, second, eighth and ninth padas for planning the main door here.
• Eighth and ninth padas are prohibited for the main entrance of the east faced house in Vastu since it is the place from where illness can enter the house. In case there is a main door, one should apply Vastu remedies.
• If you are placing the door in the first pada, then leave a minimum of six inches of space from the northeast wall.

See also: Elephant figurines for good luck

Things to avoid in east facing Vastu house plan

• There should be no kitchen in the north-east corner.
• There should be no big trees in the northern and eastern side of the house
• There should be no clutter, dirt, dustbins, etc., in the north and north-east corner.
• Avoid stairs in the north-east direction.
• The garage should not be designed in the north–east direction.

Master bedroom Vastu for east facing house

A master bedroom should be planned in the south-west direction, in east-facing homes. The master bedroom should always be bigger than the other rooms in the house. According to Vastu, the perfect place to keep the bed is the south or west wall of the room, so that the head lies in the south or west direction and the legs are in the north or east direction.  The best place for a changing room in the master bedroom is the west or north side of the room. Also, the bathroom should not directly face the bed, and the door of the bathroom must be closed at all times.

Living room Vastu for east facing house

For an east-facing house, the living room should be placed in the north-east side as is considered auspicious, as per Vastu. Also, make sure that the walls of the north and east side are slightly shorter and thinner than that of the south and west. This attracts prosperity and success in both, personal and professional life.

Kitchen Vastu for east facing house

For an east facing house, kitchen Vastu suggests that the kitchen should be in the south-east direction of the house. If that is not feasible, then, the north-west should also work. However, avoid the north, north-east and west directions. The person who is cooking the meals, should face the east direction in a south-east facing kitchen and the west direction in a north-west facing kitchen. Place the cooking stove, oven and toasters in the south-east area for positive energy. Storage and refrigerator should be in the south-west direction.

Dining room Vastu for east facing house

In an east-facing house, the dining room should be in continuation with the kitchen on the east, west or south side. Also, the door of the dining room must not be facing the entrance door. The sitting arrangement should be such that one should sit facing east, north or west side. The head of the family must take the east side and the rest of the family can sit facing the east, north or west side.

Pooja room Vastu in east facing house

According to Vastu guidelines for pooja room, for an east-facing home, the pooja room should be in the north-east direction. The ceiling of the pooja room should be lower than the other rooms.

It is better to design the east facing house Vastu plan with pooja room away from areas like the bathroom. The pooja room should not be not adjacent to the bathroom.

Study room Vastu in east-facing house

In an east-facing home, the study room should face the east or west direction of the house, while north is the second-best direction. However, make sure the door is not right behind the study chair. Also, the study table should have an open area in front. You can also leave a slight gap between the study table and the adjoining wall, for the circulation of energies, if you have to place the table along the wall.

Staircase Vastu in east-facing house

According to Vastu for east facing houses, avoid staircases in the north-east corner of the house. The ideal place for a staircase in the east-facing home, is the south-east corner or the north-west corner of the house. The staircase should not be in the central square of the house. The staircase should always turn in a clockwise direction. No room should be built under the staircase but the place can be used for storage.

Artwork and artefacts in east-facing house

According to Vastu Shastra, paintings of the rising sun can be placed in the east, to improve relationships with family and friends and also attract fame. Hang a painting of seven horses galloping across the water in the living room, on the wall which is in the east direction. This helps in attracting wealth. The colour dedicated to the air element is green and it governs the eastern direction. A painting of lush green trees, fields, forests, etc., represents growth, as per Vastu Shastra. Such paintings can be displayed in the east wall. Also, for harmony and happiness in the family, place a laughing Buddha idol in the east direction.

Water tank Vastu in east-facing house

The ideal location for an underground water tank is north – north-east. One can also opt for the east – north-east direction for the placement of an underground water tank. The best direction for overhead water tanks, is south-west or west. As per Vastu, never keep any water tank in the centre.

