The Japandi style emerged in 2021 and has been gaining traction among leading interior design magazines and designers ever since.
What is Japandi Style?
Japandi marries Scandinavian and Japanese minimalism to create a cohesive, refined, yet subtle palette that delivers a minimalistic, classic, and timeless look with a neutral color palette and the use of natural materials. Although there are almost 5,000 miles between Japan and Scandinavia and their cultures evolved over different times, the mix between them creates a flawless and successful combination.
The Japanese part of the style follows the philosophy of Wabi-Sabi, which reflects the idea of beauty in imperfection. This eastern philosophy emerged in the 15th century in east Asia. The Wabi stands for sadness and solidarity, while the Sabi stands for rust or decay. The philosophy of the Wabi-Sabi is about accepting things as they are and connecting deeply with nature.
The Scandinavian part of this style is about living in a practical mode, which emerges from the Danish principal known as hygge. The hygge ritual revolves around enjoying life in its simplest forms, resulting in a style that usually combines simplicity and comfort with a sophisticated approach that exemplifies the notion of fine but laid-back living.
Key Elements of the Japandi Style
The Japandi style merges the two above-mentioned styles into a minimalistic rustic look, which focuses on the use of natural light to create cozy, yet sophisticated spaces.
Elements like natural light, warm neutral colors, functional pieces, and uncluttered spaces would define a Japandi aesthetic. Using simple shapes, whether expressed through clean sharp lines or curved ones and relying on natural materials to add texture like wood, bamboo, linen, wool, and even paper are common.
The essence of the style is to create harmony and contrast for esthetic appeal. The style is very versatile and can easily be tailored to cater to different tastes while embracing the notions of sustainability and nature.
