How To Use Japandi Style in Your Home
At first blush, Japanese and Scandinavian design seem as far apart in appearance as they are on the map. But if you dig deeper, you’ll find a surprising number of similarities, with overlapping themes like a use of natural materials, and a focus on relaxation resulting from simplicity. With those central tenets in common, it’s not a surprise that designers are combining them into a look called “Japandi” style (a combination of Japanese and Scandi).
Japandi Style
Japandi design, a fusion of Japanese and Scandinavian style, combines functionality, rusticism and minimalism to create a whole new look. It’s the perfect balance of the two styles’ clean lines, light spaces and natural hues.
If you’re familiar with Scandi design, you’ll instantly know the word “hygge.” That’s the concept of infusing design with coziness, making your home your sanctuary.
Similarly, if you’re a fan of Japanese design, you’ll recognize “wabi-sabi,” the idea of beauty in imperfection.
When combined, you get a style that’s both carefree and refined.
Furnishings
While spaces in this style don’t contain a lot of furnishings, the ones they do are carefully curated and well made. Japandi focuses on higher quality furnishings that can be kept for years, rather than ones meant to be used for a short time and thrown away.
They’re also streamlined in style, with no unnecessary adornments. This lets the focus be, not on the furniture, but on the people in the room.
If you’ve experimented with hygge or wabi-sabi, you’ve probably already got elements of Japandi in your home. But to really bring the style to life, pair bamboo or unfinished wood furnishings with muted natural hues, like pale green or creamy white. Adding plants to bring in the outdoors will reinforce the style.
Colors
Since both styles draw heavily on natural materials, choose hues that complement this influence. Trend toward a color palette that’s peaceful and restorative, focused on neutral and light color washes, rather than brights or bolds. And if you do bring in a bright, bold hue, choose it because it has meaning and use it sensitively.
Infusing these two styles lets you warm up the traditionally chilly Nordic color scheme with the richer, darker hues from Japanese design.
Clutter
What’s the key to achieving the Japandi look? Rid your home of clutter. No matter how clean-lined your furnishings or pale-hued your walls, if you can’t see them for the stacks of mail and piles of clothes, you’re not in Japandi.
What if you just can’t get rid of the mail or the clothes piles? Make your home look organized by putting those things in bamboo baskets or behind a beautiful Japanese screen.
Do you love Japandi style? Let the pros at Paintzen help you choose a color scheme that pulls the whole look together. Get a free quote or chat with our color consultants today.