I don't know about the science aspect.
One of my brothers helped me move into the place I am now (he is the third of three for what it's worth).
He brought up the subject of feng shui when we were trying to figure out where to put the furniture.
It really didn't make a great deal of difference, basically just a love seat and ottoman, but I think it really made a difference.
Of course I now live in a motor home, the change was small but I like the results.
Do I understand it? No.
I am OK with the results.
Minimalism is the fad that comes and goes through the years. Is this an Asian concept or just a world wide off and on again fashion???
Less is more, they say, keep clutter down and the brain functions better they say, Watching the Hoarders and their repulsive homes is mind bender. How can anyone function amid chaos of the extreme side.
The best homes I have been in for my taste are the ones that have wall to wall book cases and curio cabinets with glass fronts. [ keeps down the dusting and stuff laying about to knock over ]
Bedrooms with wall to wall built in shelves for clothing, space saving and order for the lack of heavy furniture, bureaus that jut into the room.
Kitchens of the old time type that have no or few cabinet doors, everything in sight and at hands reach. No temptation to just throw plastic food containers in a cabinet and get pelted when you open the cabinet door with a rain of unsorted tops and bottoms. One does not have to get on hands and knees searching in the far- far back of a dark space for a small pot hiding in the dark depths of darn knows what you placed in there a year ago. After a few years working in restaurant kitchens I saw the value of seeing where every thing was and not as at home having to rumage about or to duplicate food items that as new stuff came in the old got pushed to the back and forgotten-----waste of food as the use by date can become a year or more long gone.
Motor homes like my camping trailer are designed like a Submarine, every inch of space is used. One knows where everything is and little chance of coming across 3 hair dryers packed in a box somewhere. Only problem for me is the camper has to have kitchen cabinet doors to keep stuff from falling out when moving.
Feng Shui, the art of placement and color and the effects on the human eye are fascinating to me. But then I adore the Moroccan feel to a living or dining room, the rich drapes and brass lamps.
Question for me to you is why items placed in 3's look better then just one or two, why do they draw the eye and interest???