It’s not just a fad… it’s Japandi style!
What is “Japandi Design”?
Well, if you haven’t heard of it by now it’s a good time to ask, because this fusion of Japanese and Scandi (Scandinavian) style is taking the world of home decor by storm. As both of these styles rely heavily on clean lines and craftsmanship, they are able to blend together seamlessly.
Japandi takes the functionality of modern Scandinavian design and mixes it with rustic Japanese minimalism to produce a style which is artistic, natural and simple in appearance…it is one of the hottest home trends to emerge during 2021 and is predicted to explode in 2022.
The elements of Japanese style have their roots heavily based in Zen, which emphasizes meditation, peace and relaxation. In home decorating this is expressed in beautiful simple shapes, soothing colours and natural materials. Scandinavian style, on-the-other-hand, conjures up the spirit of Danish ‘hygge’ which fosters feelings of coziness and contentment. Both of these cultural concepts have a heavy focus on creating calm and nurturing environments, which allow for comfort and recovery. With the pace of life these days it might come as no surprise that these are just the qualities that people are looking towards when they design their homes. Japandi helps create spaces that are a sanctuary and a refuge from the busyness of life.
The elegance of Japandi is grounded in a visual play between both colour and texture. Generally, the furniture is constructed from light coloured frames, light natural wood, rattan, cedar or other hardwoods with clean functional lines. Japandi flooring also is created from light or neutral-coloured woods, bamboo or seagrass or you could use a vinyl with a wood-effect look too.
The hygge element is tied into these hard furnishings with “warm” textured accessories like wool rugs, chunky knit blankets and woven cushion-covers. Soft furnishings such as chairs and sofas use raw and organic materials like cotton, linen and muslin to cover the upholstery beneath.
The colours that are essential for this Japandi style are very soft, pastel and neutral in nature… creams, warm greys and beige. Bone, parchment, alabaster and soft mushroom are definitely the main focus of the space in terms of colour and tone.
Layered on top of this monochrome base are touches of the deeper colours found in nature… charcoal, brick-red, deep-forest-green, olive, deep-sea-navy. These darker elements can be provided with accessory pieces like vases, cushions, pillow-cases and wall art created from concrete, clay, glass, stone or paper and accented with the greenery of one or two house plants. Whichever way the overall colour palette is very much a natural one.
The relaxed, cozy style of Japandi can be reproduced in any room and blends well with a modern lifestyle, works in compact living spaces and is sympathetic to today’s leanings towards sustainability. Because it is so heavily weighted towards the use of natural materials and simplicity of design it makes Japandi a great way to go if ‘green’ living is your thing.
When you take all this into consideration it is not at all surprising that Japandi is the design style of the moment!
Come and live the Japandi lifestyle with us!
- 11th October 2021