Japandi Style: The contemporary need for homes that focus on wellbeing.

It’s striking how modernity manages to embrace underlying needs via trends in sectors like fashion, interior design and architecture. These trends can be seen as green shoots that burst through to influence the Zeitgeist, shining through the cracks like threads  of light and hope.

 

The ‘japandi’ style that came onto the scene in 2017 is resurging in interior design projects in 2022. With a simplicity that connects to nature, it provides calm and balance to the home, fills spaces with minimalism, and brings an aura of physical and emotional tranquillity.

In The Decorative Surfaces we’ll look at the most exciting trends that are filling rooms with Nordic simplicity and functionality, in tandem with Zen warmth and harmony, through the popular ‘japandi’ style.

The three basic principles of the ‘japandi’ style.

A cross between the Scandinavian style and wabi sabi gave rise to a particular blend of styles in interior design in 2017: the ‘japandi’ style. Starting with clean rooms, spiritual life is cultivated from a place of serenity, functionality and warmth.

These are spaces characterised by lightness brought by materials, colour schemes, textures and elements. This creates a unique atmosphere in the home with naturalist undertones, enabling aesthetics and function to magically embrace one another.

In this style, the furniture loses some height and accessories are always artisan, strengthening the connection between people and the Earth. This connection is made possible by incorporating the three basic properties of the popular japandi style.

1. Open spaces and colour neutrality.

One of the key elements of ‘japandi’-style spaces is indoor spaces that are open and take advantage of natural light and free movement. So, the furniture is always low, imbuing the entire room with a sense of openness.

The separation of the spaces pays homage to the Japanese tradition of sliding panels that minimally interrupt the look, with the cosy atmosphere characteristic of the scandi style (the successor to the colder Nordic decor). The magical order of the pieces that make their home in the space make it pleasant and welcoming.

Colour schemes lean towards nature and embody warmth and neutrality. This means that beige and brown colours dominate in the japandi style. In surfaces, furniture and textiles, the sense of Zen harmony and philosophy embraces Nordic freshness with other tonalities including blue, green and pink, which becomes plum.

Always sharp, the furniture successfully combines the coolness of the purest whites from the Nordic style, with warmth based on a darker palette with walnut wood, leather or black elements. With the pristine appearance of the grey and black elements, the space takes on a sophisticated feel, which is always aided by the natural colour palette.

2. Natural materials and artisan textures.

The various natural shades and textures are achieved by carefully selecting from the several materials on which this  particular style of current interior design in 2022 depends. Woods such as walnut, and finishings. Untreated, they provide a deep sense of connection with nature in all the elements that comprise the space. To that end, natural fibres such as bamboo or raffia, along with artisan dyes for rugs, blankets and curtains, are chosen. The space is deeply imbued with the simplicity and softness of nature thanks to the choice of materials like those mentioned.

For the decorative elements, pieces such as ceramic vases and natural-effect raffia or wood bowls are chosen. As for the ceramic elements, their artisan beauty means they become a fundamental material for this style’s connection with nature.

3. Sharp, selective decoration.

The pure and neutral aspects of nature also grace the decoration through pieces like vases and centrepieces. The top choice is tall, simple floral arrangements. As mentioned before, the choice of ceramics or terracotta also embraces the inclusion of indoor plants. This achieves the combination of warmth with the freshness of life itself.

Decoration always prioritises functionality over appearance, combining sharp with imperfect.

In this special style of indoor decoration that’s trending in 2022, all pieces, colour schemes and materials sacrifice themselves to the need for an atmosphere of connection with nature in which quality precedes quantity. A 2022 japandi style for decorating an indoor space with calm and balance in a timeless way.