The signal of a clean slate, there's no better time than January to reset your home and infuse it with good energy for the rest of the year. While some say good fortune can't be dictated, Feng Shui design and color principles offer ways to infuse luck and prosperity into your space, perfect for welcoming a new year.
Creating a balance in your life starts with your environment. Whether it's rethinking your home's layout or inviting more plants to create good Feng Shui in your home, there are plenty of ways to prepare for a year of positivity. Color plays its part, too; certain shades are synonymous with luck and well-being, inviting good fortune to stay for a while.
Interior therapy expert Suzanne Roynon says, '2026, the Year of the Fire horse, is a time of restless energy which makes it all the more relevant to create a calm and nurturing space to come home to. Good fortune can be encouraged in a variety of ways by using Feng Shui, and one of those is color.'
5 Lucky Colors For 2026
From off-whites that balance the fiery passion of this year's sign to deeper blues that signify prosperity, these five shades will encourage a positive balance in your space and invite good fortune that lasts for the year.
1. Earthy Tones
Last year (the year of the snake) welcomed a focus on introspection and growth, according to the 'wood' element. 2026 is all about high passion, energy, and speed, all linked to the energy of the 'fire' sign.
Suzanne explains, 'The fiery nature of the year is powerful, and there may be a temptation to use intense, superheated colors in the living environment. This does need to be handled carefully to avoid feeling overheated or depleted.'
While a fire sign might be a sign to decorate with red, Suzanne suggests avoiding overly striking shades. 'In general, you won’t go wrong if you choose a natural or more minimalist scheme for walls, floors, and ceilings, then add color subtly, taking advantage of earth tones, ochre, mocha, and more mellow shades, with pops of hot shades to layer and offset the vibrancy of the Fire Horse and welcome good fortune to your home.'
Finished in a deep ochre glaze, the Onda vase will bring subtle depth and quiet warmth to any surface, be it a mantel or bookshelf.
Woven with rust and ruby thread, this houndstooth wool throw is perfect for enriching a sofa or bed with quiet warmth in honor of the year of the fire horse.
Featuring a dark brown bamboo border, this pair of picture frames are irresistibly charming, designed to uplift any photograph or print of your choosing.
2. Chalk White
Due to the fiery nature of this year's animal, you'll want to welcome more subdued tones into your home to create a balance of energies. Neutrals are a good place to start, counteracting the dominance of this year's sign.
Feng Shui consultant and designer Anjie Cho says decorating with white encourages alignment with this year's sign, connecting back to the mineral root of the metal element, and creates a calming contrast against its liveliness. 'Within the fiery energy of the year, chalk white, a minerally off white tone, connects us to the beauty and precision of the metal element. The fire of this year can offer us opportunities to refine and create something precious, like fine jewelry. We can bring this into our home with paint colors, home decor accents, or even with a piece of pottery.'
Consider colors to decorate with depending on the mood you want to create. You can strive for tranquillity and serenity with neutrals like off-white, acting as the calm amid the chaos, counteracting the overwhelming passion of this year's sign.
Best filled with cheerful stems, the Cambria pitcher will provide any table or shelf with a dose of calming serenity to counteract the fiery nature of this year's sign.
With an artisanal, rustic feel, the Reverie tray will make a welcome addition to any corner, gently balancing out darker or more striking tones.
Covered in a sturdy cotton slipcover, this Studio McGee-designed ottoman is a lasting choice for any space, providing a timelessly calm presence all year round.
3. Metallics
It's not just neutrals that will bring good fortune into your home in 2026; metallics have a 'lucky' feel and encourage the utmost prosperity within your environment.
A home's 'south side' is ruled by the fire element, so it's important to focus your attention here to align with this year's sign. Suzanne explains, 'There’s one area of the home which requires extra special attention this year, and that’s the south. In traditional Feng Shui, this relates to recognition, reputation and the way others perceive and value you. This area would ideally be kept calm, quiet and very neutral for 2026.'
