If you are a supporter of a style where there is no room for unnecessary objects and splendour, where instead of trinkets and decorations there is simplicity and functionality, emphasized by raw, geometric forms, the Japanese style called wahitsu can inspire and even delight you.
Looking at Japanese interiors, we have the impression that minimalism has its special face here, which perfectly harmonizes with the ubiquitous harmony and calm.
Japanese minimalism
Every thing that is in Japanese arrangements serves a thoughtful effect. Looking through Japanese interior design catalogues, we will get the impression that the inhabitants of this country have mastered the art of functional interior design to perfection and there is no room for random ‘distractions’. An unusual style that delights minimalists, although it cannot be called universal.
Our experience shows that many of you draw various inspirations from it and by combining it with other styles it breaks down, too clear simplicity and rawness. The reality and needs of Europeans are quite different from Asian traditions. Fans of ascetic minimalism claim that everything can be reproduced. This is true. But how to match functionality in Japanese conditions with functionality in the image of a Pole? Are Poles able to get used to eating on a low floor table?
Japanese style – characteristics
How to arrange the interior in Japanese style, what is important and why? When deciding on Japanese minimalism, do we have to follow the zen philosophy and meditate in the next room? Japanese style is the aforementioned simplicity, manifested in austere and economical minimalism and functionalism.
Colours in Japanese style
The main colours used in this case are the natural colours of the earth. The most common are red, black and white. Red and black in the Japanese sense symbolize the colours of the earth. In thoughtful quantities we can also find intense shades of purple and violet, which, according to the Zen philosophy, stimulate action. Greens, grays, browns (including pastel, light, cream and subdued and dark shades) also play their role.
Everything that happens in the colours is well thought out and it is difficult to find cases here. The most frequently used colour model is light walls as a base and darker additions, for example using black to highlight geometric shapes. It is interesting to note that Japanese style black does not contrast with white, and when used properly, it also harmonizes with other subdued colors. Intensive colours are usually used in one place, thus creating a central point of the room.
Japanese style accessories
Resistance also prevails in the field of finishing materials – usually paper, wood, seagrass and bamboo. Nature, as we have already mentioned, plays a very important role in the Japanese style and this is visible in the accessories. Most furniture and decorations are made of wood, which is thus the most important finishing material. Everything interacts with each other, maintaining a perfect balance.
Japanese doors
A characteristic element of the Japanese style, recognized even by people who have a vague idea of interior design, are the screen door – sliding or opening, which is filled from the inside with paper or fabric. Doors of this type are often used in salons and spas, because they give the interior lightness, cleanliness and do not darken it.
Lighting in Japanese style
The light is very important here. Due to the fact that side, floor and directional lights are most often used in the Japanese style, thus giving up the ceiling lighting, the construction of screen doors affects the brightness of the room. In the evenings, lanterns and candles play a large role, a large amount of light is gained through the already mentioned appropriate room construction.
Yin Yang
The supporters of this style say that when choosing details we should be guided by the yin yang concept, which, although it originated in ancient Chinese philosophy, had a huge impact on culture and thus Japanese architecture. Yin Yang means mutual exclusion and attraction, it means co-dependence and division, it is finally a stable balance.
This is the Japanese style and the knowledge, although the basic principles of the philosophy that influenced it will help, ardent supporters of the style. Understanding the standards to be followed is then of great importance. It is worth getting to know them in depth and be inspired by them when arranging rooms.
For those of you who simply love simplicity, we suggest staying with functionalism, without going into philosophy. For not every one of you will need a separate room for meditation, which in Japanese interiors is everyday life. Not everyone will also get used to eating on the floor, but for many simple and functional solutions can become a starting point and a beautiful inspiration.