Decorating
8 Simple Rules We Can Borrow From Japanese Design
The Land of the Rising Sun has a few ways to help boost your home’s space, appeal and liveability, as explained by a recent Tokyo resident
Functionality, innovation, simplicity – arguably the cornerstones of Japanese design. For a country renowned for its interiors, it takes the careful management of all these elements to achieve design that works in both function and form. More than that, though, design influences daily life in Japan, and creates certain customs for the home and how people live within it.
How can we employ all the best bits of Japanese ideas without losing our own British style? Here are 8 simple rules that might just help you get there.
How can we employ all the best bits of Japanese ideas without losing our own British style? Here are 8 simple rules that might just help you get there.
Celebrate empty space
If you really want to try your hand at working some Japanese design sensibility into your home, you’ll have to learn to love space – and that means empty space, too. Space is believed to be a trigger for imagining, and the beauty in empty space is that it gives us room to breathe and let our minds wander, instead of lingering on what’s there.
The sparseness employed in traditional Japanese design is a reminder to take pride in unfilled space, and strike a balance in the home. This room capitalises on its height with a bare wood framework, but, with only a few leafy shrubs to populate the space, there’s plenty of room to take in all the wonder of minimal detail.
So next time you’re looking to decorate a blank wall or put up some shelves, just have a look around, take in the context, breathe, and consider what you can leave out rather than what you can put in.
10 tips from Tokyo on how to approach small spaces
If you really want to try your hand at working some Japanese design sensibility into your home, you’ll have to learn to love space – and that means empty space, too. Space is believed to be a trigger for imagining, and the beauty in empty space is that it gives us room to breathe and let our minds wander, instead of lingering on what’s there.
The sparseness employed in traditional Japanese design is a reminder to take pride in unfilled space, and strike a balance in the home. This room capitalises on its height with a bare wood framework, but, with only a few leafy shrubs to populate the space, there’s plenty of room to take in all the wonder of minimal detail.
So next time you’re looking to decorate a blank wall or put up some shelves, just have a look around, take in the context, breathe, and consider what you can leave out rather than what you can put in.
10 tips from Tokyo on how to approach small spaces
Covet craftsmanship
Another reason why emptiness is viewed as a positive is that it gives a way to appreciate detail and craftsmanship. Japanese culture today is still arguably heavily influenced by shokunin kishitsu (’craftsman’s spirit’) with its focus on detail and ‘clean’ aesthetic beauty. Even their lunch boxes, known as bento boxes, are perfectly symmetrical and pleasing to the eye.
The term craftsman extends across all trades, from design professionals to cleaners, each an expert in their own right, all taking pride in achieving a simple and attractive result.
While it could be hard to fill your entire home only with examples of great craftsmanship, working in certain pieces can offer your interior a sense of individuality. Seek out local craftspeople; supporting local suppliers is a good way to imbue your home with character and history, too. In the case of wooden furniture pieces, the Japanese believe the ageing process only adds to their beauty, so make sure whatever you invest in, you cherish and hold onto it.
Another reason why emptiness is viewed as a positive is that it gives a way to appreciate detail and craftsmanship. Japanese culture today is still arguably heavily influenced by shokunin kishitsu (’craftsman’s spirit’) with its focus on detail and ‘clean’ aesthetic beauty. Even their lunch boxes, known as bento boxes, are perfectly symmetrical and pleasing to the eye.
The term craftsman extends across all trades, from design professionals to cleaners, each an expert in their own right, all taking pride in achieving a simple and attractive result.
While it could be hard to fill your entire home only with examples of great craftsmanship, working in certain pieces can offer your interior a sense of individuality. Seek out local craftspeople; supporting local suppliers is a good way to imbue your home with character and history, too. In the case of wooden furniture pieces, the Japanese believe the ageing process only adds to their beauty, so make sure whatever you invest in, you cherish and hold onto it.
Create indoor/outdoor flow
A key principle of Japanese design is to create a flow between indoors and nature outdoors, so as to appreciate both. Japanese people have a finely tuned appreciation of the seasons, so being able to respond to the changing of them is typically a component of any home.
