Japandi: Simplicity, Nature, and Comfort

Have you ever felt like your home’s style doesn’t live up to its full potential? The truth is that we all did at one point, and that is fine.

What if I told you that there is an easy way to make your space go above and beyond everything ordinary?

By joining the best of both cultures together, Japandi is a style that incorporates the most vital elements of Nordic and Japanese interior design.

These styles give birth to one of the most impactful styles that use natural elements, simplicity, and comfort as their main trademark.

While uniting two similar cultures of Scandinavia and Japan, Japandi managed to blend them perfectly, giving birth to an entirely new calm style that effortlessly elevates your home in every aspect.

Without wasting any more time, let’s skip to the fun part and dive into the perks and benefits of this international blend.

Here are the topics where you will find out more about its main elements and how to achieve them:

Fundamentals of Japandi

There are many reasons why Japandi gained so much popularity and has steadily grown to be one of the most popular design choices in the world.

Combining the Scandinavian concept of “Hygge,” which represents that homely feeling of coziness and comfort with Japanese “wabi-sabi,” an idea that finds beauty in imperfection, Japandi creates a harmonizing stress-free atmosphere.

Japandi focuses on making statements by creating a functional space. Every decor and furniture has its unique purpose.

Rather than having an abundance of decor, this multicultural style shifts its focus to decluttered, entirely function-driven spaces.

One of the main reasons Japandi works so well is how well it combines different characteristics of these two methods.

Rustic details predominant in Nordic design perfectly balance overly sleek Japanese spaces. Likewise, the rich colour palette of Japanese design compensates for the neutral Scandinavian aesthetic that comes across as more lifeless and antiseptic.

How to Decorate in Japandi?

If you want to make sure that you are doing this the right way, we honestly recommend you focus on natural materials. Decorating your space with bamboo pieces and unfinished woods will make your room healthier. As Japandi is a mix of both Nordic and Japanese design we recommend you go with Scandinavian dining chairs and Japanese natural elements.

Place interior plants like bonsai in your living room if you want to take your creativity to the next level.

Besides bringing greenery into your home, you should also use muted colours and reduce clutter as much as you can.

Ideally, it would help to focus on clean lines and open space. However, there is also a go around for people who have a more active way of living and struggle with a minimalistic approach.

Have you heard about faux minimalism? Have you heard about faux minimalism? This method uses boxes and other storage items to hide unnecessary stuff and keep your rooms clutter-free.

To nail this decor style completely, you must have those comfortable Scandinavian pieces mixed with the elegance of Japanese.

Also, know that Japandi is a style that is not meant to be disposable but stays for many years to come. Therefore it is important to find pieces that will stand the test of time. Opposite the decor styles that focus on one-time use, this combination of cultures directs you toward sustainable furniture pieces that keep our planet safer.

Decluttering Is Essential

Taking the element straight from Nordic culture, Japandi also grounds its aesthetics in minimalism.

One of the best ways to make sure that your interior exhibits those feats is to, yes you guessed it, declutter.

This essentially means getting rid of everything that is excessive and superfluous. However, this does not mean not adding accessories but rather being very selective about every single one.

Combine Colors and Choose Accessories

While Scandinavian design colours are defined by the mix of light, pastel accents, and neutral shades, the Japanese style focuses on more vibrant tones.

Japandi perfectly balances this by starting with a slightly darker base and adding a saturated neutral shade.

Contrast is further achieved by integrating a combination of light woods and stark black shades. While the accents are usually monochrome, you can add a couple of vibrant colours through interior plants.

​​Since this unique design style is efficient and function-driven, accessories are not prevalent in other spaces.

However, even tho they take a backseat, there are a couple of pieces that ensure the design feels intentional. Nordic accessories focus mainly on comfort and cosiness. Different add-ons such as pillows, plush rugs, and cosy blankets give your space a more relaxing feel.

On the other hand, Japanese accessories are more practical items like vases and cups.

Japandi combines both to create a beautiful and calm space that takes the best of both worlds.

Accessorizing The Right Way

We already established that unnecessary decor doesn’t have a place in Japandi styled home. Instead of it, you want a few statement pieces that are functional, and placed with the intention to add vibrancy to your graceful space.

You can go with a couple of different pieces like vases, Nordic wool throws, warm and soft blankets, etc…

This is also a perfect opportunity to put some indoor plants like bamboo or bonsai, however, you should keep all of these to a minimum.

Pick The Right Colors

While both Scandinavian and Japanese interiors have white walls, there are some slight differences. For the Scandinavians, maximizing natural light in their interiors comes first.

They achieve this by bouncing the sunlight off bright walls.

Japanese on the other hand double down on the wood used, both on their floors, walls, and even ceilings.

If you are having any doubts about which colour to choose for your unique style we have a perfect solution. Just pick a warm white colour as your base and then gradually add more contrast and variety to the palette through your accessories and furniture.

Another advantage of warm white is how well it compliments different wood tones.

If you need more colour alternatives, try utilizing deep muted natural hues instead. For darker wall tones, you will need to compensate with brighter items.

Wall Texture Ideas

It is not uncommon to find recovered bamboo or cedar walls in Japanese interiors. Japandi uses and features this to some extent as a great way to add some visual interest to a minimalistic space.

Thin vertical wood strips laid across the wall beautifully create interest while remaining simplistic. They are also great for soundproofing.

The best ways to achieve this look are either by installing wood strips one by one or by getting bamboo panels in advance.

If you want to be super creative, you can go towards a more traditional route.

Shoji screens have had a great influence on Japandi aesthetics.

They are usually best used as a statement in bedrooms, placed on the wall. This, however, does not need to be the case in every scenario.

You can very smartly feature it in your common room. Shoji screens thrive on white and brown walls.

Why Does Japandi Make a Difference

From the early 2010s, Scandinavian design already rose in popularity across the globe. The reason was the whole concept of its style and making every modern home look more luxurious and rich.

At the same time, Japanese style elements were deeply rooted in every modern home that exhibited those high-class elements.

Despite some differences, Japanese and Nordic designs share the same values, which are vital for them to merge into a whole.

Japandi styles focus on minimalistic craftsmanship, quality, and handmade pieces over throwaway, cheap structures.

These feats result in a calm interior that reduces stress and creates excellent balance in every interior. Due to its simplicity and clean lines, Japandi gives that vibe of effortless brilliance which elevates every modern space.

Choose The Best Furniture

Scandinavian and Japanese furniture are both very distinctive due to their unique feats, and Japandi is grounded on furniture styles from both cultures.

Even though both furniture styles are defined by clean lines while focusing on practicality, there are slight differences.

Nordic furniture is made out of light woods and has a calm, relaxed tone. However, his Japanese counterpart is a bit more refined with painted woods and more curved shapes in an elegant manner.

While utilizing both of these approaches in your home, your interior will stand out from most other homes that instead use one or the other.

Be free to express your creativity and use clean, straight, and curved lines to achieve the perfect balance of shapes. This way, you will make your rooms visually stimulating and relaxing at the same time.

Balance Is Everything

There are a couple of different ways in which Japandi demonstrates balance. Like yin and yang, this style of modern interior design perfectly harmonizes its feats.

While combining traditional and modern Japandi not only manages to give something to everyone, but to give birth to a brand new aesthetic never seen before.

If you think about it, this is one of the main reasons for its popularity. Giving value to both lovers of conventional and contemporary. By creating an inviting atmosphere in your home, Japandi’s balancing styles will give your home a unique touch made to last for many years to come.