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Japanese minimalism: what you can learn from it?

Posted On Monday, 24 January 2022 19:41

Japan is a country of thousands of years of tradition. The severity of forms, deep philosophical meaning in each element of the interior, the canons of symbols - all these are the components of the Japanese style. It is characterized by the harmony and beauty of the bewitching nature of Japan, the pragmatism and punctuality of the indigenous population.

Japanese style is a feeling of purity and poetic romance, which sheds a soothing balm for the soul. It is not for nothing that the cherry blossom branch is a symbol of a country with an ancient culture.

The main distinguishing and characteristic features of the Japanese style are calmness, harmony and contemplation. The space of the premises is filled with the positive energy of the spirit of meditation. Simple clean lines of furniture, an abundance of soft light create an atmosphere of peace.

Bringing your “Western” space closer to the Japanese style is easy. To do this, you need to remove everything superfluous, free the walls, let the energy move freely in space.

Japanese style bedroom

One of the secrets of the Japanese style is the use of a natural palette for decoration. These are neutral subtle shades of earth, stone and wood. Such a palette of furniture is presented at homelegance.

For example, you need to use creamy white instead of blinding white, brown instead of black, muted grays and greens. It is important to use a limited number of shades: two to three, otherwise, you can upset the balance that is the basis of Japanese design.

Spacious interior

Maybe the average citizen is not ready to fully follow all the canons of creating a Japanese interior: meditate, eat while sitting on a mat on the floor, sleep on a mattress there, contemplate the beauties of nature from an open window, etc. But everyone can recreate such an atmosphere. The house should have only the most necessary, nothing superfluous, a minimum of details and decorations.

The energy of water is one of the fundamental components of Eastern philosophy. Therefore, it is so important to use the energy of flowing water to create a Japanese style. If it is not possible to create an interior element with running water, you can use an industrial-made fountain with a closed cycle. Water helps to create an atmosphere of calm and harmony.

In a small space, a poster or a picture of a flowing stream will be the way out.

Japanese style terrace

Another feature of the Japanese style is plants that symbolize touching nature. You can decorate the room with traditional bonsai. A small plant in a wooden or stone pot will be perfect for the interior.

It is only necessary to keep the palette pure: green leaves are more suitable for this than bright flowers. There are many options: bamboo, horsetail, ornamental grasses and other plants. You can also use the ancient art of ikebana and independently compose an unusual unique composition.

Partition in the interior in Japanese style

The use of natural stone in interior design will also emphasize the connection with nature. This is the energy of eternity, inviolability. Creating a rock garden is a delicate art. It is important not to overdo it and not create a meaningless heap of stones. A sense of proportion in everything is the main motto of the Japanese style.

An easy way to incorporate stone into your interior is to use it on your bathroom floor or walls.

Tatami, made from natural material (grass and shrubs), is the quintessential floor covering in Japanese homes. Tatami combines functionality and minimalism. Great combination! It is possible to use mats of various shapes and sizes. The main selection criterion is the combination of the color of the floor and the coating.

The Japanese style welcomes natural light, so the fixtures are chosen in such a way that the light is soft and diffused. Forms of lighting devices should be rounded with clean lines and obligatory minimalism in design.

Traditional Japanese lamps are made of paper and blend perfectly with the rest of the interior.

Japanese style bathroom

The Japanese style is characterized by the use of screens - elements of traditional design. They can be made of translucent paper, glass, or plastic and secured to a natural wood mesh. Such screens are used for windows, cabinets, instead of opaque partitions. They make the incoming light diffuse and not distracting.

Basic principles of Japanese minimalism in the interior

Traditionally, there is practically no decor in Japanese dwellings, but fans, paintings, ceramics, umbrellas and flower arrangements, swords, engravings and calligraphy will be appropriate in stylization. The main thing is not to use all this at the same time, remember about restraint and simplicity. From textiles in a minimalist Japanese interior, carpets, mats and curtains in the form of canvases are used.

Finishing materials should be natural. You can apply bamboo, wood, vine, rattan, straw, stone, matte decorative plaster

As for furniture, it is desirable to hide it to the maximum. Low sofas and poufs with clear and simple shapes fit perfectly. Sliding wardrobes, podiums with drawers, low tables are also suitable. The color is dark wood. Doors and partitions are framed with small wooden blocks and are necessarily divided into squares.

The color scheme is borrowed from nature. These are, first of all, light shades: white, milky, cream, gray. Contrasting colors of reed and wood are dark brown to greenish-yellow. The classic combination is beige and wenge. Japanese style does not tolerate variegation and bright colors.

The light in the room should be natural, preferably subdued.

Have you ever wondered what the aesthetics of Japanese minimalism has brought to our modern life? Let's list: the notorious wardrobes and the desire to build in all the furniture, sliding doors, podiums and screens, niches and partitions, room zoning, even heated floors. All this has become familiar and ordinary for us. And the reason lies in the great love of the Japanese for functionality, practicality and rational use of space.

For centuries, these people have been fighting for survival, striving for harmony with nature. They clearly structure the space and renounce everything mundane and mortal. It is often difficult for us to understand this culture, woven from contradictions and mysteries. But anyone can touch the aesthetics of Japanese minimalism in the interior, immerse themselves in an environment created to feel peace and harmony with the world.

The philosophy of Japanese minimalism in the interior

The aesthetics of the Japanese home is not external, it is fraught with deep meaning and philosophy. Nothing in such an interior is accidental, everything is justified and meaningful. This style is based on a special perception of the world. The ability to see beauty in small things was a consequence of the history and climatic and geographical features of the country. In a world where an earthquake, volcanic eruption or tsunami can start at any moment, a person is increasingly thinking about the frailty of being. Under such conditions, it makes no sense to waste your life on mindlessly accumulating piles of useless items, building your house for years, chasing the external attributes of success. Only life is valuable and nothing else.

The Japanese are aware of themselves as a grain of sand in the universe and see the universe in every grain of sand. They carefully treat nature and resources, avoid excesses. All this is brought into the interior.

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