A south west facing house is a home where the main entrance is located in the south-western direction of the plot. When you stand at the entrance and face outward, if you’re facing the southwest, the house is categorized as a south west facing house. This orientation holds a unique place in architectural planning, especially in Vastu Shastra.
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While often misunderstood or even considered inauspicious, a south west facing house can offer powerful benefits when designed correctly. From strong energy control to long-term stability, it’s a viable option for many homeowners who understand how to use this orientation to their advantage.
This article explains everything you need to know about south west facing houses—including their types, Vastu guidelines, practical uses, key benefits, and frequently asked questions.
Understanding South West Facing House According to Vastu
In Vastu Shastra, each direction is ruled by a specific element and energy. The southwest direction, known as Nairutya, is governed by the Earth element. It is associated with stability, strength, and control. A south west facing house, if designed following Vastu principles, can bring power and authority to its residents.
Important Vastu observations about southwest facing homes include:
- The southwest direction is highly energy-intensive
- The main entrance in this direction requires careful positioning
- Ideal for people in leadership roles or senior family members
Although not always considered ideal, the truth is that with the right planning, a south west facing house can become a stable and prosperous home.
Types of South West Facing Houses
A south-west facing plot offers a strong foundation for stability and strength in a home. The final design can vary greatly based on the plot size, budget, and the occupants’ needs, ranging from modest single-story structures to expansive luxury villas, each utilizing the direction’s inherent energy in different ways.
Single-Story South West Facing Homes
Ideal for smaller plots or those seeking a compact, efficient layout, single-story homes are a popular choice. Their primary advantage is straightforward customization, allowing architects to easily orient all living spaces—like the master bedroom in the southwest and the kitchen in the southeast—around the central southwest entrance without the complexity of vertical planning, ensuring both Vastu compliance and functional living.
Duplex South West Facing Homes
Designed for optimal vertical space utilization, duplex homes are perfect for joint families or those requiring more area. This two-story structure allows for a clear separation of functions; often, the ground floor houses common areas like the living room and kitchen, while private spaces like bedrooms are placed on the upper floor, all while maintaining the crucial southwest main entrance for stability.
South West Facing Villas
Luxurious villas on large plots fully embrace the south-west direction’s qualities of security and solidity. These expansive homes often feature strong, high boundary walls, a closed or courtyard-based layout for maximum privacy, and strategic placement of heavy structures in the southwest. This design prioritizes creating a private, protected, and energetically grounded sanctuary.
Apartments with South West Entry
In multi-story buildings, individual apartments may have a main door facing southwest. While this orientation requires careful internal planning, it is manageable. The focus must be on counterbalancing the energy by ensuring the kitchen, master bedroom, and living areas are placed in their respective auspicious zones within the apartment to promote harmony and well-being.
South West Facing Corner Houses
Corner plots with a southwest orientation offer exceptional design flexibility due to road access on two sides. This allows for the strategic placement of the main entrance in the southwest while potentially incorporating additional entry points or larger gardens. The enhanced exposure often results in superior cross-ventilation, natural light, and appealing aesthetic possibilities.
Benefits of a South West Facing House
Often misunderstood, a south-west facing house is not inherently negative. In fact, when designed according to Vastu principles, it offers a unique set of powerful advantages rooted in stability, security, and grounded energy, making it an excellent choice for specific lifestyles and family structures.
Stability and Security
Governed by the earth element, the southwest direction is the most stable and grounding quadrant in Vastu. A home with its entrance or heaviest structure here benefits from this inherent solidity, which often translates into greater stability in family relationships, financial security, and long-term career growth, providing a strong foundation for the entire household.
Best for Senior Family Members
This direction is considered ideal for the elders or heads of the family. The stable, supportive energy of the southwest reinforces authority, promotes wise decision-making, and provides a sense of comfort and security for senior members, making it the perfect location for the master bedroom to enhance their health and influence within the home.
Control Over Internal Energy
A south-west facing home, when constructed with a strong, elevated foundation and a well-placed main door, allows the residents greater command over the internal energy flow. This controlled environment helps in containing and cultivating positive energy (prana) within the space, preventing its dissipation and fostering a sense of contained power and well-being.
Favorable for Business Owners
The southwest’s association with strength, persistence, and command makes it highly auspicious for entrepreneurs, especially those in fields like real estate, construction, manufacturing, or leadership roles. Residing in such a home is believed to enhance one’s ability to manage assets, lead with authority, and build a lasting, stable enterprise.
Good Air Flow and Lighting
Despite common misconceptions, these homes can be exceptionally bright and well-ventilated. By strategically placing larger windows, balconies, and openings in the complementary north, east, and northeast directions, the design can harness cooling breezes and ample morning sunlight while the solid southwest provides necessary shade and structural balance.
Practical Uses of South West Facing Houses
A south-west facing house, when designed with intention, is far from limited. Its inherent qualities of stability and strength make it exceptionally versatile, suitable for a wide range of residential and even light commercial purposes that benefit from a grounded and secure environment.
Residential Family Homes
With careful interior planning that places key areas like the master bedroom in the southwest and lively spaces like the kitchen and living room in the northeast, these houses can become exceptionally peaceful and secure family residences. This deliberate zoning balances the home’s energy, promoting harmony and stability for all occupants.
Home Offices or Studios
The southwest’s association with focus and authority makes it an ideal location for a home office or studio. Professionals, entrepreneurs, and leaders working from home can benefit from the direction’s grounding energy, which is believed to enhance concentration, decision-making, and the overall stability of a business or practice.
