Home Inspiration
How to Add Japandi to Your Home
For centuries, beautiful East Asian design has influenced interiors all over the world - from architecture to wallpaper to soft furnishings to tableware. In the last decade, you’ll have noticed that Scandinavian design has seen a rise in popularity - from the Hygge movement to Gonks at Christmas - the cool colour palettes and minimalist vibe has found its way into every room of the house.
What is Japandi Interior Design?
So what happens when Japanese design meets Scandinavian design? The answer is ‘Japandi’ - a fusion that takes elements from both styles and creates something unique and distinctly beautiful. It’s not clear who ‘invented’ Japandi design per se, however, the trend and its emergence can be traced back to the 1950s. The two hallmark features are functionality and minimalism - unfussy design meets clean lines and neutral colours.
You may be wondering, ‘how do I add Japandi to my home?’. The good news is that it’s easy, fun and there are a lot of ways to add touches of Japandi around your home.
Japandi style is underpinned by simplicity, no clutter and carefully curated pieces that are well-made and high quality. Does this mean that our homes need to be empty-looking or unfeeling? No, quite the opposite. In fact, a mix of textures and making cosy corners in your living space mean that you can achieve a peaceful and inviting space.
The Japandi colour palette is filled with neutrals. Think warm shades to create a welcoming space - choose beiges, off-whites and muted greys - they will help to reflect natural light throughout your home and they add a sense of calm. This approach can work for any room in the house. Why not choose some varying shades of white to keep the theme from room-to-room?
Japandi Design Ideas for Your Home
For your living room, choose furniture that is well-made and has simple, clean lines. We recommend light coloured, untreated woods. For soft furnishings, a key element of Japandi design is natural, rich textures such as cashmere wool, velvet and even silk. You can easily add cushions and throws to bring in elements of the trend and the bonus is that they’re interchangeable.
Alongside colour and texture, think about patterns and prints. This is where you can really have fun with the trend to showcase your personality and Japanese elements of the Japandi trend. There are a number of beautiful Japanese print techniques and traditions such as Seigaiha which denotes seas and waves and Wagara which features traditional Japanese patterns.
To make a statement in your living room, or even your office, create a gallery wall, using prints. Hone in on colours that liven up the neutral palette and match them to accessories in the room. Use framed photo prints to create the look - choose wooden frames in neutral colours to acknowledge the Scandi side of Japandi design. Use a set of prints to create a theme or different prints with complementing colours to create a cohesive look across the wall.
Our framed photo prints make it easy to change the look and feel of your space by swapping them around with the season. Make a statement in your living room and recreate a smaller version of the same look in your home office. Style and function doesn’t mean that your space has to be soulless. Our photo posters come with gallery frames and mounts - sticking close to the principle of well-made, high quality aspects of Japandi interiors.
Adding Japandi Finishing Touches
The fun of designing your home is to experiment - there’s no right or wrong way to do things. The key is to enjoy the process and change what doesn’t work. Scandi design is about creating a space that feels calm and comfortable, so let that guide you as you style your space.
Use natural materials as a running motif, from room to room throughout the house. Chunky wool blankets, wicker baskets in white and grey and even bamboo will look great for storage and to dress surfaces. Use vases in varying sizes, placed in sets of three to create visually interesting spaces on otherwise empty surfaces.
Start designing your framed photo prints today with the CEWE Creator Software - you can download straight to your device and save your progress as you go along. Before you know it, you’ll have a serene, functional and beautiful home that you’ll love to work and relax in.