Metallics are 'metal colors', meaning they're aligned with the fire element. Decorating with silver or gold will welcome luck into your space, signifying leadership and positivity for the year ahead. Suzanne explains, 'People who invest in personalised Feng Shui for their homes will all be maintaining their equilibrium and protecting their luck and good name with metal colors, including white, cream, pale grey, pastels, and metallics like silver and gold in the south for the duration of the year.'
While a silver or gold paint color might not be on the cards, subtle doses scattered around your space will invite equal luck into your home. Start with decor like lighting, tableware, or even shelf decor for the utmost alignment.
For a dose of decadence that pays homage to the fire element, this silver serving tray is a sophisticated choice that will uplift any dining table or kitchen countertop.
Gently hammered bronze makes this little bowl feel charmingly rustic and fitting for any space, plus, its gold finish is a welcome nod to prosperity and good fortune.
Modern in shape, this chrome table lamp is an oh-so cool choice for a bedside table or bookshelf, providing the perfect contrast against darker tones.
4. Midnight Blue
Deep, dark, and moody, midnight blue is a shade worth considering if you're hoping for an abundance of luck this year. Reminiscent of the night's sky, the hue feels like a darker take on the ever-popular navy blue.
A refreshing contrast to neutrals, Anjie explains that more unctuous shades will work just as well during the year of the fire horse. 'Midnight blue is a dark blue. In Feng Shui, it's connected to spirituality, self-cultivation, and knowledge. It’s a combination of blue and black; blue brings growth and healing, while the black invites wisdom.'
Anjie adds, 'The overall darkness of the color also inspires us to look deep within to truly harness the fiery qi (life force energy) of the fire horse year. My favorite way to bring in this color is through the crystal, lapis lazuli.' A deep blue rug will enrich your living room with quiet depth, but for lovers of darker schemes, a larger dose of blue, like a lick of moody blue paint, will also invite luck into your space. Think Benjamin Moore's Van Deusen Blue or Benjamin Moore's Gentleman's Gray.
Woven from a rich blue thread, the Cranbury rug will envelop a room in warmth and depth. Try it underneath a coffee table or at the end of a bed for a scheme that aligns with Feng Shui.
Create year-round good vibes in your sleep space with this lumbar pillow made from a deep blue velvet; it'll gently enrich and uplift any setup.
Featuring a background of jade brushstrokes, Heading South is delicate yet striking. Rich in color and detailed in composition, it'll bring an instant sense of refinement to a living room mantel.
5. Sunflower Yellow
Vibrant and cheerful, uplifting yellows are always a good idea in the home, long associated with positivity and good vibes. The perfect choice to inject into your space for a successful year, sunflower yellow is synonymous with good fortune and an abundance of wealth.
Anjie says, 'A bright and energizing yellow, this color is connected to overall health and well-being in Feng Shui. It also brings in the earth element, so we can find stability and grounding. Traditionally, this color is connected to imperial yellow, which also invites prosperity and wealth.'
Decorating with yellow can sound a little bold, but fear not, color drenching your walls in the striking hue isn't necessary. Consider small pops of yellow, such as a cheerful pillow cover, tablecloth, or even a new picture in your entryway. Even smaller doses work just as well. Anjie suggests, 'My favorite way to bring in this color is through fresh flowers – especially sunflowers!'
For a dose of cheer, this floral tablecloth is a timeless choice that will welcome and uplift, whether on a dark wintry evening or a sunny spring morning.
Scattering warm yellows will ensure your scheme feels well-balanced and positive. Joss & Main's pillow cover set is a good place to start, designed to elevate a sofa, armchair, or daybed.
Give your breakfast nook or coffee table a dose of cheer with Pottery Barn's mini sunflower bundle, designed to last all year long.
Inspired by the vibrancy, passion, and fiery nature of this year's animal (the horse), incorporating complementary colors that evoke positive energy in your home will make all the difference to the feel of your space – and might just set you up for a year filled with luck and good fortune.
