Decor Inspirations: Japandi
When I was researching design options for a friend of mine, I was introduced to this interesting style of decor and design called Japandi. It’s a mix between Japanese minimalism, and then Scandinavian influence with cozy textiles, natural fibres, neutral woods and lots of plants. If I had a bigger space, I’d consider this, and I believe you need either really great external storage (Read: Not in the apartment) or you need next to no stuff to make this design really work. It’s an interesting style because it lives on the cusp of Bohemian, and leans into natural lines and textures while still feeling clean. It’s interesting because the more research you do, some people call Japandi, the Art of Small Space Living, however all the inspiration photos used tend to look like the homeowner has giant apartments or homes.
Just because your homes won’t look like the inspiration photos, I’ve put together 6 Ways to incorporate the Japandi style into your place, even if you don’t have a sprawling space.
Keep your wall decor to a minimum
As great as massive gallery walls have been over the years, there is a beautiful simplicity in simple, neutral (not bright or busy) prints on a white mat. There is also a focus on texture to be interesting rather than bright colours or distracting imagery. This makes me feel very serene.
Comfortable and Clean Couches/Chairs
Gone are the days of jewel tone velvet or improperly cushioned couches here. There is a focus on comfortable but tidy living furniture. Clean also means neutral with no pattern. These tend to be greys, taupes, tan plus a neutral wood colour base. Tables tend to lean towards the same thing, but can incorporate darker woods or blacks as well. Black is not taboo in this design style, just used purposefully and usually in a Matte Black format.
Balance Simple Lines with Cozy Texture
On these comfy couches, we see texture galore. That IKEA OPHELIA blanket has a place here and other cozy (still neutral) blankets are great for putting on top of places you’d want to cozy up in. Carpets or Rugs with some interesting texture also look great against neutral wood floors. If you have very orange woods to work with, making sure the carpets and textiles are neutral help bring that peace into the space.
Add Plants. But not too many plants.
Plants are always an important addition to every home but not a jungle. I’m guilty of creating a jungle in my apartment, and so I’d struggle here, but if you aren’t a desperate plant mom, this is a great idea to invest in a beautiful olive tree, fiddle leaf fig, ficus or go with dried florals here. Here’s a post I wrote about Plant Mom: Dried Florals thats a good stepping stone. It’s easy to go to your local farmers market and pick up some eucalyptus for drying in a beautiful vase. If you only have bring vases, thats easily remedied by taking the vessel of choice and using the tried and true Geneva Vanderzeil Terracotta method.
Go Neutral
I’m not sure if I’ve said it enough above, but central to Scandinavian style and Japanese minimalism is neutral pieces and then adding small amount of colour here and there with a lamp, vase or plant. These still tend to be in the more neutral, or at least natural colour families. This does include green, but is unlikely to include colours like Mustard Yellow, or Bright Pink.
Curate your Decorations/Knick-knacks (Curate Clutter)
As you can see from all the photos below, there are key art/decor pieces, however they are not close to feeling like knick-knacks. I tend to have too much out which always collects dust, but also appears busy. If you have a space to store decor (I repurposed a closet for mine), I would recommend only leaving out key pieces that make an impact, and swapping it out when you need a change rather than just have decor on literally every surface.
Here are a few inspiration photos I loved.
This Instagram @Japandi_Interior has fantastic inspiration that they pull together and I recommend you give it a follow if this type of decor inspires you. Let me know what you think of this design style and if you are going to try it at home!
-E