In Vastu for bedroom arrangements, the first question is which way your head points while you sleep. South is the traditional first choice, east the second, west acceptable, and north the direction to avoid. After that come the room's position in the house, the bed's place within the room, and mirrors and storage. Small UK bedrooms can still follow most of this.

Head direction comes first

When people ask about bed direction, they usually mean the direction of the headboard. Vastu traditionally reads it like this:

Head to the south: the classic preference, associated with deep, settled rest and stability.
Head to the east: often suggested for students and anyone who values clarity and fresh starts; also the usual choice for children's rooms.
Head to the west: generally considered acceptable.
Head to the north: traditionally avoided in Vastu for sleeping.

To check yours, lie on the bed and take a compass reading pointing from your feet towards your head. That reading is the one that matters, not the direction the room faces.

If your room only allows a north-facing headboard and you are unsure what to do, send us your question with a quick sketch of the room.

Vastu for bedroom position in the house

The main bedroom

The south-west of the home is associated with stability and grounding, which is why it is the traditional position for the main bedroom, the room of the adults who hold the household together.

Children's and guest rooms

The north-west, linked with air and movement, is often suggested for guest rooms and for older children. The east and north suit younger children and study.

Rooms Vastu is more careful about

Bedrooms in the north-east and south-east are generally not first choices, the first because that zone is meant to stay light and reflective, the second because it is the fire zone. If yours is there, it simply means paying more attention to what happens inside the room.

Placing the bed within the room

Within any bedroom, the bed traditionally sits towards the south-west part of the room, with the headboard against a solid wall. A headboard against a window or against a wall shared with a toilet is avoided where there is an alternative. Leave some space on both sides of the bed if the room allows, and avoid a beam running directly over it.

Mirrors

A mirror that reflects the bed is one of the most common points raised in Vastu and Feng Shui alike. Mirrored wardrobe doors facing the bed are a typical UK example. Where they cannot be moved, a curtain or fabric panel that can be drawn at night is a simple fix.

Electronics and storage

Keep the television, laptops and chargers away from the bed, towards the south-east of the room if they must be there. Storage under the bed is best kept to soft, clean things such as bedding rather than old paperwork and broken items.

Wardrobes and heavy furniture

Freestanding wardrobes and chests of drawers traditionally sit along the south or west walls of the room, where weight is welcome. Fitted wardrobes are where the builder put them, but you can still keep the heaviest items on the lower shelves and leave the north and east sides of the room lighter and more open.

Working with smaller UK bedrooms

Box rooms and new-build second bedrooms rarely allow a choice of walls. The door, window, radiator and fitted wardrobe often leave one realistic position for the bed.

A decision order for tight rooms

Headboard against a solid wall, not a window.
Avoid the head pointing north if any other option exists.
Keep mirrors from reflecting the bed.
Clear under the bed and on top of the wardrobe.
Then think about colour and lighting.

When the only option is head to the north

If the room genuinely allows nothing else, some people choose to swap bedrooms with another member of the household, or to use that room as a study and sleep elsewhere. Where that is not possible, focus on the other points on the list, and on calm colours and soft lighting, rather than worrying about the one thing you cannot change.

For a wider look at the whole home rather than one room, our article on a home energy reading after a household change covers what to reconsider when people move in or out.

Good Vastu for bedroom layouts in small rooms is about getting the few important things right rather than chasing every rule.

Colour, light and the feel of the room

Soft, calm tones suit most bedrooms: muted greens, dusky pinks, warm neutrals, pale blues and earthy shades in a south-west main bedroom. Keep lighting warm and low in the evening. Fitted wardrobes are best kept tidy inside as well as out, because a bedroom full of hidden clutter rarely feels restful.

The Energy at Home / New Home session looks at your bedroom within the whole home. Over 45 minutes it brings together your home's horoscope, your personal horoscope, Vedic astrology, Vastu Shastra and Feng Shui, which means bed direction can be matched to you as well as to the room.

Before the session, note your birth details, a sketch of each bedroom with the door, window and wardrobes marked, and which way your head currently points. It also helps to say who sleeps where, because the right answer for a teenager's room is often different from the right answer for the main bedroom.

Frequently asked questions

Which direction should my head face when sleeping?

South is the traditional first choice, followed by east. North is the direction Vastu most often advises against.

Can couples with different charts share one bed direction?

Yes. A personal session can consider both charts and suggest a direction that suits the couple, while also paying attention to the room itself.

Is Vastu a substitute for help with sleep problems?

No. Vastu is about arranging a restful space and reflecting on your home. If sleep is a persistent problem, please speak to your GP.

If you would like a personal view on your bedroom, send us your question with the room layout, or book the home energy session to look at every room together.