As such, sliding doors are a common fixture, as they allow for a seamless transition between indoor and outdoor spaces. In Japan, these often come in the form of shoji screens, translucent paper fitted onto a wooden frame, as pictured here. These not only help to maintain a fluid boundary between interior and exterior, but serve to boost light and space while retaining privacy.
A great feature of these types of screens is that they work seasonally. For instance, in summer they maintain a cool temperature and access to the outside while still maintaining privacy and light, whereas in winter you can shut off the exterior and create a cosy, snug space.
A key principle of Japanese design is to create a flow between indoors and nature outdoors, so as to appreciate both. Japanese people have a finely tuned appreciation of the seasons, so being able to respond to the changing of them is typically a component of any home.
As such, sliding doors are a common fixture, as they allow for a seamless transition between indoor and outdoor spaces. In Japan, these often come in the form of shoji screens, translucent paper fitted onto a wooden frame, as pictured here. These not only help to maintain a fluid boundary between interior and exterior, but serve to boost light and space while retaining privacy.
A great feature of these types of screens is that they work seasonally. For instance, in summer they maintain a cool temperature and access to the outside while still maintaining privacy and light, whereas in winter you can shut off the exterior and create a cosy, snug space.
In the UK and Ireland, however, we tend to need all the light we can get. So when installing sliding doors here, we typically choose expanses of clear glass.
This incredible wall of sliding doors in north London is one way to capitalise on this idea, and the glass balustrade ensures an unbroken view of the landscape beyond.
This incredible wall of sliding doors in north London is one way to capitalise on this idea, and the glass balustrade ensures an unbroken view of the landscape beyond.
For a look more reminiscent of those shoji screens, consider Crittall-style doors, with their small, rectangular panes of glass.
Nurture a nook
As you’re probably realising, the Japanese invest a lot of stock in personal space and room to breathe. As already mentioned, they also like to encourage nature into their homes.
So a dinky window seat like this one feeds perfectly into the notion of having the time to reflect and embrace the quiet. Whether it’s for work or pleasure, a corner nook can be a wonderful way to add a feature to an otherwise empty space (though you could easily just leave it empty too and be really Japanese).
If budget allows, you could invest in a built-in seat like this one. Equally, though, simply cordoning off a small space with a large pot plant or simple bookshelf, and adding a floor lamp and chair, can achieve a similar space. Boost its cosiness with a small side table for your mug (or wine glass), a little rug, and a blanket for the chair and you have a place just for you.
As you’re probably realising, the Japanese invest a lot of stock in personal space and room to breathe. As already mentioned, they also like to encourage nature into their homes.
So a dinky window seat like this one feeds perfectly into the notion of having the time to reflect and embrace the quiet. Whether it’s for work or pleasure, a corner nook can be a wonderful way to add a feature to an otherwise empty space (though you could easily just leave it empty too and be really Japanese).
If budget allows, you could invest in a built-in seat like this one. Equally, though, simply cordoning off a small space with a large pot plant or simple bookshelf, and adding a floor lamp and chair, can achieve a similar space. Boost its cosiness with a small side table for your mug (or wine glass), a little rug, and a blanket for the chair and you have a place just for you.
Plant up
One myth about Japanese cities is that they’re all neon and tower blocks, but remember the Japanese respect for incorporating nature into daily life? That means one thing: plants everywhere! Whether it’s hanging plants, small potted plants, larger pot plants or simply decorative shelf plants that hang down, decorating with leafy greens is a popular choice.
Olive trees are a lovely touch for an entrance (cloud pruned if you want to be authentically Japanese), and long vine plants and eucalyptus trees/branches work well on open shelves and desks.
If you have the space, go for hanging planters and create your own living wall. Incorporate a few of these into your home and you’ll be feeling more Zen in no time.
One myth about Japanese cities is that they’re all neon and tower blocks, but remember the Japanese respect for incorporating nature into daily life? That means one thing: plants everywhere! Whether it’s hanging plants, small potted plants, larger pot plants or simply decorative shelf plants that hang down, decorating with leafy greens is a popular choice.
Olive trees are a lovely touch for an entrance (cloud pruned if you want to be authentically Japanese), and long vine plants and eucalyptus trees/branches work well on open shelves and desks.
If you have the space, go for hanging planters and create your own living wall. Incorporate a few of these into your home and you’ll be feeling more Zen in no time.
