In 1933, Junichiro Tanizaki penned the essay In Praise of Shadows, a meditation on Japanese aesthetics. It lamented the glare of 20th-century electricity and technology that the author claimed destroyed the “pensive shadow” of traditional Japanese homes.
Minimalism and a connection to nature have always been key components of Japanese design, but in the 90 years since In Praise of Shadows, the battle to maintain its principles has only become harder.
If it was difficult “to make electric wires, gas pipes and water lines harmonise with the austerity of Japanese rooms” in 1933, the challenge of incorporating 21st-century conveniences is surely greater.
And yet, Japanese design is about more than aesthetics and remains popular globally. It’s deeply rooted in ancient philosophy and nature and now finds itself in tune with an ever more environmentally conscious world.
Keep reading for a closer look at three key Japanese design principles that you could, and should, incorporate in your room now.
1. Keep it simple with Kanso
If you’re looking to redecorate in the Kanso style, it will be best not to think about the project as decorating at all.
Interior design incorporating Kanso aligns with the “less is more” ethos. That means out with bright clashing colours and William Morris wallpaper, and in with decluttered simplicity.
Minimalism is key, so you might opt for simply painted walls, in one colour, while removing those objects that don’t serve a purpose. This might mean ditching things that are broken, that you no longer use, or that you have outgrown, physically or emotionally.
Pare your room back to its simplest form, with clean lines and simple design choices.
This decluttering might even have a positive effect on your mental health.
A space that is tidy, simple, and quiet (in every sense of the word) can inspire feelings of calm, reducing anxiety by decluttering and freeing your brain. This, in turn, allows more time for mindfulness, concentrating on the things that matter to you.
2. Choose the natural over the artificial with Shizen
We already know that time spent in nature is good for our physical and mental health. It’s no surprise, then, that the culture that brought us shinrin-yoku (or “forest bathing”) knows this too.
Shizen means “to be natural” and while it discourages fakeness and artificiality, it does allow for some level of artistic license. To incorporate the principles of Shizen, you’ll want to incorporate the outside world and nature into your environment.
That might be through the use of house plants or arranging rooms to make the most of natural light. Mirrors and white-painted walls can help here, reflecting the light and nature that already exists, blurring the line between indoors and outdoors.
Flexibility and creativity are inherent in Shizen so make the most of the nature you have available and be imaginative – just be careful to ensure your efforts don’t look forced.
Shizen can be applied to arts and crafts such as “Ikebana”, or Japanese flower arranging. In Ikebana, meticulous arrangements are designed to look as natural as possible, as though they are still in the wild.
It’s a principle that applies throughout modern Japanese art, product design, and outdoor spaces, as well as Japanese interiors. In your home, you might opt for natural materials, from building supplies to wooden table tops and kitchen utensils.
You should find this connection to the outdoors and the natural world calming, and beneficial to your physical, emotional, and spiritual health.
3. Stop striving for perfection with wabi-sabi
For our final Japanese design principle, consider wabi-sabi.
While “wabi” relates to a kind of rural, rustic simplicity, “sabi” denotes the beauty that comes with age or wear. Together, wabi-sabi can be roughly thought of as “finding beauty in imperfection”.
What’s more, it combines the principles of Shizen and Kanso. That is to say, simple and minimalist design, which is also at one with nature.
Before you adopt Kanso, by throwing out your old and broken items to declutter your house, decide if they can be upcycled. If they can, try to do so sympathetically, taking joy in, and even emphasising their imperfections and the stories they tell.
Not only is this reusing and recycling great for the environment, but the active choice to eschew perfection can also be liberating, allowing more time to enjoy the history and provenance of your unique household objects.
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