Residents of European countries, accustomed to cozy interiors with soft furniture, massive closets and chests of drawers, heavy doors from solid wood and many elements of decor, Japanese style is able to surprise and amaze with its refinement and minimalism. This ethnic style in the last decade does not leave the top positions in the list of the most popular interior styles, as it combines flawless color compositions and strict minimalism, laconic forms and non-standard solutions, naturalness and asceticism. Japanese style in the interior at first glance seems impersonal and does not have individuality, but after a few moments the ascetic and restrained beauty of the room becomes noticeable.

The Japanese style is characterized by the use of natural materials and the minimal presence of metal elements in the interior. This feature of the design of dwellings in the Land of the Rising Sun is explained by the fact that the deposits of metals on the islands are very small. In past centuries, steel in Japan was very expensive, and therefore the Japanese believed that it was wrong to spend such a scarce resource on the production of household items.

And of course, the origin and formation of the Japanese interior style had a significant impact on the worldview and beliefs of the inhabitants of this country. Restraint, practicality, love of beauty and harmony and the ability to see beauty in detail - these features inherent in the Japanese, are reflected in ethnostyle.

Since the traditional Japanese dwelling was a small square, the Japanese style suits best for small one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments. This style makes it possible to use every square meter of the square with maximum benefit and at the same time create a sense of space and harmony.

       

Principles and traditions of design

The interiors decorated in the Japanese style are simultaneously similar and do not resemble each other. Common in them is a sense of space, the absence of any superfluous elements and contrast, and individual - the combination of colors, decor elements and features of the separation of functional zones. This etnostyle is one of the few styles combining minimalism, functionality and a pronounced individuality.

Principles and traditions of design интерьеров в Японии формировались веками и остались практически неизменными. И главными в этом стиле являются следующие 8 принципов:

1. All unnecessary is superfluous. A lot of free space, a minimum of furniture and decorative "knickknacks" and the presence of only necessary things in the house is the most important principle of the Japanese style.
2. Only smooth surfaces. Floor, walls, furniture and household appliances must have smooth, shiny surfaces. And they should not be put on decorative jewelry, cover napkins or put things.
3. Only light natural materials. Rice paper, bamboo, light wood varieties, ceramics are materials that Japanese traditionally use for interior decoration.
4. Harmony is achieved through contrasts. Yin and Yang, fire and water, black and white - the balance of opposites is one of the basic principles of Japanese philosophy. This principle is reflected in the design of the housing environment, so this ethnically characterized by a combination of contrasting colors.
5. The more light, the better. Large windows, light walls, sliding doors with white frosted glass, light scattering acari lamps are invariable attributes of the Japanese dwelling, designed to make the room light and visually add space to it.
6. Minimum walls and doors. For the Japanese style is characterized by the division of space into functional areas through screens, paper partitions, lighting or contrasting colors. In the traditional houses of the Japanese there were no separate rooms at all - all space was divided into zones with paper strips only.
7. Living and dried plants are the best decorations of the interior. Traditional ornaments of the Japanese interior are Ikebana, bonsai, ceramic figurines, dishes for tea ceremony, vases, fans and acari. And other jewelry, in addition to bonsai and ikebana, should be present in the atmosphere at a minimum.
8. Life on the floor. In Japanese homes, all furniture is low, and most often chairs, armchairs and beds do not have legs at all. Residents of the "Land of the Rising Sun" are accustomed to sit and sleep on the floor, so large soft armchairs and sofas with a lot of pillows will not fit into the apartment situation in this ethno.

See also: Interior of the living room in a classical style - photo design

       

Color palette

Japanese restraint fully manifests itself in the choice of colors for the decoration of the home. There are no too bright colors and screaming drawings, the interior, as a rule, is made in a light palette of color palette. Residents of the Japanese islands prefer warm light colors - cream, light yellow, beige and olive. To create a contrast, darker warm shades are used.

As a rule, in the interior of one room there should be at least two colors - the base one, in which all the basic elements of the furnishings are decorated, and an additional one that shades the main color and creates a contrast. Successful combinations of colors are collected in the table.

