A Feng Shui Kitchen in a 1955 Mid-Century Home

Interior designer, YouTuber, and lifelong feng shui practitioner Julie Khuu walks us through the open-concept kitchen and dining area of her 1955 mid-century home in Anaheim, California, built by Ross Cortese under famed builder Cliff May. Julie gutted the original U-shaped kitchen and rebuilt it around feng shui: the stove sits in the south (fire) sector, the sink in the north (water) sector, and deliberately never directly across from each other, so the elements don't cancel out.

Titanium-black exotic granite forgives every scratch and spill, while open shelving — planks she bought at the lumber yard for about $50 each and stained herself — keeps everyday glassware within reach for the guests she loves to host.

The dining area is her current favorite room: a ten-foot table paired with a reupholstered vintage sofa (under $200) for narrow-space seating, symmetrical cabinets framing the room, and a family altar honoring her ancestors. It's a compact, under-2,000-square-foot home where every piece works double duty — and ten years in, she's itching to add color and a backsplash.