7 Decor Items That Bring Luck Into Your Home, According to Feng Shui Experts

When it comes to great design, there is something so gratifying about cultivating meaning beyond just aesthetics. As much as I love a beautiful tablescape or a well-styled entryway, I’m always drawn to decor that carries intention with it. That’s why I’ve always been drawn to the intersection of culture — particularly feng shui and chi — and home design, especially before the start of Lunar New Year celebrations.

No one loves a party more than I do, and because the new year is one of my favorite holidays, I like to do it big. I’m going all out by hosting a celebration at Isshiki in New York City, and in the process of gearing up for a beautiful soirée, I’ve been reflecting deeply on how I want my spaces to feel. As I’m celebrating at home and out this year, I’m thinking about my space’s energy, flow, and intention. Preparing for the year ahead isn’t just about decor; it’s about establishing the energy through intention.

Of course, Lunar New Year is celebrated across a diaspora of Asian cultures — each with its own traditions, timelines, and meanings. I’m Vietnamese, and in my family we call it Tết. For those who follow the Chinese calendar, we welcome the Year of the Horse on February 17 this year. That moment feels less like flipping a calendar page and more like resetting the energy around me — whether that’s in my own living room, or a room full of friends gathered to celebrate.  

Celebrating the new year in your home is never about chasing trends; rather, it’s to anchor intentions of health, harmony, stability, connection, and prosperity. Your home can be more than just visually pleasing — it becomes aligned with the life you’re consciously creating. Feng shui and the concept of lucky, auspicious decor practices remain vital in many Asian households. But they’ve also evolved and adapted to make the ideas behind ancient principles more accessible in modern homes.

“Here’s what matters most: Choose what reflects your values, not just what looks beautiful on a shelf,” says Jenelle Kim, DACM, LAc, author of The Korean Art of Living Well. This advice shaped how I’m thinking about this year’s celebration — especially as I hope to carry good energy into 2026.

This holiday, if you’re looking to go deeper than simply incorporating red and gold, read on because I tapped feng shui experts to highlight the traditions and symbolism that truly set the tone for the year ahead. Below, discover seven lucky decor elements to welcome the new year with great intention.

For many Asian families, new year traditions never kick off with a party. Before any red envelopes are placed or flowers are arranged, there’s cleaning to be done. Not because a home is “dirty,” per se, but because renewal requires space. Fresh starts don’t come from what you add; they begin with what you’re willing to release.

“The most powerful ‘lucky’ practice is not an object at all. It is the act of making room, especially at the entrance of the home,” Kim explains. “The doorway represents what you are allowing into your life for the year ahead. When that space is clear, well-lit, and cared for, it reflects readiness. In traditional thinking, intention begins at the threshold.” 

That idea is echoed by Michael Soon Lee, Ph.D., CSP, author of Cross-Cultural Selling for Dummies, who emphasizes the energetic impact of decluttering. “Clutter blocks good energy, so you want to clean everything up. Get rid of little things that might block the energy,” he explains.

Tradition also holds that no cleaning should be done on New Year’s Day itself, as you could be sweeping away incoming luck. I’ll be planning ahead to squeeze in some dusting before the party, and at home, too! 

One of the most overlooked aspects of lucky decor is the dining table. How we gather, serve, and share food is deeply symbolic, and a simple place to begin is with a bowl of fruit. Oranges and tangerines represent fullness and good fortune, according to Lee, while preparing and offering them reflects continuity and respect across generations.

Lee adds that fruit can “shift a room’s energy to be more positive,” especially an offering of nine oranges — nine symbolizing longevity in many Asian cultures. 

In Mandarin, the word for orange sounds like the word for success, reinforcing its association with prosperity. Tangerines, particularly with their leaves left attached, represent vitality and enduring blessings. Remove the leaves, tradition says, and you risk diminishing that symbol of longevity. Even the smallest details carry meaning.

Living elements are just as essential in design. While I’m not incorporating plants into my party decor this year, I do plan on bringing one into my home to mark the new year in a more lasting way.  

Lee says plants are widely accessible and rich with symbolism. Lucky bamboo is a popular choice; ideally, a plant with three stalks, which represent happiness, wealth, and long life. Another is a kumquat tree, often placed just inside a home’s entrance, which symbolizes a harvest of prosperity flowing into the home. 

Blooming peonies are also considered especially auspicious, and are associated with feminine beauty, romance, and peace.

“In Taoist philosophy, what is alive carries movement,” Kim adds. “And movement invites growth. A home that feels tended and nourished reflects the same care we hope to cultivate within ourselves.”

Red lanterns are a familiar sight during Lunar New Year celebrations but they aren’t simply decor. They’re believed to attract positive energy and light the path for good luck to find you, Kim shares. I’ll be hanging them throughout my party venue, both for the glow and for what they symbolize. There’s something about the warmth of red lantern light that instantly shifts a space into celebration.

You can find them on Amazon and at Walmart, but many home retailers offer variations that may feel more lasting beyond this month’s celebrations. For maximum effect, tradition holds that lanterns should always be hung in pairs. 

Tassels hung on windows or walls are a festive way to invite good luck into your home — they symbolize happiness, prosperity, and protection. They are also often gifted to loved ones to share good fortune. Looking to incorporate them into your Lunar New Year celebration? I’ll be using them to decorate the stems of my guests’ champagne glasses for a festive nod to tradition at my party. 

Lee notes that any horse-themed item — whether a framed photo, painting, drawing, or small statue — can attract good luck. I’ll be scattering a few horse figurines around my party, and they’re also featured on the red envelopes I’ll will pass out to guests (pictured above!). 

If you display a statue, make sure the horse is facing into the room where you want to invite success or positive energy, Lee advises. Avoid placing it facing a window or door, as that is believed to send the good energy out of your home. Even a subtle presence, placed with awareness, carries the tradition forward.

Many families keep and tend to live goldfish in their homes, as they are potent symbols of wealth and abundance in Chinese culture and feng shui. While you might not be able to place live fish in your home, fish imagery will suffice — in my case, I’m displaying a few paper cutouts at my own event.

Ultimately, these decor pieces and practices aren’t talismans — energy follows the intention and placement of each item. After all, marking the start of a new year isn’t a trend. Regardless of how many of these items you choose to place in your space, focus on setting a tone of meaningful relationships, health and well-being, and abundance. That’s truly working towards building a life you’re actively seeking.