Base Color	Additional color
White	Brown, red, burgundy, wood color Wenge
Beige	The color of dark wood, warm shades of dark red, brown
Olive	Dark brown, light brown, white
Light pink	Cherry, black, dark brown, wood color Wenge
Peach	Warm shades of brown, black
Sand	Black, gray, brownish-red
Light coral	Purple, black, maroon, brown, white
Light Gray	Shades of dark red, black, dark wood colors
Orange	Black, red-brown, white, cherry

In modern Japanese style, three colors are often combined - one basic and two contrasting. Typically, the walls and ceiling, as well as part of the furniture are made in the main color, and the decor elements - in one or two additional. The most common combinations are:

• White с черным и розовым;
• Beige с коричневым и красным;
• Light shades of yellow with black and gray;
• Light brown with white and black;
• Warm shades of brown with white and beige.

       

Materials

On the Japanese islands and for the decoration of walls, floors and ceilings, and for the creation of furniture and interior decorations, natural materials are used - rice paper, bamboo, an array of light and dark varieties. Metal and plastics are used at a minimum.

When decorating an apartment or room in this ethnolie, it is better not to use plastic and metal elements at all. In the optimal variant, in the room everything, besides engineering, should be made of natural materials.

       

Walls

Walls помещения, оформленных в японском стиле, обязательно однотонные. На них могут присутствовать элементы декора – одноцветный настенный рисунок, панно, японский веер или минималистичная картина. Ни традиционные для нас цветные обои, ни краски для внутренних работ для отделки стен в японском стиле не подойдут.

Ideal option for wall finishing is a roll coating of natural materials (rice paper, wood veneer, etc.). This coating hides all the unevenness of the walls and is absolutely unpretentious in operation. But in addition to the roll coating, as a finishing material can be used and solid wallpaper white, beige or other warm light color. On one of the walls in this case are glued wallpaper with a picture in the Japanese style.

       

Floor

Modern linoleum and tile, the Japanese prefer classic wooden floors. And in this style it is better to use not a parquet or a parquet board, but simply to lay a floor of a board of light or dark breed and to cover with its varnish.

In the kitchen and the corridor, the floors are not covered with anything. And in the living room, bedroom and other residential premises on the floor covering put tatami - mats made of reed, stuffed with rice straw or cotton wool. And to cover the tatami should be so that the corners of three or more mats do not touch each other - it is believed that this will draw trouble in the house.

If there is no possibility to cover all the floors in the residential area of ​​the apartment with tatami, you can put mats only near the bed, chairs and other furniture.

       

Ceiling

Ceiling оформляется в том же цвете, что и стены. Он должен быть ровным и однотонным, поэтому для отделки оптимально использовать натяжные потолочные полотна. Причем глянцевые и зеркальные потолки в японском стиле – это нонсенс, как и картины на потолочном покрытии. Ровный матовый потолок в цвет стен – лучшее решение для оформления жилья в этностиле «Страны Восходящего Солнца».

       

Furniture

Furniture в доме, оформленном в японском стиле, должна быть изготовлена из природных материалов и выполнена в минималистичном дизайне. Причем чем меньше мебели будет в помещении, тем лучше. Поверхности столов, комодов и стульев должны быть гладкими и лакированными и сочетаться по цвету с обстановкой комнаты. Как правило, японцы выбирают мебель таких оттенков, которые будут создавать контраст и в то же время гармонично сочетаться с основным цветом оформления комнаты.

As close to the floor as possible, one of the basic principles of the Japanese interior style, so the sofas, chairs, bed and tables in the Japanese house have low legs or do not have them at all. In the center of the house (living room) there should be a table for a tea ceremony, on which you can put a beautiful ceramic set as an ornament.

See also: Design of a bedroom in the style of high-tech +75 photo interior

To store things in Japanese homes, sliding-door wardrobes with sliding doors are used. Doors and side walls of these cabinets should be made in the same color as the walls and ceiling. The wardrobes are placed near the walls in the hallway, the living room and the bedroom so that they do not stand out in the interior, but "merge" with the wall.

