Interior Design Styles: What is Japandi?

What do you get when you combine the very best of minimalist techniques from Japanese and Scandinavian design? Japandi, a trending interior design style that’s quickly growing in popularity among fans of less-is-more home styling.

While it’s still a relatively new trend, Japandi is popping up in homes across the country—and in commercial spaces, too. Here’s what it’s all about, plus some quick tips on introducing this streamlined style into your own space.

What is Japandi?

Japandi is a type of design that merges Japanese and Scandinavian minimalist elements. (Hence the name, which is a combination of Japan and Scandi.) From Japanese design, we see a strong focus on natural features and materials, as well as rich colors that add depth to a minimalist environment. And from Scandinavian design, we get the sort of sleek, simple, and functional design elements that have made it so ubiquitous in modern homes.

Because Japandi is a hybrid design trend, it’s not just about taking the key features of both types of design but also balancing them out together to create one cohesive space. Japanese elements introduce warmth to the sometimes stark nature of Scandinavian interiors, while in the opposite direction, Scandinavian elements bring interesting contrast to Japanese design and help translate into it a more Western point of view. And it’s easier to embrace in your own home than you might think.

The elements of Japandi design

Japandi takes the best elements of Japanese and Scandi design to create interiors that are as welcoming as they are impeccably styled. And regardless of your budget, there are many core takeaways that you can use as you style your own home.

The major elements of Japandi design include:

• Minimalism – This probably isn’t much of a surprise since both Japanese and Scandinavian interiors are rooted in a minimalist mentality. From furniture to décor, minimalism is a mainstay of Japandi design, with a high priority placed on curated and complementary items that exist in harmony without any degree of clutter.
• Functionality – Everything has a purpose in a Japandi interior, whether that function is use-driven or purely intended to balance out the space. Other types of functional materials that you mind find include plenty of natural plant life, which on top of adding beauty to a space also provide other benefits, including reducing stress and anxiety, promoting creativity, and helping you focus.
• Peaceful palettes – There is definitely a creative use of color in Japandi design, but hues are chosen quite intentionally in order to evoke warmth, peace, and tranquility. You’ll see a lot of neutrals of course due to the Scandinavian influence, but also plenty of saturated yellows, greens, and blues. You can even find richer shades like lacquered blacks and purples, though they’re used quite sparingly.

How to decorate in the Japandi style

Interested in bringing this unique interior style to life in your home? The tenets of Japandi design are inherently based in simplicity, so a lot of the process will likely involve editing down, rather than adding to.

Here are some ways to embrace Japandi design in your own space.