Japanese Style at Home: A Room by Room Guide

Create a tailor-made home inspired by Japanese design

Japanese interiors focus primarily on one simple philosophy: Zen. All the rooms in a traditionally furnished Japanese home strive to achieve a balance of peace and simplicity, and a pervasive sense of calm is key to the whole aesthetic.

This handbook will show you how to create a tailor-made Japanese home. Working through the house one room at a time, it highlights classic items of furniture and signature accessories, from tatami mats and paper lanterns to shoji (dividing screens). In-depth case studies demonstrate the essential elements and provide inspiration, while colour combinations are explored to help personalize this iconic style for the home. Anyone who hankers after the Japanese look will find this book a valuable resource.

Contents List

Introduction to Japanese Style • The Traditional Home • The Philosophies behind the Style • The Leaders and Icons You Need to Know • Achieving the Look • Welcome to the Japanese home • The Japanese Materials Palette • The Colour Palette • Japanese Design Elements • Incorporating Traditional Elements into the Contemporary Home • Plants: embracing nature inside and out • Room by Room Guide • Entering • Relaxing • Cooking • Dining • Cleansing • Resting

About the Author

Olivia Bays is an editor, writer and lover of all things Japanese.

Cathelijne Nuijsink is an architecture graduate. She curated ‘Rethinking Domesticity’ at Shibaura House, Japan, in 2013.

Tony Seddon is a freelance designer, project manager and writer. He has written or co-written nearly ten books, among them Type Team, Greetings from Retro Design and The Evolution of Type.