If there are no decor elements on the walls in the room, it is allowed that the door of the wardrobe is decorated with a bright pattern, made in the appropriate style.

       

Lighting

The Japanese prefer natural or as close as possible to natural light. That's why instead of doors and walls they use partitions with rice paper, and the windows in their houses are very large.

Fixtures in the apartment, designed in Japanese ethnic style, are not hung on the walls or ceiling, but are installed on the floor. And, ideally, you need to use for lighting acary - lamps, consisting of a metal frame and a lampshade of rice paper. They gently scatter light and provide a smooth and eye-pleasing lighting.

Japanese chandeliers are also used, however, the same requirements apply to the design of the chandelier as to other elements of the interior - restraint, laconicism and minimalism. The most suitable for a house in the Japanese style will be square or rectangular flat chandeliers, made in one color or decorated with painted hieroglyphics.

       

Accessories and decor in the interior

Accessories are used to create contrasts and accents. As elements of decor, natural materials are used - dried and live plants, dry branches, stone compositions. Also in the house in Japanese style, the aquarium will be appropriate.

To arrange accessories and decoration elements should be in special niches in the walls - tokonom. And Japanese regularly change ornaments in tokonoma depending on the season, holidays or their own mood. And the most appropriate decorative elements in the ethos of the "Land of the Rising Sun" are:

• Japanese dolls;
• Икебаны;
• Dwarf living plants;
• Figures from matte ceramics;
• Japanese vases.

It is important that the Japanese prefer to decorate their house not with purchased items, but with products created by their own hands. And independently you can do not only a composition of dried flowers, but also a wall panel or a drawing.

       

Japanese curtains and textiles

Japanese curtains are cloths of monophonic fabric, covering windows like panels. In the daytime, these curtains are assembled in such a way that they become almost invisible. On the curtains, unlike other textiles, drawings are not applied.

Knitted and woven covers, plaids and other home textiles in housing in the style of "Land of the Rising Sun" are quite appropriate. These things also serve to decorate the interior and arrange accents, so they are decorated with drawings with hieroglyphics, Japanese gardens and nature. It is also allowed to decorate the walls with woven panels with thematic drawings.

Japanese fan

Large fan of cloth or rice paper - a traditional decoration of the Japanese house. These fans feature hieroglyphs, scenes from myths or the nature of Japanese islands.

Japanese fan вешается на стену горизонтально так, чтобы он находился ближе к потолку, а не к полу. В одной комнате может быть только один веер, причем в ванной, на кухне и в прихожей такие настенные украшения не используются.

Japanese partitions

Partitions in the Japanese style serve to separate the functional zones. They are made of bamboo and rice paper and are easily cleaned and rearranged. The color of the partitions should be combined with a shade of walls and ceiling. It is allowed to apply thematic drawings to the partitions.

Also as partitions you can use fabric screens. Most often used screens of silk and other lightweight fabrics, capable of transmitting light.

Bedroom interior

In a bedroom it is necessary to place only the most necessary pieces of furniture - a bed, a chest of drawers, one or two chairs and a lamp. The chest of drawers, bed and chairs should be low, and in case there is a podium in the bedroom, you can put a bed without legs on it or simply put a mattress with a rigid frame.

On the window in the bedroom lightweight silk curtains are hung, and as a decoration of the room used compositions of natural materials. To make the room more cozy, you can decorate the bed and chairs with silk pillows with the hieroglyphics drawn on them. Also on the bed is often hung a picture or fan.

Floor спальни можно либо полностью устелить татами, либо оставить непокрытым. Но во втором случае мат из рисовой соломки следует положить у кровати.

       

Interior of living room

Типичный проект гостиной в японском доме – это просторная светлая комната, оформленная в минималистическом стиле. Walls в гостиной обязательно светлых теплых тонов, а пол устлан татами. Мебели в комнате должно быть по минимуму – низкий стол для чаепития в центре, один или два компактных дивана возле стен и несколько низких стульев. Телевизор лучше повесить на стену, а не покупать под него отдельную тумбу.

