Thursday, May 18, 2023

Japanese Style And Design

When it comes to interior/exterior design, I'm pretty much all over the place. 

For instance, I posted about my cozy, comfy dream house in this post. 

But then I also posted about my attraction to gritty industrial design in this one.

As many of you know, I spent a summer (2 1/2 months) in Japan and fell head-over-heels in love with it and the Japanese culture. I can only describe Japan as "my home away from home" because that's exactly what it felt like - home. When I got back to the States, it took months to forget about my homesickness for Japan. 

Japan was deeply transformational for me. In case you're interested, I posted about it here. 

One major thing I admire about Japan is its style and design. Everything not only looks beautiful, but it also has a purpose. Japan has such limited space; therefore, space cannot be wasted. Japan is also spotlessly clean and well-organized. 

If I could use one word to describe Japan, it would be balanced.

 

The Japanese work extremely hard yet strive to live a balanced life.

Chowa is a Japanese concept that is both a philosophy and a set of practices that can help get to the heart of what is most important and change our way of thinking about ourselves and others. Chowa is about balancing priorities and relationships and finding inner strength and flexibility in times of change and difficulty.

During the entire 2 1/2 months of living in Japan, I never once witnessed an angry or impatient Japanese man or woman. Not to mention how polite they were and went out of their way to always make me feel comfortable in their country. 

If you ever get the opportunity to visit Japan, I guarantee it will alter you. 

++++++++++++++++++++

Japanese style and design...

Let's start with the style and design of Japanese gardens.

One thing you immediately notice in Japan is the impeccable attention that goes into their gardens. I once stood on the sidewalk and watched a gardener prune a tree with such care and detail. And the whole time he was doing it, he had a smile on his face, as if he was communicating with the tree.

Japanese gardens are both an art form and a philosophy.

The Seven Principles of a Japanese Garden-

Zen gardens are structured around seven guiding principles: Austerity, Simplicity, Naturalness, Asymmetry, Mystery or Subtlety, Magical or Unconventional, and Stillness.

Here are a few examples...

Japanese Interior Design-

1) The use of natural materials and a muted color palette

Warm and earthy color palette, full of warm whites, beiges, and browns. Natural warmth of wood on large furniture, and natural materials like linen, rattan, paper and jutes on accessories and decorations.

2) Keep it clean and minimal

Minimalism and elegant emptiness. Reduce the clutter and do not overload the eye with too many decorations or accessories (note: this is something I feel very much the same about in my home space).

3) Use low and clean furniture

The furniture style is linear and low to the ground. Use a modern style, with simple and clean lines, no fuss but classy and timeless.

I like the look and feel of Japanese interior design because I'm a minimalist. And I don't like a lot of bright colors in my living space. I prefer the color to be subliminal. Relaxing and calming.

The homes I visited in Japan gave me a sense of peacefulness. The Japanese enjoy bringing the outdoors indoors because nature is a major part of their philosophy. 

Here are several examples of Japanese interior design. Notice how it makes the most of the space; how everything is so streamlined; how open, airy, and full of natural light the spaces are...

And to show you just how passionate I am about all things Japanese, I even use skincare that was formulated in Japan. It's called, Tatcha.

 

Not only is it highly effective, but exquisitely packaged as well. And that is typical of anything created in Japan - it's all about the presentation and quality. What I especially love about Asian skincare is they believe that taking care of your skin should be an enjoyable ritual. The Japanese are superior in skincare. All you have to do is look at their skin and you'll see what I mean.

Thank you all for indulging me today in my once-a-year post; gushing over my love and admiration for Japan.

I leave you with its beauty...

Dōmo arigatōgozaimasu! 💗

どうもありがとうございます

Means: "Thank you very much" in Japanese. 

*TATCHA Core Ritual Tutorial 

*Ultimate GUA SHA Facial Massage Routine