Where to Hang an Evil Eye at Home: What Turkish Families Do

Wondering where to hang an evil eye at home? In Turkish homes, people often start at the front door. Walls come next, and some families hang one in more than one room. There is no single rule, because this is a folk custom. This guide covers the spots people often choose, how to keep a child's room safe, what people say when a glass bead cracks, and what to do if you would rather have a picture than a bead.

The short answer: start at the front door

A nazar boncuğu is the blue evil eye bead. If you read about it in guides to Türkiye, the same places come up again and again: near the front door, on a wall inside the home, by the entrance of a shop or an office, and on a car mirror. If you only want one spot, choose the door. In folk belief, the bead is meant to catch a look full of envy, and the door is where visitors come in.

New to the bead? Read What Is a Nazar Boncuğu? first. Buying one for someone else? See Can You Give an Evil Eye as a Gift?

By the door and in the entry

People often hang it above the front door or beside it. Inside the door is the easy choice: there is no weather, and a nail or a small hook is all you need. If the door slams or swings hard, hang a glass bead on the wall next to it, so it does not get knocked.

A new home is a common reason to put one up. Our guide to Turkish housewarming gift ideas covers what to say when you visit one.

On a living room wall

Beads also hang on the walls of Turkish homes, from a small one on a cord to a large wall piece, sometimes with a braided tassel. Here the choice is mostly about how it looks. A blue eye stands out on a pale wall, and a large piece needs some space around it. If you already have family photos on one wall, a small bead near them is a simple start.

In a child's room: high, out of reach, not over the crib

Some Turkish families pin a bead to a baby's clothes or hang one on the stroller or by the cradle. Custom and baby safety do not always agree, and safety comes first. Child safety advice is clear, and it applies to a nazar too:

• Do not hang anything on or above a crib on a string or a cord.
• Do not hang pictures or other items above the crib or the changing table, or within a child's reach.
• Keep a crib or a bed away from wall decorations that have cords.
• For a toddler, high on a wall across the room is safer. Glass and ceramic can break, and small parts can be swallowed.

At a desk or in a home office

In Türkiye you often see a bead in shops, offices and restaurants, usually near the entrance or the till. At home, a small ornament on a hook or a shelf near your desk is enough. There is no rule about where it should sit, so put it where you will enjoy looking at it.

If a glass bead cracks: what people say

In folk belief, a bead that cracks is said to have caught a strong look, so it is not usually read as a bad sign. People often take it down and put up a new one, and some say the new one is best given by someone else. One guide says some families bury the pieces or drop them in running water. None of this is a rule. Glass also cracks when a door slams, so sweep it up before a child or a pet finds it.

No glass bead? Posters, canvas and ornaments

We do not sell glass beads. Nazar Değmesin is our own Turkish design: a smiling blue bead with raised hands, tulips, a crescent and a star, above the words "Nazar değmesin", which means "may the evil eye not touch it". If you like the look, or you do not want glass in a room, it can go in the same places:

• For the hallway or the living room. The Nazar Değmesin framed poster comes ready to hang with a hanging kit, in a black wood frame with a shatterproof plexiglass front, in six portrait sizes.
• For a larger wall. The Nazar Değmesin canvas print is stretched over a slim wood frame, and the design wraps around the sides. It also comes in six portrait sizes.
• For a hook or a shelf. The Nazar Değmesin ceramic ornament is glossy ceramic with a gold-colored string. It can also go on a tree, as we explain in Evil Eye Christmas Ornaments.

See the rest in the Nazar Değmesin collection. For pillows, tapestries and tea towels with other designs, browse home decor. These are decoration and a kind wish, not a promise.

FAQ

Should an evil eye go inside or outside?

You will see both. Guides mention front doors and shop doors as well as walls inside the home. A glass bead can hang outside if the hook and the cord are secure. Paper posters and canvas belong indoors.

Can you hang an evil eye in a bedroom?

Yes. Some families hang one in every room, and some do not use one at all. Choose a wall where it cannot fall on anyone who is asleep, and follow the safety notes above if a baby sleeps there.

Which way should an evil eye face?

We did not find a direction rule in the sources on Turkish homes that we read. Many pages on this question draw on other traditions, such as Vastu or feng shui. If you follow one of them, that is your choice, but it is not something we can speak to.