Your home, your style - we're here to help you find the look you love with our very own series of home storage and furniture styling guides. Our first instalment is dedicated to the latest 'Japandi' design trend that's sky-rocketed in popularity over the last 18 months. We'll tell you everything you need to know about it, as well as giving you some clever tips and guidance on how you can get this iconic look in your own home...
What actually is 'Japandi'?
If you've ever felt like your home is missing that perfect sense of calming minimalism and a subtle touch of nature, Japandi is for you. This unique interior design trend creates a distinctive fusion of Japanese and Scandinavian design elements to breathe that sought-after warmth and comfort into a space in a sleek, modern, and undeniably attractive way.
If you're not big on full-blown minimalism but still want to achieve that minimal look with a little extra spice and a uniquely homely feel, Japandi styling is a great way go. It's based around the foundations of basic, minimal design principles, whose roots are often associated with Japanese architecture. The focus is built around clean, simple lines and de-cluttered spaces, but with a touch of nature and neutral colour palettes combined with the signature warmth and beauty of Scandinavian design.
Ready to find out how to create the perfect Japandi aesthetic in your home? Let's get started!
1. Getting rid of clutter
As with any minimalistic design concept, less is more - so the first port of call is managing any clutter in your space. Simply figuring out how to organise the space and removing anything unnecessary is the absolute core of the minimalist design principle, instead focusing on the essentials and simplicity. We know it's not easy to just get rid of everything either, but with a sleek modular storage solution like our Shelved system, particularly with the inclusion of cabinet and cupboard modules, de-cluttering and organising your space is a breeze!
2. Thinking about clean lines and simplified aesthetics
Aside from removing possessions and general stuff from an area, de-cluttering and opting for a minimalist Japandi appearance also involves thinking about the design of the things that are staying (such as your furniture). You could remove every last piece of décor in a space leaving only your furniture in place, but over-complexity in certain furniture designs can completely throw off the look and make you feel like something just isn't quite right. Minimalistic, streamlined furniture designs are possibly the essential foundation when it comes to creating the perfect Japandi style in your home.
3. Opting for a neutral colour palettes and natural materials
When it comes to colour choice, Japandi interior styling is all about the neutral shades. This primarily comes from the use of natural materials, particularly wood, in Japandi design concepts. The materials used in this style revolve around the philosophy of minimalism and achieving a connection with your environment. Think stone, sand, wood and natural linen, and you'll start to get an idea of the colour and material attributes of a Japandi interior. Oh, and don't forget to use contrasting tones. Don't fall into the trap of settling on a single shade for the entire space - add excitement and contrast with darker and lighter hues and colours. The colour options available in our shelving allow you to do just that, particularly with wooden shelf panels and module finishes combined with contrasting framework options such as white and anthracite.
4. Making use of subtle, natural textures
This could be tied in with your choice of colours and materials, but utilising natural textures (particularly those that are associated with the previously mentioned materials) are the perfect way to add interest and excitement in a subtle yet extremely effective way. The textures create a sense of depth and life that can be used to draw the eye to particular areas, or create contrasting patterns for that added interior flair.
5. Bringing in statement pieces
Minimalism is a stylistic statement in itself, but especially with a Japandi approach to your space, adding one or two statement pieces to your environment can completely transform a room without detracting from the nature of the concept. Lighting and thematic artwork are a great choice for creating a distinctive look and feel in your space, but your choice of furniture is equally as vital. For example, you could build a unique feature storage space that takes on an asymmetrical configuration with an alternative layout, or create a beautiful centre-piece from your storage and shelving right in the middle of your room. However you choose to approach it, the minimalistic nature of our Shelved systems and near-infinite configurability mean you can get creative and build the perfect functional Japandi furniture solution for your space.
6. Introducing elegant flora to your space
Japandi is all about bringing nature into your home, and in addition to the use of natural materials, using unique greenery can really dramatise your space. To fit in with the Japandi theme, think about plants with a distinctive look such as bonsai varieties, bamboo, and hanging planters filled with trailing greenery. We can provide you with purpose-built planter boxes that slot right into your Shelved furniture to create the perfect environment to display and care for your plants too!
7. Using natural lighting to your advantage
Again, nature is the cornerstone of Japandi design schemes, and natural lighting is an extremely effective element for creating that openness in your space. To maximise the lighting without compromising on the functionality of your room, think about furniture and design choices that allow you to use things without blocking the light. Our open-back style of shelving is perfect for this, enabling you to position your furniture almost anyway with minimal impact on the transmission of light. You could even incorporate Shoji panels and screens to add instant Japandi flair without entirely stopping all lighting from windows and doorways.
Ready to transform your space?
We've covered some of the basics to give you the inspiration you need to create your own Japandi design scheme, so now it's down to you. Want to kickstart your interior transformation with our minimalistic modular furniture? Take a look at our range of pre-configured modular furniture options, or create your very own design in our clever 3D configurator!