See also: Industrial style in the interior +50 photo design ideas

As decorations of the interior, you can use compositions of dried flowers and twigs, ceramic figures, dolls, fans, panels and wall drawings. But it should be remembered that the decorative elements should be combined with each other and do not occupy space. Optimal to put them in niches in the walls or in the corners of the room.

       

Interior of a nursery

Children in the Japanese house are also decorated in a minimalist style, however, in creating the situation in this room, the use of brighter colors and interior decorations intended for girls and boys is permissible. For example, you can decorate one of the walls with wallpapers or a picture with your child's favorite cartoon character.

From the furniture in the nursery is placed, as a rule, a comfortable low bed, a table and a chair, a wardrobe or wall shelves, a chest of drawers. When decorating a room for a boy, the base color is mostly gray or olive, and for the girl - beige or pink.

Also, when decorating a child, you should not forget about traditional jewelry for this style from natural materials and lamps. But in the rooms of preschool or primary school children it is better not to put the lamps on the floor, but to hang them on the ceiling.

       

Bathroom Interior

Ванная в японском доме или квартире – это место для отдыха и расслабления. Walls в ванной чаще всего бывают либо светлыми однотонными, либо отделанными под бамбук или рисовую соломку. Эта комната должна быть поделена на три функциональных зоны:

1. Zone for dressing, separated by a screen;
2. Area with shower;
3. Zone with a bath completely hidden in the floor (ofuro).

Ofuro in form can be either square or rectangular, and oval. This bath is made only from a tree. According to the Japanese tradition, before you go to the office, you must take a shower.

If the bathroom is a small area in the apartment, you can divide it into a two-part screen: a dressing area and a shower room. In both large and small bathrooms, matte clay decor elements and ceramic wall tiles with Japanese-style designs will be appropriate.

As a lighting for the bathroom, you can use several spotlights that scatter light and fill the room with a soft even glow.

       

Kitchen and dining room interior

Kitchen and dining in Japan - this is one room, divided into two zones. In the "kitchen" zone, food is prepared, so all the necessary equipment is installed there. Since the Japanese prefer minimalism and functionality, their kitchens do not have a place for massive devices and a lot of cabinets. When decorating the kitchen in Japanese style, use built-in kitchen appliances and one or two spacious kitchen cupboards made of wood.

In the eating area there is a table with chairs. Like all other furniture, the kitchen table should be low, and instead of chairs you can use mats. At the time of eating, the table is covered with a plain cloth or mat.

The main color for the design of the kitchen can be both light and dark shade. As decor elements in this room, designers recommend using floor vases, refined single-color sets, wall panels and lampshades of rice paper.

IMPORTANT: In the kitchen, traditional Japanese curtains are not hung. Instead they use light white or beige curtains made of cotton.

       

Dishes

Japanese in everyday life use pottery made of ceramic, made in simple rectangular, round or triangular forms. For everyday meals use a monophonic dish, and on holidays the table is served with services.

In the kitchen in the Japanese style there must be such dishes:

• Van - deep, but small dishes with a lid for rice and first courses;
• Hachi - shallow wide serving bowls for second courses;
• Tyavan - tea bowls;
• Katakuti - bowls with a spout for sauces;
• Tsetu - bowls on the leg for garnishes;
• Dobbin - Welding kettles;
• Bon - round or square trays.

       

Interior of the hallway

The hallway is usually decorated in a darker color than the living room. In this room there should be a minimum of furniture - one or several compact sofas, wardrobes, shelves for shoes, and perhaps, executed in a minimalist style dressing table with a large mirror.

В качестве украшения для прихожей лучше всего использовать бонсай и напольные вазы с бамбуком. Walls комнаты можно украсить картинами с природой, панно или композицией из засушенных листьев и цветов.

       

Conclusion

Japanese traditional interior design is the most reserved and minimalistic and at the same time one of the most elegant oriental styles. It does not have flashy luxury and redundant details, which is why it is so popular with modern people. Restrained beauty, harmony in detail, balance of contrasts and functionality are the main advantages of the ethnical "Country of the Rising Sun". Such a decoration of the house or apartment will appeal to people who do not need excesses and appreciate the calmness and dimensionality.