If you’re looking for a design that merges the principles of minimalism and nature, then Japandi is the perfect design for you. Japandi design revives the traditional Japanese style with a Scandinavian minimalist touch. It showcases soothing tones, natural materials, and simple shapes.
A significant aspect to consider when creating a Japandi design is the flooring. Hardwood and tile are the preferred materials, so we’ll show you how to create a beautiful Japandi design with these materials.
We have loved this style for some time but during our recent visit to IDS Vancouver, we discovered a light that reminded us just how beautiful this style is.
Begin with a neutral colour palette
Japandi aesthetic is all about calming and soothing colour palettes, so you want to select neutral colours for your flooring. Soft and natural colours such as beige, grey, white, and black are excellent choices for your hardwood or tile flooring.
These photos from Architecture + Design give a beautiful example of Japandi design put together. To read the full article click HERE.
Choose Natural Hardwood Flooring
One of the iconic elements of Japandi design is its natural aesthetic. Light-colored woods such as oak, hickory, and maple are popular flooring choices. You can infuse your space with some warmth and texture by adding a hardwood floor in a light sand colour in a herringbone or plank pattern. You can view some past hardwood projects we have done by clicking HERE.
Below we’ve highlighted three great options for hardwood. We will only show products that are sustainable, durable, beautiful and can be refinished in the future.
Mercier – Naked White Oak
Mercier is a Canadian-made manufacturer that is sustainable and boasts our most durable finish on the market. A process is used to stop the yellowing and patina effect in the wood making it look “naked” or freshly cut. This gives it a gorgeous neutral colour while holding all the beauty we love about white oak.
Craft – Kavala Hickory Herringbone
This beautiful and warm floor has the colour variations of hickory in a neutral and warm tone. The herringbone layout draws interest and gives a custom feel to any space.
Craft hardwoods are sustainably harvested but milled and finished in Asia. The core material in this hardwood is BC spruce and they are Red List Certified which means they are keeping your lungs and home safe.
Boen – Oak Adante Live Pure
This hardwood is harvested, milled and finished in Europe. It is FSC certified which is a tough certification to achieve.
Boen hardwood is created in Lithuania which makes it the top in Scandinavian-style flooring. All the long boards have micro-bevels on the sides and square edges on the ends. You will find fewer knots and a more uniform colour in their products.
Go for Minimalist Tile Selections
If you prefer tile flooring, go for one with a simple pattern or no pattern at all. Minimalist tile flooring in light colours is ideal for Japandi design. You can opt for square tiles, rectangular tiles, or hexagonal shapes—you can mix different shapes and sizes too! Textured tiles such as the Tierra Sol 3D wall carve add dimension and interest to a wall. The most Japanese-influenced tile we have is the Kintsugi tile.
Kintsugi is the Japanese art of putting broken pottery pieces back together with gold — a metaphor for embracing your flaws and imperfections. This concept has been put beautifully into a tile from Julian tile with their Kintsugi series. These bold and stunning tiles work well as a feature and have accompanying neutral tiles for floor or wall applications.
Get inspired by browsing through our suppliers HERE.
Accessorize with Neutral Textiles and Minimalist Lighting
To complete your Japandi design, you’ll want to accessorize with neutral textiles and minimalist lighting. Add bedding, curtains, and throw pillows in soft, natural colours. Use lighting fixtures that are functional and straightforward such as pendant lighting with natural wood and metal finishes.
Textiles
Also discovered at IDS is Obakki which is a Vancouver-based company with textiles and decor from around the world.
This company is a purpose-led brand that works in partnership with a network of world-class artisans and is focused on sustainable, traceable and ethical production of products.
Furnishing
Any mix of Japanese-inspired and Scandinavian-inspired furniture can achieve a Japandi aesthetic.
Look for calm colours and simple lines with rounded edges and imperfections. This is a design that you can have lots of fun with. The end goal is to create a soothing and calm environment in your home.
Accessories
And finally, find all of your Wabi-Sabi details with local shops and on Etsy such as the photo on the left. This is from an Etsy shop Biduliving out of Ontario.
WABI-SABI – a Japanese aesthetic concept that finds beauty and serenity in objects, landscapes, designs, etc., that are simple, imperfect, and impermanent: It’s the philosophy of wabi-sabi, which delights in the tarnish on an ancient silver bowl and the old uneven cobblestones.
Japandi design is a beautiful combination of Japanese and Scandinavian minimalism, creating a unique style that feels serene and sophisticated. When it comes to flooring, you can choose between natural wood or minimalist tile flooring. With these design elements, you can create a space that is functional, charming, and stylish at the same time. So go ahead and start creating your own Japandi design today!