Japandi is the interior style that everyone's talking about at the moment and, hot off the back of the growing minimalism movement, its popularity shows no signs of slowing down.
You may have seen Japandi designs in Architectural Digest, across Instagram, and on Pinterest. With its neutral colours, earthy tones, and clean lines, it's been named by many interior designers as the perfect remedy for our busy, modern lives.
Although a current trend, the Japandi style incorporates many timeless interior design elements, such as an emphasis on slow-living, simplicity, and comfort. Who wouldn't want the heart of the home – the kitchen – to exude a cosy, understated, and warming atmosphere?
Perhaps the best thing about the Japandi style is that it's easy to incorporate into the home, especially the kitchen, which has always been thought of as a serene yet functional space for entertaining, dining, and gathering with loved ones.
What is Japandi style?
Japandi – a portmanteau of Japanese and Scandi – is a mix of Japanese and Scandinavian aesthetics, which combines the light, bright, and minimalist elements of Scandi design with the warming, earthy-toned, and modern elements of Japanese design.
The term Japandi was first used by British interior designer, Sophie Robinson, in 2016, though the mixing of Japanese style and Scandinavian design elements can be traced back much further.
Since the early 1900s, Japanese and Scandinavian interior designers have worked together, discussed ideas, and championed minimalist, functional design that focuses on creating inviting spaces... despite Japan and Scandinavia being thousands of miles apart.
Why mix Japanese and Scandinavian styles?
As these complementary interior design styles crossed paths, so grew a shared love for hand-made, long-lasting artisan pieces, including wooden furniture, clay pots, and tactile soft furnishings. Scandi designers also grew increasingly interested in wabi-sabi, an important element of Japanese design.
Wabi-sabi is an aesthetic philosophy that seeks to understand the beauty of imperfection. Similar to hygge, a Danish word describing the quality of cosiness and welcoming atmospheres, wabi-sabi also taps into a common, minimalist design language – one that appreciates simplicity and how imperfect objects can perfectly complement our imperfect lives.
What does Japandi interior design look like?
In a time when technology surrounds and overwhelms us, Japandi style embodies a slower lifestyle, which is being increasingly sought after in our homes. We’ve seen this desire to create an uncluttered yet highly functional space in Rebecca Lawson’s (malmo & moss) beautiful, Scandi-inspired kitchen.
Upgrading her lifestyle, HydroTap All-in-One Arc proved the ideal addition, complementing a minimal kitchen aesthetic, while also enhancing her ability to cook, drink, and entertain.
Five ways to curate a Japandi kitchen
Starting with a minimalist foundation is the best approach when mixing Scandinavian and Japanese interior styles, as it allows for the seamless integration of key elements from both aesthetics. Here’s how you can achieve the perfect Japandi kitchen:
1. Bring the outside in by embracing natural materials
Japandi makes use of organic and natural materials like wood, stone, and rattan. Wood evokes a sense of warmth while rattan brings a textured airiness into your space. Furniture made from wood, rattan, or other natural elements is a great way to establish more functional interiors – that is, spaces which don't value style over substance.
2. Create an easy-to-style space by choosing neutral, earthy colours
The Japandi colour palette consists of earthy hues, neutral tones, and hints of green, taking inspiration from nature. Emphasis on darker and earthy tones, in particular, creates a timeless, calming, and easy-to-style space. What doesn't go with cream, beige, and navy?
To complement your Japandi kitchen, we offer a curated range of HydroTap models and finishes, which include earthy, mixed metal tones like brushed and rose gold – the perfect companion for deep greens, blues, and other neutrals.
3. Maximise natural light and feel revitalised
Having natural light and integrating indoor spaces with the outdoors is key to Japandi-style interiors. Scandinavian interiors particularly make use of natural sunlight because of the limited daylight hours experienced during winter months.
Research has shown that sun exposure and natural sunlight increase endorphins, a natural opiate that helps us deal with life's stressors and feel more energised.
Take a look at our Scandinavian kitchen design Pinterest board for some more inspiration...
4. Embrace quality over quantity by minimising accessories
We've all heard the saying quality over quantity, and with Japandi design, this couldn't be more true. To achieve a minimalist aesthetic, it's important to decorate spaces with functional and intentional pieces: ceramic vases, teapots, wooden chopping boards, and Japanese art, for instance.
The perfect Japandi kitchens are attractive, uncluttered spaces, marked by their simple lines. But they never sacrifice functionality. With HydroTap, no kettle is needed, retaining a clean space and creating the perfect blend of form and function.
For Rebecca Lawson, HydroTap "enhances family life while staying in keeping with the desired look and feel of the space." And that's about as Japandi as it can get.
5. Incorporate black accents to create a timeless contrast
In traditional Japanese interiors, subtle hues are often balanced with sharper, black accents, adding contrast and a sense of timelessness to a space. Japandi style fuses this design choice with the soft creams and beiges of Scandinavian homes.
In the spirit of timeless design choices, our matt black HydroTap continues to be a focal point in many spaces, including Japandi style kitchens like those below.
By following these top tips, you can create a stylish yet functional Japandi kitchen that embodies the timeless elegance, simplicity, and serenity of both Japanese and Scandinavian design aesthetics.
If you're interested in incorporating HydroTap's blend of timeless elegance with modern functionality into your Japandi kitchen, get in touch today.