Japandi | Japanese Scandinavian interior style

A stylish design movement

Japandi is more than just a style; it is a philosophy of life. A rapidly growing interior design trend which has only just emerged and which in the coming seasons will become even more popular. The embrace of Japanese simplicity and the rustic Scandinavian style, in splendid interplay, creates Japandi.

"The beauty of the imperfect"

Japandi is characterised as a stylistic design movement, defined by its simple emotions and elegant details. Traditional and timeless Japanese design in splendid interplay with rustic and modern Scandinavian design, bringing together the best of both worlds.

The overall tone of Japandi is more electric than traditional Japanese interiors and beautifully highlights the Scandinavian style in combination with the sophisticated Japanese-inspired design.

Overall, Japandi is less casual than the pure Scandinavian style but more casual than the all-traditional Japanese style - it is a hybrid of both styles.

"Wabi-Sabi" - find the beauty

Japandi builds on the Japanese expression “wabi-sabi”, which is about finding beauty in the incomplete and the imperfect. This imperfection is expressed in the combination between the simple Scandinavian look, the clean lines, raw functionality, as well as utter and flawless craftsmanship.

Wabi-sabi is a Japanese philosophy that has existed since the fifteenth century. The trend emerged as a reaction to the dominant styles of the time, which were strongly influenced by lavishness and the use of rare materials.

Wabi-sabi is about finding the beauty of the imperfect and about connecting oneself to the Earth – to enjoy and appreciate the simple and small joys of life.

The focus is on the appreciation of seeing the genuine and authentic in all aspects of life.

Kintsugi inspired black table with home decor on it

United perfection

Though Japandi is a fusion of styles from two very different parts of the world, it is not difficult to understand why the Japanese and Scandinavian styles unite so perfectly to find mutual beauty to create Japandi.

"Japandi is clean and minimalist, but at the same time warm and cosy – and very beautiful"

Both the Japanese and Scandinavian styles are masterful at creating functional spaces in simple and calm design, rather than an abundance of elements in the décor.

It is, however, the differences between the two styles that make this combination so interesting. While the Japanese style can be too elegant, the rustic elements of the Scandinavian style bring an austere and distinctive touch.

Where Scandinavian interiors tend to be very neutral, the Japanese colour palette provides more warmth and presence to the rooms of the home.

Décor in Japandi style

Purity, lightness and integrity in the room create just the right Japandi atmosphere, where the interior design has been carefully put together for the purpose of being practical and functional, while also appearing utterly clean-lined, simple and calm.

Small, quirky décor elements and other decorative accessories play a minimal role in the interior design, where it is primarily houseplants, glass, books and handmade ceramics that are allowed to stand alone and come into their own.

On the walls, only a few large abstract “statements”/works are in focus, which alone decorates the walls in a harmonious and calm manner, thereby creating unity and coherence in the room.

A natural touch is added in the form of green houseplants, which are valued in both Japanese and Scandinavian design to create life and colour in the room.

Large, eye-catching houseplants that stand alone without other disturbing decorative elements can therefore also be used as the room’s “statement” and thus its focal point.

Rustic tableware with plates, bowls and mugs

Simple and functional décor

Simple, functional and effective are among the keywords for décor in true Japandi style and the choice of interior design. The décor is characterised by a clean and calm look, where each element is carefully placed and has its own purpose in order to create tranquillity and spaciousness in the room. There is no space for redundancy and unnecessary distracting elements.

Furniture is chosen with care and deserves to stand on its own without being covered by accessories. The uniqueness of the selected pieces makes each one very special and creates the right focus in the room. Furniture has clean, minimalist lines and is placed low to the ground to reflect the Japanese philosophy that encourages the cohesion between humans and the Earth.

"Less is more"

The love of the natural and handmade

Japandi very much embraces the love of the natural and handmade, which is especially evident in the choice of materials. The philosophy of “wabi-sabi” is absolutely essential where this love is expressed. The focus is on the choice of high-quality materials, which creates an imperfect and organic look during production.

The natural aspect comes forth in a wonderful mix of light and dark woods in spaces layered in tone, textures and contrasts. Match the furniture with natural and textured fabrics in simple designs or add traditional Japanese decorative elements, such as hand-painted floral wallpaper, shibori-dyed fabric, as well as dipped and handmade ceramics and textured paper lamps.

The art is in keeping it simple and without mixing together too many elements.

The interplay between light and dark

Dark, cool and delicate warm and neutral colours, beautifully combined, are what tell the story of the Japandi trend. Where the Scandinavian and minimalist style is often dominated by white and other cool colours, Japandi is characterised by the use of muted, dark colours interacting with bright, natural tones, which together create a warm and cosy ambience in the room.

The colour palette ranges between the use of especially cooler tones of muted green and blue, which are warmed by earthy colours and tones. Japandi is the perfect mix of the crisp and cool colour palette that characterises Scandinavian design combined with the warm and natural vibe of Japanese design.