Vastu Shastra · वास्तु शास्त्र
Vastu for flat: facing, entrance and rooms in an apartment
Vastu for a flat is read from the flat itself, not the building: its facing is the direction you face as you step out of its own main door, and its rooms are mapped on the flat’s own floor plan. North, east and north-east doors are the traditional first choice, and the south-west and south-east corners are avoided for the entrance.
Main entrance: the short answer
Best: North, North-east, East. Acceptable: North-west, West, South. Avoid: South-west, South-east. The main door brings energy in; north and east doors let in the morning light, and the south-west corner is kept closed and heavy.
Most flats were designed without Vastu in mind, and very few match every rule. The good news is that much of Vastu is about how rooms are used and arranged, which you control even in a rented home. This guide covers the facing, the entrance, the rooms, what to look at before you buy or rent, and what you can still change once the walls are fixed.
How to read the facing of a flat
Stand at the main door of the flat, step out and check the direction you face with a compass held flat, away from the steel grill, the lift and the electrical board. That direction is the facing of the flat. The gate of the building and the direction of the balcony matter less than the door you open every day.
Next, mark the eight directions on the flat’s floor plan from its centre. Each room then sits in a zone, and the room table below can be read for your own flat. The floor you live on does not change the directions, so the same rules apply on the ground floor and the fifteenth.
Where each part of a flat traditionally goes
These are the same placements used across this site for any home. In a flat the kitchen and toilets are usually fixed, so read the table to see which zones are working well and which need simple adjustments.
| Part | Traditional first choice | Acceptable | Traditionally avoided |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main entrance | North, north-east, east | North-west, west, south | South-west, south-east |
| Living or drawing room | North, east, north-east | North-west, west, south | South-west, south-east |
| Kitchen | South-east | North-west, east, south, west | North-east, south-west, north |
| Master bedroom | South-west | South, west, north-west, north, east | North-east, south-east |
| Children’s bedroom | West, north-west, east | North, south | South-east, south-west, north-east |
| Pooja room | North-east | East, north, west | South, south-west, south-east, north-west |
| Toilets and bathrooms | North-west, west | South, south-east, east, north | North-east, south-west |
| Study room or desk | East, north, north-east | West, north-west | South-east, south-west, south |
Before you buy or rent a flat
When you compare flats, look at the points that cannot be changed later. Interiors, colours and furniture can all be adjusted after you move in.
- The main door: north, north-east and east are the first choice; a door in the south-west corner is the one most consultants are careful about.
- The kitchen: the south-east is the first choice and the north-west the usual second; a kitchen in the north-east is traditionally avoided.
- Toilets: a toilet in the north-east or the south-west of the flat needs the most care.
- The shape: a square or rectangular flat is easiest; a cut or missing north-east corner is the cut most often flagged.
- Light and air: windows and a balcony on the north or east side bring in the morning light, which Vastu values.
- The centre: a toilet, a pillar or a staircase in the middle of the flat is traditionally avoided.
What you can and cannot change
In a flat you rarely move a wall, a kitchen platform or a toilet. In a rented flat you may not be allowed to drill or repaint. What you can change is which room is used for what, where the bed, desk and heavy furniture go, and how clean, light and uncluttered each zone is.
| Part of the flat | Usually fixed | What you can still do |
|---|---|---|
| Main door | Its position and facing | Keep it bright, clean and free of shoes and clutter; fix squeaks and broken handles |
| Kitchen | The platform and sink | Cook facing east where the layout allows; keep the stove and sink apart |
| Toilets | Their position | Keep the door closed, the lid down and the room clean, dry and lit |
| Bedrooms | The rooms themselves | Give the south-west room to the head of the family; sleep with the head to the south or east |
| Living room | Its walls and windows | Keep the centre open; heavy sofas on the south and west walls |
| Pooja place | Often there is no pooja room | A shelf on the east or north wall of a quiet room |
Common questions about apartments
The lift, the stairwell and the society’s water tanks belong to the building, not to your flat, and most consultants read the flat on its own floor plan. A flat directly above or below another flat with a different layout is not a problem in itself.
A balcony in the north or east is commonly preferred, as it brings in light and air. A balcony on the south or west side is fine too; heavier pots and furniture are kept there rather than in a north or east balcony.
Check your own property. Check a flat, house or commercial property against the common Vastu points before you buy or rent it.
Property Vastu CalculatorDo
- Read the facing from the flat’s own main door with a compass.
- Map the eight directions on the floor plan from the centre of the flat.
- Use the south-west bedroom for the head of the family.
- Keep the north-east of the flat light, clean and uncluttered.
- Keep the centre of the main hall open.
- Check the door, kitchen and toilets first when you compare flats.
Avoid
- Do not judge the facing by the building gate or the balcony.
- Do not store shoes, scrap or heavy boxes in the north-east.
- Do not let children or guests take the south-west bedroom when the head of the family can use it.
- Do not place a heavy sofa set or storage unit in the middle of the hall.
- Do not drill or repaint a rented flat without the owner’s consent; most adjustments need neither.
- Do not worry about the floor number; it does not change the directions.
Adjustments without rebuilding
- Many consultants suggest changing which room is used for what before anything else, as it costs nothing and needs no work.
- Moving the heaviest wardrobe to the south-west wall of the master bedroom is a commonly suggested step.
- Where a toilet sits in the north-east, keeping it very clean, dry and well lit with the door closed is the usual advice.
- A small pooja shelf on the east or north wall is commonly used when the flat has no pooja room.
- Bright light and a clean, uncluttered doormat area are commonly suggested for a main door in an avoided zone.
These are traditional practices that many families follow. They vary between Vastu schools; for your own home, a consultant can say which matter most.
Questions
How do I find the facing of my flat?
Stand at the main door of the flat, step out and read the direction you face with a compass, away from metal and electrical boards. That is the facing of the flat, whatever way the building gate points.
Which facing flat is best as per Vastu?
North, east and north-east facing flats are the traditional first choice. West and south facing flats are not bad in themselves; what matters most is where the door sits along the wall and how the rooms are placed.
Does the floor number matter in Vastu?
Not in itself. The directions are the same on every floor, so a flat is read from its own floor plan. Some people choose a floor number for numerology, which is a separate question.
Can I follow Vastu in a rented flat?
Yes. Most of what helps is about how rooms are used and arranged: which bedroom the head of the family takes, how the bed and desk face, where heavy furniture stands and keeping the north-east and the centre clear.
What if the kitchen of my flat is in the north-east?
You usually cannot move it, so many consultants suggest cooking facing east, keeping the area very clean and light, and keeping the stove and the sink well apart. A consultant can say what matters most in your layout.
Related tools
- House Vastu calculator: score the flat you live in now, room by room.
- Office Vastu calculator: score the layout of your office, room by room.
- Shop Vastu calculator: score the layout of your shop or showroom.
Related Vastu guides
- Vastu tips for home: Where each room traditionally goes, how to treat the centre and the corners, and what to change in a flat.
- Main door Vastu: The best directions for the main door, where it sits on the wall, and what to keep out of its way.
- East facing house Vastu: Main door position on the east wall, a room by room layout and the common mistakes in east facing homes.
- South facing house Vastu: Why many south facing homes are fine, where the door goes on the south wall and how to place each room.
- Vastu remedies without demolition: Room use, colours, light, clutter, mirrors, plants, salt and yantras: traditional fixes, and when to rebuild.
Your personal best directions come from your Kua number. Check your whole home with the house Vastu calculator, see whether your house number suits you, and find your lucky number. More tools: all free calculators.
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