Balcony or open space Vastu in east facing house

As per vastu for east facing house, often there are open spaces left in the east side. It is done to ensure that sunlight can enter the house without any obstruction. It also eliminates the negative energies and promotes positive energies. Thus, this type of east facing house vastu plan brings good health for the residents. Keeping the east corner blocked can lead to health problems, including difficulties during childbirth.

Dos and don’ts for east-facing house

• Walls in the north and east directions, should be slightly shorter and thinner than those in the south and west.
• The kitchen should be planned in the south-east or north-west direction.
• Plan your kitchen in a way that you face east (in a south-east kitchen) or west (in a north-west kitchen), while cooking.
• The pooja room and living room in the north-east direction, are considered very auspicious.
• You can plan the guest room in the north-west direction.
• A plot that slopes from south to north is considered good.
• Do not plant tall trees in the east, which will block the valuable and positive morning sunlight.
• A master bedroom in the south-west direction is considered the best.
• There should be no bedroom, toilets and septic tanks in the north-east corner.
• Leave more open space in the eastern and northern side of the house.
• A wooden nameplate is suitable, if the door is in the east direction.
• The boundary wall should be higher in the southern and western side of the plot.
• Avoid buying property, which is attached to the land in the south or west direction.
• Do not place a fountain or place any decorative item at the exterior of the main entrance.
• Never place the shoe rack in the south-east, or east direction.
• Avoid plots with ‘T’ junction from any side. Avoid veedhi shoola (street focus) projecting to the south-east corner of the plot.
• When designing an east-facing house, ensure that the slope of the roof is towards the east.The roof or sheets should curve towards east as this is auspicious.
• Consider a property that has a plot attached to it in the northern direction, as it is considered lucky and brings prosperity and fortune.
• If there is any student in the house, keep a crystal globe in the north-east zone.
• Purify the home with mountain salt twice a week, to boost energetic vibes.

Who are suitable for east-facing houses?

As per Vastu consultants, every home is unique, just like individuals. Not every home suits everyone. In an east-facing house, the Sun is the dominant object and relates to jobs which have authority, power and elegance. The east direction also represents air, agility, creativity, focus and protection. East-facing homes are ideal for people who are in government offices or have businesses. Other than this, east-facing homes are good for creative professionals, such as artists, musicians and dancers.

Wall paint colours for east-facing rooms

When decorating an east-facing room, remember that it will have a lot of natural light in the morning and you may have to use artificial light later in the day, as the afternoons will be comparatively cooler. Before selecting the paint colour for your east-facing room, try and visualise the colour in natural, as well as artificial light.

Usually, blue and green are popular choices, for painting east-facing rooms. Blue with a very light grey tint can make your room look cooler while light green and aqua shades can imbibe freshness in the space. If you are looking for neutral tones, white and light pink are the best options available.

See also: Vastu tips for wall clock

Common Vastu defects in east-facing house

• If you are facing difficulty in getting recognition or facing health issues or strained relationships within the family, there could be some negative energy in the east direction. This could be due to the presence of stairs, bathrooms, or kitchens in the eastern direction.
• Another common Vastu defect is doors facing east and opening outward. Also, according to Vastu, the total number of doors should not be odd and the count should not end with a zero.
• Too much clutter in the eastern direction also brings negative energy. Home owners should keep east-facing homes ventilated and airy.

Plants for east-facing home

Here are few plants that may grow well in east-facing homes:

• Holy basil plant
• Lucky bamboo plant
• Money plant
• Neem plant
• Banana plant
• Chrysanthemum
• Plum blossoms
• Citrus plant
• Daffodils
• Lotus
• Aloe vera

Tips during construction of an east facing house

Keep enough open space in the east before constructing a house. This will ensure that the residents are blessed with wealth and progeny.

On the site, the main gate should be in the northeast but the height of the eastern front compound wall should be less than the western back compound wall of the property.

At the planning stage, have a verandah or patio area in the eastern part as it ensures prosperity and good health to the residents.

Avoid keeping any clutter, even during the construction stage in the front portion. Debris, or garbage  obstructs the positive energy that comes from cosmic space towards the main entrance.

FAQs

(With inputs from Purnima Goswami Sharma)