The principles that come up most in flats
| Element | Preferred direction | Common conflict in Mumbai flats |
|---|---|---|
| Kitchen and cooking | South-east (Agni) | Gas line and plumbing fixed by the builder |
| Master bedroom | South-west | Only one bedroom, in the wrong corner |
| Main entrance | North or east | Corridor position is not negotiable |
| Pooja space | North-east | No spare north-east corner in a 2BHK |
| Heavy storage | South and west | Usually achievable |
| Brahmasthan, the centre | Kept open | Often where the dining table has to go |
How it is actually applied
In a flat, the structure is fixed. Nobody is moving a kitchen from the north-west to the south-east because the gas line, the drain stack and the chimney duct all arrive where the builder put them. What a designer can do is work with the movable elements: the direction the cook faces at the hob, the head of the bed, the placement of mirrors, where heavy joinery sits, and which corner becomes the pooja space. Most Vaastu briefs are satisfied by those adjustments.
Being straightforward about it
We are a design-and-build studio, not Vaastu consultants. Where a client has a Vaastu brief, we ask for it at the layout stage — not after the renders are approved — and we work to it as we would to any other requirement. Where a directive conflicts with structure, services or basic function, we say so plainly and let the client decide. What does not help anyone is discovering at the working drawing stage that the bed must be turned.
In practice the single most common Vaastu request we receive is not about the kitchen or the bedroom but about the pooja space — a north-east position, not against a bathroom wall, not under a staircase, and not facing south. In a compact flat that is usually solvable with a well-placed unit.
Costs
See our Vaastu-aligned interior design service, the direction checker and practical Vaastu tips for interiors.
Frequently asked questions
Can Vaastu be followed in an existing flat?+
Partly, and usually enough. Structure, plumbing and gas lines are fixed, but orientation of the cook, the bed, mirrors, heavy storage and the pooja space are all adjustable — and those cover most of a typical brief.
How much does a Vaastu consultation cost?+
₹8,000–20,000 for a flat visit and verbal guidance, ₹25,000–60,000 for a detailed written report with marked drawings. Fees rise sharply for consultants with a public profile.
Does Vaastu affect interior cost?+
Raised at layout stage, almost never. Raised after design freeze, it can add 5–15% and several weeks, because joinery, electrical points and sometimes plumbing have to move. The timing, not the requirement, is what costs money.
What if Vaastu conflicts with a practical layout?+
We show both options and the consequences of each, and the client decides. Our job is to be clear about what a directive costs in function, money and time — not to argue the principle.