Investment Property
Due to their strong structural foundation and appeal to certain buyers, well-constructed south-west facing homes hold significant marketability. When built and marketed in accordance with Vastu principles, they often demonstrate strong resale value and attractive rental potential, representing a sound and stable real estate investment.
Guest Houses
For homeowners not residing on the property, the robust and self-contained energy of a south-west facing structure makes it perfectly suited for use as a guest house or rental unit. It offers visitors a sense of privacy, security, and comfort, functioning as a independent and welcoming space.
Commercial Use
This orientation can be effectively adapted for certain commercial ventures that value discretion and stability. Clinics, consulting firms, legal offices, or coaching centers can utilize the strong entrance energy by modifying the interior layout to ensure client areas are welcoming and functional, leveraging the direction’s aura of trust and authority.
Vastu Guidelines for South West Facing Homes
Designing a south-west facing home according to Vastu Shastra maximizes stability, prosperity, and well-being. Proper placement of key elements ensures balanced energy flow, harnessing the grounding nature of the southwest direction while mitigating potential challenges.
Ideal Placement of Main Door
The main door should ideally be positioned in the third or fourth pada (segment) of the southwest wall, avoiding the extreme corners. It must be structurally robust, crafted from high-quality wood, and smaller than any northeastern openings to prevent energy imbalance.
Master Bedroom Location
Place the master bedroom in the southwest corner to leverage the zone’s stabilizing energy. This reinforces authority, promotes restful sleep, and strengthens the household’s decision-makers. Ensure the bed is positioned so occupants sleep with their heads facing south or east.
Kitchen Placement
The kitchen is ideally situated in the southeast (agni corner) to align with the fire element. If unavailable, the northwest is a secondary option. The cook should face east while preparing food, and storage should avoid cluttering the southwest.
Pooja Room Location
The prayer room belongs in the northeast, the most spiritually auspicious direction. Maintain cleanliness, use light colors, and ensure idols face east or west. Avoid placing the pooja room near toilets or in the southwest.
Living Room Orientation
Position the living room in the north or east to invite positive energy and social harmony. Use light colors, maximize natural light from northeastern windows, and arrange seating to face east or north during conversations.
Staircase Positio
Locate the staircase in the south, west, or southwest sectors. Ensure it ascends clockwise (east to west or north to south) and avoids the northeast entirely. Solid construction without underlying storage enhances safety and energy flow.
Septic Tank and Toilets
Toilets should be placed in the northwest or southeast, never in the southwest, northeast, or center. Drainage pipes should flow north or east. Ensure bathroom doors remain closed to contain negative energy.
Challenges of South West Facing Houses (And Solutions)
While they offer benefits, south west facing houses also pose some challenges if poorly designed.
| Challenge | Solution |
|---|---|
| Negative energy through main door | Use Vastu pyramids or energy deflectors at the entrance |
| Heat accumulation in afternoon | Use reflective glass and thermal insulation |
| Poor light in some areas | Add skylights or artificial lighting intelligently |
| Difficulty in room placement | Consult a Vastu architect to optimize layout |
Who Should Consider a South West Facing House?
This type of house is not for everyone. It suits certain personalities and professions more than others:
- Senior family members or retired professionals
- Business owners or CEOs
- Real estate developers and consultants
- People who want a secure, private home with strong grounding energy
- Individuals who are not overly sensitive to energy shifts and want long-term settlement
Interior Tips for South West Facing Homes
Proper interiors can enhance the livability of a south west facing house:
- Use earthy colors like beige, brown, and mustard in the southwest area
- Keep heavier furniture and storage in the southwest zone
- Ensure maximum openness and light in the northeast corner
- Avoid placing mirrors or water features in the southwest direction
- Decorate the main door with nameplates and positive symbols
South West Facing House Myths vs. Reality
| Myth | Reality |
|---|---|
| South west houses bring bad luck | Not true—proper Vastu design neutralizes any negative impact |
| These houses are always hot | Modern design techniques eliminate heat retention |
| They’re not good for families | In fact, they offer strong foundations for family life |
| Not suitable for pooja rooms | You can build a pooja room in the northeast, irrespective of house facing |
South West Facing House Plan Tips
When preparing the blueprint or choosing a ready-made plan for a south west facing house, keep these pointers in mind:
- Elevated southwest corner adds Vastu strength
- Build a boundary wall higher on the southwest side
- Lower the northeast corner for better energy flow
- Place the water tank in the northeast or north
- Ensure slope of the land goes from southwest to northeast
FAQs About South West Facing House
Is a south west facing house good or bad?
A south west facing house is not inherently bad. With proper Vastu design, it can bring stability, authority, and long-term gains.
Who should avoid living in a southwest-facing house?
Highly sensitive individuals, spiritual seekers, or those in unstable careers may not align well with the strong energy of this direction unless modifications are made.
Can I build a pooja room in a south west facing house?
Yes. The pooja room should be in the northeast corner inside the house, regardless of the main entrance direction.
What is the best Vastu remedy for south west entrance?
Use metal strips, Vastu pyramids, earth crystals, and heavy décor to ground the energy. Keeping the entrance well-lit and clean is also essential.
Is a southwest main door acceptable?
It is acceptable if placed in the correct pada and balanced with strong Vastu elements inside. Avoid southwest main doors in the first and second pada.
Conclusion
A south west facing house is often misunderstood in both Vastu and architectural circles. When approached with the right knowledge, it offers powerful benefits especially in terms of personal authority, long-term stability, and security. It’s not about the direction alone, but how you design and live within that space.
If you are a person who values strength, privacy, and long-term vision, and you’re ready to follow proper Vastu principles, then a south west facing house could be a very rewarding investment.
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