What is Japandi?
As the term indicates, the Japandi style is a fusion between Scandinavian functionality and Japanese interior design. These two design movements, where less is definitely more, have already several grand similarities in their aesthetics. Characteristics like natural materials, sophisticated simplicity, and craftsmanship are at the heart of both philosophies. The goal of blending these styles is to create an interior that is spacious, calming, airy, tranquil, and warm.
A Contemporary Movement
Even if the term Japandi was coined quite recently, in 2016, by British interior designer Sophie Robinson, the Scandinavian and Japanese interior design movements have in fact been influenced by each other for over a century. The reopening of the Japanese border in the 1860s resulted in a great influx of North European artists, artisans and designers and this exchange of ideas is visible in many artistic movements in the West from the end of the 19th century and forward, among them impressionism and arts and crafts. In terms of Japandi style, it’s an interior blend that has evolved organically through the 20th century.
How to Create the Japandi Style
Texture - soft meets rough
Start with a minimalist base and use natural materials such as different types of wood, stone, paper, cotton and rattan. Materials like wood and leather will develop patina over time and according to the Japanese design concept wabi-sabi, that visible sign of time passed, will only add more beauty to your home. Mix timeless pieces with vintage ceramics to create a versatile elegance, primitive objects for earthiness and lush textiles for a dash of Danish “Hygge”.
Architectural Elements and Natural Light
Two central themes in Japandi are maximising the natural light and nature, bring the outdoors in through sliding glass doors and large windows or potted trees like Bonsais, Japanese Maples or fiddle leaf figs.
Paper lanterns and sliding screens are a perfect way to blend in that air of fluidity that Japanese style elements create. Other architectural details could be oak ceiling beams, wooden walls and floor to ceiling windows.
Triple Threat: Bar Cabinet "model 8034" by Hans J. Wegner deliver texture, low base and sense of quality. © Stockholms Auktionsverk
Favour furniture pieces in high quality with a low base and clean lines in circular or boxy shapes. Think Scandinavian design classics from the 1950s, 60s and 70s with names like Arne Jacobsen, Finn Juhl and Eero Saarinen.
Earthy Colour Palette
In terms of colour palette, the two key words are soft and muted; either go with darker, earthier tones like warm browns, deep charcoal or different hues of green, or pink or a lighter palette that favours oatmeal, beige, tan, soft blues and mint. Start with a balanced foundation and bring in some accent colours in the decorative objects to create originality.
Bring in soft hues of green, pink or mint to in addition to the natural base © Stockholms Auktionsverk
Words from a Specialist
Christofer Wikner, expert in Modern furniture at Stockholms Auktionsverk explains why the Japandi style is so popular.
"Japandi is a style that celebrates the comforting cosiness of the Danish concept Hygge, coupled with the Japanese wabi-sabi's appreciation of the beauty in the transient, imperfect and incomplete."
"The result is a style marked by simplified aesthetics with simple yet highly functional furniture, objects and spaces, marked by natural materials, geometrical shapes and sophisticated colour schemes.
There is no better place to find design pieces with patina aswell as unique decorative objects like on the auction market."
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