What does home mean to you? The boundaries between work and personal life can easily become blurred, and many of us are working from home full-time and nurturing family life, too. With so much happening at home, how can interior design play a role in keeping us balanced and stress-free, so we can harmoniously attend to work and our personal life?

Japandi could be the answer. This design style has been gaining followers since 2017, and it's trending at the moment because it offers tranquility conducive to emotional well-being. The calming, inspiring, and highly purposeful environments of Japandi are free from decorative distractions or stimuli.

What is Japandi?

Japandi is both an interior design style and a lifestyle. It’s about reflecting on the purpose and intent of how we choose to live. It fuses Japanese and Scandinavian design principles, blending the Japanese 'wabi-sabi' philosophy of finding beauty in imperfection and impermanence with the Danish term 'hygge' for feelings of wellness and contentment.

Japanese and Scandinavian designs are both minimal styles. The fusing of these styles results in interiors with the natural, rustic look of Japanese decor softened further with rounded Scandinavian accents and brighter colors. Japandi interiors have purpose and intent and feature open spaces, natural light, muted colors, and a lightness of being that heals and nurtures.

Who is it For?

These natural, sustainable interiors are great for people who appreciate eco-friendly materials and no-waste living. Japandi is an elegant style that can look high-end or rustic depending on how an interior designer chooses to execute it.

Characteristics of Japandi

Here are five essentials of Japandi style and lifestyle:

1. Interesting Natural Textures: Subtle layers of rugs, furniture made with natural materials, and delicate window treatments create an earthy ambience and tactile connection with nature.

2. Handmade, Artisanal Furniture: Furniture in this style is usually made by hand for a specific purpose and to last for a very long time.

3. Calming Palettes: Beiges, wood tones, terracottas, and other hues reminiscent of nature are prominent.

4. Elements of Nature: Designs include plants and other elements of nature inside the home.

5. Simplicity and Sustainability: It's a style and lifestyle that paves the way for a more fulfilling and peaceful living experience.

Get the Look

If you don't want to give your interiors a full dose of Japandi minimalism, start small to feel the style. Here are some Japandi-style recommendations:

Sleek, clean-lined, and topped with a calming hue, this bench can add a quiet touch of style to your living room or bedroom.

Lights are an easy way to make a noticeable change. Replace elaborate, embellished chandeliers with delicate, Japandi-inspired floating pendants.

Leverage Japandi’s Scandinavian influence to bring warm color tones into your home with accents like this abstract rug. 

The intent and awareness behind Japandi design inspires us to think about living purposefully in a style that values simplicity and sustainability. It's the coming together of two gentle philosophies that balance nature and self, reminding us that our well-being is connected to our environment.♥