From incense to interiors: Vastu dos and don’ts for your guest room

In many homes, you may have noticed smiling family portraits in the living room. According to Vastu Shastra, placing cheerful group photos of family members in the guest room helps reduce domestic discord and ideological conflicts within the household. Celebrity Astrologer Parduman Suri suggests that in addition to displaying family photos, maintaining other aspects of the guest room in accordance with Vastu ensures that negativity never enters your home. Avoid placing negative imagery in the living room, such as depictions of the Taj Mahal (a symbol of mourning), Mahabharata battle scenes, or pictures of thorny plants. These visuals can attract negative energy. Burning fragrant incense in the guest room also helps eliminate such energy.Directional Tips: The guest room should never be built in the southwest direction, as this area is meant for the head of the household. The southeast is associated with wealth and prosperity, while a guest room in the east promotes harmonious relationships and cooperation with visitors. However, the northwest is considered the most ideal direction for a guest room, as it is ruled by the wind god Vayu Dev, who represents movement. Guests will carry positive vibrations with them as they leave.Furniture & Colour Guidelines: Place the sofa in such a way that the guest faces north. If the guest room is in the southeast (Agneya) corner, a window should be made in the south or southeast direction. Ideally, the walls should be white. Alternatively, you can choose light shades such as soft pink, pistachio green, or light yellow to create a calming atmosphere. After the guest departs, open the windows to let in fresh air. When cleaning the room or windows, add lemon juice and salt to the water—both are believed to absorb and dispel negative energy. You can also add this mixture to your mopping water for a holistic cleanse.