What is Japandi? The name “japandi” is a hybrid of the words Japan and Scandi. Such is this style itself: Scandinavian severity and practicality, harmoniously merged with Japanese minimalism and a penchant for simplicity and naturalness. In our article you will find everything you need to understand this direction of design, starting with the history and ending with the design of different rooms in the house.
Who is the style suitable for and where to use it One of the reasons for the rapidly increasing popularity of japandi is the perfect combination of this style with an eco-friendly lifestyle and conscious consumption, to which more and more people, especially young people, are coming. Practicality, functionality, soft comfortable atmosphere and the absence of visual noise make this style appropriate in almost any room of a residential apartment or house. Thoughtful storage systems characteristic of japandi will be in demand in the kitchen, bathroom and other conditionally technical rooms, while the peace and comfort of natural materials will create the right mood in the bedroom or living room.
Style features Colours In terms of color, japandi echoes the eco-style: no flashy colors, only natural colors of stone, various shades of wood and other natural materials. Unpainted linen, textured textiles and plaster, and sometimes just bare concrete – all these elements are close to the loft style. At the same time, the coldness of the stone is compensated by the abundance of wood, creating a warm, but not pretentious atmosphere.
Tiles and other finishing options At first glance, the choice of finishing materials for japandi is obvious: it is stone, concrete and all kinds of wood. However, these materials have some technical drawbacks: for example, chips may appear on concrete. Here modern materials come to the rescue, capable of successfully imitating a natural look, but at the same time devoid of the shortcomings of natural materials. The variety of shades and textures of ceramic tiles allows you to reproduce both the type of wood and the stone surface, without creating unnecessary difficulties.
Wall decoration Creating an interior in the style of japandi, you should avoid wallpaper with a variegated pattern and bright colors. Actually, wallpaper in such interiors is practically not used at all, instead of them, painted walls in even calm colors, in a monochrome or ochre-brown palette resembling wood or terracotta, will be appropriate.
Ceiling Here the simplest classic view will be appropriate: smooth painting or whitewashing. If your taste tends to the elements of the loft – the ceiling can be left without finishing at all: flat concrete will suit the style no worse than paint. And, of course, wood is the best option for japandi fans.
Floor Depending on the room, you can choose wood-imitating laminate, massive boards, or smooth bare concrete or porcelain stoneware.
Windows and doors Japandi loves a lot of light. Large windows, not cluttered with heavy (and, especially, bright) curtains, will create the desired effect of a heavily lit space. For the design of windows, blinds or translucent light curtains are suitable.
Furniture to create a furnishing From Japan, the japandi style received a craving for low furniture, a favorite in Asia; from the North – a love for massive and solid objects made of roughly processed wood. As in everything related to this style, any catchiness and pretentiousness will be inappropriate here: bent legs of chairs and intricate carvings are best avoided, as well as bright printed prints.
What do they focus on in the situation? In general, japandi avoids any accents, preferring smooth dim colors and simple surfaces. However, a certain amount of decor (necessarily functional!) is acceptable. The best color for it is black. In addition, there is an actively used game on contrasts of dark and light shades. For example, with light walls, it will be appropriate to use dark furniture and vice versa.
Illumination The japandi-style interior requires a lot of light. Windows should be large and not curtained; if there are no windows in the room, it should be equipped with a large number of artificial lamps. In this aspect, the influence of Japan prevails: round lampshades made of paper or frosted glass dim the sharp light of lamps and create comfort.
Accessories & Décor The main rule when choosing a decor in japandi is restraint and functionality. Trinkets, especially in large numbers, are not welcome in this style. Useful, not only beautiful accessories, preferably in ethnic style or handmade, will be appropriate.