Japanese Home Decor
If less is more for you when it comes to decking up your space and you always seek for well-balanced, minimalistic furnishings, then Japanese home decor is your bet. Japanese home decor takes a lot inspiration from the popular Zen style. This Asian inspired home decoration style is aimed at creating a calm, clear, pure, wide-open ambiance. Decorating your home with quintessential Japanese adornments will turn your home into a sanctuary of soothing tranquility and provide respite from the chaos and hectic schedules of the outside world. The decor is characterized with minimalistic accessories, thus giving a clutter free and organized home. Japanese design is elegant and is meant to calm the spirit and the eye. Even though traditional Japanese interiors are exquisitely stylish, pure, and gorgeous, you can add a touch of Zen to your modern interior decor too. Just remember to use these seven elements of Japanese interior design — flexibility, privacy, natural material, simplicity, subtle colors, diffused lights and traditional elements and you will have a peaceful haven to return to every day. Read on to know more about Japanese home decor.
Japanese Home Decor Ideas
Tatami Mats
Tatami are traditional Japanese floors made of rice straw mats. This is the traditional version of our modern carpets and rugs. You can either have the whole house covered with tatami mats or just use it to do one or two rooms. There are many sizes available to suit the dimensions of your room. They are comfortable and durable constructed of 4 layers of natural fiber sheets covered with a tightly woven rush straw. They are comfortable enough to be sleep on, yet strong enough to withstand the effect of daily walking.
Fusuma Doors
Fusuma are Japanese sliding panels that are typically made of wood and paper or cloth. They are also called sliding doors, but are often used across an entire wall allowing rooms to be joined in flexible ways. Traditionally, Fusuma were hand painted, but today they come in various designs and patterns. The most common wood from the Fusuma door and windows frame is cedar, which is dark brown or black lacquer in color.
Shoji Screens
Shoji are Japanese screens made with a wood frame and panes of translucent paper. Shoji are used as windows and room dividers. They are used as a partial interface between interior and exterior spaces and provide flexibility in room configurations. Shoji allow natural diffused light into rooms while providing privacy. They are movable types that can be removed from their rails and stored away for convenience.
Tokonoma
Every Japanese styled décor will house this recessed alcove where decorative scrolls, artwork and plants are displayed to generate an organic, harmonious and disciplined environment. The alcoves are not raised above the floor. Tokonoma is always redecorated with scrolls, fixtures, artwork and plants are rotated in and out with a certain degree of frequency, depending on holidays, special guests, or seasons of the year. Decoration of the alcove should not be overdone, rather it should be kept simple and understated. A simple plain background should be maintained with overhead recessed lighting to illuminate the objects on display.
Kotatsu Tables
This is a small table with an electric heater underneath. A Kotatsu futon is placed over the frame of the Kotatsu to keep the heat in. This Kotatsu futon drapes down to the floor. The tabletop is then put on the frame over the Kotatsu futon to keep it in place. In modern Japanese households, the Kotatsu table is kept in the living room and is matched to the décor of the room in many colors like Gingko stain, Fruitwood stain, red oak stain, mahogany stain, chocolate stain and walnut stain. They are very useful in winter months as well as work great to entertain guests in a casual lounge like setting.
Warousoku Candles
The traditional candle making business in Japan is a highly specialized process. The Japanese candles called Warousoku has a very spiritual importance as watching the flame of a Warousoku gives you peace of mind. And sometimes the flame also swings even when there is no wind, which is an indication that the god is pleased. These handcrafted candles are formed by ‘painting’ layers of Laquer tree seed wax on a core of wasi paper wrapped around igusa reed. It gives out very little smoke, but a brighter light making it ideal for placing it inside small rooms.
Kanji Clocks
This is clock that is handmade with ceramic tile. The Japanese had developed a way to divide the day into 12 periods, inventing sundials and water clocks to tell time. There are many modern versions of this Kanji clock with round faces and a modern frame with kanji numbers. This adds a touch of contemporary to your traditional Japanese décor.
Noren Fabrics
Norens are decorative silk-screened curtains used as door curtains, wall hangings and window curtains. Traditional noren is split down the center that allows a person to pass through from one room to another when used as door curtains. Cotton and hemp fabrics are used to make them and traditional kabuki and geisha images are printed using ukiyo-e Japanese woodblocks. These beautiful fabrics can be framed and used as a wall hanging and mounted for interior decoration. Another use can be to make cushion covers with a sturdy material as lining for the norens.
Japanese home décor uses striking colors like black, white, red, orange and blue in almost every décor item. The structural elements of Japanese décor will have linear patterns as part of the architecture. Always remember to create balance and contrast with minimal use of art pieces and other décor items. Creating a fusion between traditional Japanese and modern Japanese elements will help you achieve the perfect look.