Slip off shoes and store
Japan is famed for its strict and often complicated customs, but the ruling on shoes inside the home is straightforward enough. Most people in Japan have a set of outdoor shoes and a pair or two of indoor shoes/slippers. Having indoor shoes is one way to keep your home looking pristine and dirt-free, important in Japanese homes where there are often roll-out futons and tatami mats. However, the consequence of this is needing a place to store all that footwear.
You can always go for a simple shoe rack, but if the whole family has an extra pair of indoor shoes on top of the others, it’s time to get inventive. This staircase, in which each step is fitted with a drawer, is a great solution. For those without staircases, try tall cubic units instead, where each family member gets one box shelf for themselves (or two if they’re really lucky).
Japan is famed for its strict and often complicated customs, but the ruling on shoes inside the home is straightforward enough. Most people in Japan have a set of outdoor shoes and a pair or two of indoor shoes/slippers. Having indoor shoes is one way to keep your home looking pristine and dirt-free, important in Japanese homes where there are often roll-out futons and tatami mats. However, the consequence of this is needing a place to store all that footwear.
You can always go for a simple shoe rack, but if the whole family has an extra pair of indoor shoes on top of the others, it’s time to get inventive. This staircase, in which each step is fitted with a drawer, is a great solution. For those without staircases, try tall cubic units instead, where each family member gets one box shelf for themselves (or two if they’re really lucky).
Big up bamboo
Bamboo is that ubiquitous material we often associate with pan-Asian style, and Japan is traditionally a big fan of it, too, although there it’s typically employed more for decorative purposes than construction ones. A durable and multi-dimensional material, bamboo is used across a spectrum of Japanese homes for its aesthetic beauty and natural properties; it provides good air flow when the weather gets warm, crucial in the humid Japanese summer.
It’s great outdoors as a means of adding a natural feature, but also some privacy. If your garden or balcony is overlooked, invest in a few tall bamboo plants and create a border around a seating area, as here.
While bamboo tends to feature heavily in outdoor décor, it works just as well indoors. Use it for blinds in the summer to keep things cool or employ sturdier stems as hanging rails, either for clothes or in the kitchen, for a rustic touch, rather than the usual stainless-steel variety.
Bamboo works well as a room divider, too. If you’re looking to break up a bathroom space, try creating a bamboo ‘wall’ between the toilet and basin area – a lighter and cheaper alternative than investing in a hard wall option and a delicate touch of Japanese style.
Which Japanese design tips would you like to add to your home? Or have you already incorporated some? Let us know in the Comments below.
Bamboo is that ubiquitous material we often associate with pan-Asian style, and Japan is traditionally a big fan of it, too, although there it’s typically employed more for decorative purposes than construction ones. A durable and multi-dimensional material, bamboo is used across a spectrum of Japanese homes for its aesthetic beauty and natural properties; it provides good air flow when the weather gets warm, crucial in the humid Japanese summer.
It’s great outdoors as a means of adding a natural feature, but also some privacy. If your garden or balcony is overlooked, invest in a few tall bamboo plants and create a border around a seating area, as here.
While bamboo tends to feature heavily in outdoor décor, it works just as well indoors. Use it for blinds in the summer to keep things cool or employ sturdier stems as hanging rails, either for clothes or in the kitchen, for a rustic touch, rather than the usual stainless-steel variety.
Bamboo works well as a room divider, too. If you’re looking to break up a bathroom space, try creating a bamboo ‘wall’ between the toilet and basin area – a lighter and cheaper alternative than investing in a hard wall option and a delicate touch of Japanese style.
Which Japanese design tips would you like to add to your home? Or have you already incorporated some? Let us know in the Comments below.
No, I’m not talking about a Scandi interior – minimal décor, light woods and lashings of white across the room are a popular order of the day in many Japanese interiors, too.
Achieving interiors serenity is an aspiration for many Japanese homeowners, so a combination like this goes some way to contributing to that. Blond wood, such as maple or hinoki (a type of cypress), helps to boost light in an interior. Combine this with a clean, white paint, clutter-free surfaces and, as in this kitchen, chairs you can see through to boost light flow, et voilà – you’ve got your own slice of peace.
Check out a unique extension inspired by Japanese design