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The richer (but still neutral) colors of Japanese design help to keep the stark, crisp palettes of Scandinavian homes from feeling clinical or cold. Whereas Japanese design places a strong emphasis on natural materials and simple lines, Scandinavian design brings in homey, handcrafted furnishings and textiles. As Wijaya notes, though Japandi includes many elements of wabi-sabi philosophy, it encompasses more than just this. “Wabi-sabi is based on traditional Japanese aesthetic and world view philosophy, while Japandi is the design movement consisting of both Japanese wabi-sabi and Scandinavian hygge philosophy,” she explains.
Japandi Style: Everything You Need to Know About These East-Meets-West Interiors

Keck infused Japanese minimalism and Danish design, along with a touch of American crafts for the interiors of this home. Wooden floors, Danish furniture designs, Japanese pottery, and aspen wall cladding were used to create a home that feels very Japandi. Wabi-sabi is the Japanese art of embracing imperfection and appreciating the beauty in the natural world’s aging and decay. On the other hand, Japandi is a hybrid design style that melds Japanese minimalism with Scandinavian functionality where each element is thoughtfully curated and serves a purpose.
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There has been an increased interest in east-meets-west design, with an emphasis in the aesthetic applied in California interiors. But as more designers step away from regional design, Japandi style is being brought in for its love of nature, sleek spaces, and calm. Look for furniture that can serve more than one purpose; for example, a stool that can serve as a side table or sofas that have built-in storage. Prepare to organize your knick-knacks (it's time to declutter!) and find the beauty in less, so each featured item in your home has a purpose. Japandi can be incorporated into homes through touches of nature, such as furniture or decor pieces made of knotty, raw wood in a warm color palette.
Use of Natural Materials
A rough-hewn wooden side table is reminiscent of traditional Japanese joinery, while the vintage Cleopatra daybed by Dutch designer Dick Cordemeyer for Auping adds a northern European design piece that perfectly matches the home's Asian influences. The overall soothing ambiance it provides is welcoming and can create a sense of calm even after a hectic day. Inviting guests over in a tranquil setting that promotes their well-being can also make entertaining feel zen. Simply, pop the open the dishwasher and enjoy an evening of relaxation when the party is over. The Aman in New York City, L/Uniform’s store in Saint Germain, as well as Roman and Williams’s RW Guild and Gallery, which specializes in showcasing products from Japanese and Scandinavian artisans. Weekly updates on the latest design and architecture vacancies advertised on Dezeen Jobs.
Sou sofa juxtaposes Japanese tradition with Scandinavian design - STIRpad
Sou sofa juxtaposes Japanese tradition with Scandinavian design.
Posted: Mon, 20 Feb 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]
For example, you may choose to incorporate a darker color palette full of stones and dark wood to embrace a bit more of the Japanese style, or go lighter if you want more of a Scandinavian flare. Now, fuse that idea with the Japanese notion of "wabi-sabi," or the idea that there is beauty in imperfection, and you create the design marriage that is Japandi. Japanese and Scandinavian design styles work so well together because they are both rooted in minimalism and comfort.
"Using natural textiles, and elements like hemp and rice straw—textiles that are easy to clean and comfortable to the touch," says Wong and Gunawan. And that’s welcome at a time when many more of us are working in our homes, which means spending more time there. We're craving a functional yet peaceful environment and Japandi style answers that need. The lime-washed grey walls in the kitchen create a stone-like aesthetic, which is common in Japanese design. The entryway embraces the natural comfort found in Scandinavian design.

Australians cozy up to Japan-influenced 'Japandi' design
She is a creative strategist who conceptualizes digital franchises and partnerships that draw readers to take a second look. In addition to House Beautiful, her work has been published in Cosmopolitan, Byrdie, Snapchat, and more. If you're hoping to achieve this aesthetic, begin to draw back the curtain and let the light in.
Combining materials and textures
This is the latest lookbook in a series providing visual inspiration for interior designers and design lovers. Previous lookbooks in the series have showcased plant-filled offices, calm living rooms and interiors made from biomaterials. Petersen loves how Japandi style adds depth to the bright, clean Scandinavian “hygge”-influenced canvas (next-level coziness that causes you to feel contentment).
Japandi is a mix of modern Japanese and Scandinavian interior design styles.
You'll also see a lot of neutral colors and paint choices to complement Japandi furniture and accessories. Calming, tranquil, and peaceful palettes are typically chosen, and when brighter colors are incorporated, they are done so meaningfully and subtly. To incorporate Japandi style in your home, be guided first by the sources of light in your rooms. "Design around bright spaces with lots of natural light," says Wong and Gunawan.
The room's beige sofa with a wooden frame evokes functional Japanese furniture. To truly adhere to the rules of Japandi, think of colours that are present in nature. Both styles—Japanese and Scandinavian—embrace the philosophy of less is more, so naturally so does Japandi. Very few works of art on the walls, soft and zen style of decoration, few vases or ceramic ornaments and carefully chosen craft decoration are recommended for homes.
Japandi styles feature beautiful craftsmanship with a focus on quality and handmade pieces over throwaway, cheap structures. "Pieces can have dual purposes like banquettes that can also act as a place to take a nap or a custom futon that folds into the ground for additional living space," says Wong and Gunawan. A bedroom designed by Wijaya includes a traditional paper fan as wall decor.
The play of light and shadow on minimalistic Japandi decor items—be it a vase or a piece of Japandi wall art—creates a dynamic yet harmonious effect. In Japandi-style living rooms, I usually opt for low-profile furniture, clean lines, and a neutral color palette. Timeless and simplistic, Japandi style sets the pace of your living space. Earthy and organic, craftmanship in your decor can shine through due to the pared-back ethos of not overcrowding your space with objects or tons of color. Ahead, learn why interior designers will continue to sing their praises of the over a century-old style.
Bare branches and dried flowers add an organic touch to the interiors, which also tend to feature an abundance of wood – a material used in both Japanese and Scandinavian interiors. So go ahead—invest in a Noguchi lamp, a sleek wooden table, and some wabi-sabi pottery. “I see Japandi as two very distinct minimalist styles that are married harmoniously,” AD100 designer Brigette Romanek adds. A Japanese paper lamp from designer Isamu Noguchi's Akari range stands on a wood-burning stove stacked with logs, Scandinavian-style. Thin blue ombre curtains evoke the traditional craft of Japanese indigo-dyeing, or aizome, while sturdy wooden room dividers nod to Scandinavian mid-century modern design.
Japandi style interiors also are a bit more earthy than Scandinavian ones. Creamy white and pale grey hues complement the light wood furniture in the room, where the main light source is a bespoke cone-shaped lantern. This was designed in washi paper by Japan's Kojima Shouten, which has been making lanterns for over 230 years. It features pared-back styling, precise craft and natural materials – qualities that have long been central to the design traditions of Japan, and the Nordic countries, particularly Denmark and Sweden. It is very common to see pillows, cushions, and woven throws as well as woven straw in Japandi style.
Daily updates on the latest design and architecture vacancies advertised on Dezeen Jobs. Sent every Tuesday and containing a selection of the most important news highlights. The Scandinavian influence can be seen in the warm wood details used throughout the flat – as in this dining room, where a dark-wood chair complements a dainty table underneath the window – while elegant lighting fixtures add an East Asian feel. A family with Japanese and American heritage live in this home in the Catskill Mountains, which has an interior that draws on both their backgrounds and adds plenty of Scandinavian style. Ashley Knierim is a home decor expert and product reviewer of home products for The Spruce.