Japanese aesthetics is all about simplicity. The beauty lies in the function sans the pretenses and needless design pieces. In interior design, the minimalism helps the homeowner make the most of the space while making sure everything looks good and remains functional. Many are already drawn to Japanese Zen, but there is more to Japanese interior design than this. Such is a philosophy called wabi-sabi.
Wabi-sabi, in general, encourages you to find beauty in the mundane and imperfect. It is a life discipline, but it can also be applied to interior design. In this context, it means embracing the authentic and letting nature take over. The philosophy itself may sound too abstract and high-brow, but thankfully, there are many ways you can easily employ it in your space.
Maybe you already have an apartment or are envisioning how to design your pre-selling condominium unit in Katipunan the way most Japanese would do. Here are some useful tips.
Keep it clean
Just because wabi-sabi is all about imperfections does not mean that you will tolerate clutter or keep your things in a slovenly manner. Japanese aesthetics is characterized by cleanliness and order, so the first thing that you should do is deal with the clutter. Your space should inspire peace and comfort, and that can only happen if your home is actually clean. Get rid of all the things that you no longer need and are just a waste of space.
Asymmetry is good
Wabi-sabi is counterintuitive. While conventional Japanese design themes teach you to emphasize order, wabi-sabi does the opposite. It actually teaches you to embrace asymmetry. Your theme does not have to be cohesive. The mismatched chairs in your dining area should work. The living room does not need to follow a single color. The goal of wabi-sabi is to give your home a character, and overly organized spaces eliminate personality.
Let the nature in
You have to breathe life into your space, and you can do that by bringing in some natural items. Plants will be the first things you may want to bring inside, but there are other ways to do it. For one, you can use lots of wood for your furnishings and fixtures. You can have a big window that will allow natural light to come in. The goal here is to make the space look organic as much as possible.
Be quirky
Wabi-sabi is also about giving your home a personality. It, therefore, allows you to be quirky when it comes to design. If you want to add that contrived painting, do so! If you want to install the vase that you have made, you can do it, too.
There is more to Japanese aesthetics than the usual Zen design and experience. While Japanese designs are mostly about symmetry and order, some disciplines also celebrate inconsistencies and imperfections. Wabi-sabi, the life discipline, always reminds you that beauty is everywhere. It is only a matter of looking carefully into things. It teaches you the paradoxical wisdom that sometimes, there is an order in disorder.
