What Is “Wabi-Sabi?”

It sounds like something you’d find on a sushi menu, but wabi-sabi is a decorating term that’s really a Japanese art.

Wabi sabi is a blend of two concepts: wabi is about living in tune with nature and it’s focused on the art of simplicity. Sabi is about beauty and natural cycles of growth and death. You might wonder how this all translates into interior design, so here are some pointers. When combined, wabi and sabi unite to create a feeling of serenity and harmony. That’s ultimately what you want to achieve in your home, right? Here’s how to ensure it spills from every corner.

Clear Out Your Space

Before you can bring wabi-sabi elements into your home, you need to ensure that your space is uncluttered and clean. This will create the foundation for harmony that you want in your home. Clutter is stressful and those feelings totally destroy peace.

Choose Stylish Simplicity

“Less is more” is one of the important things about wabi sabi, but that doesn’t mean your space shouldn’t have character! Remember the part about beauty when defining “sabi”. So, choose a few décor accessories but make them unique, lovely ones. They should evoke feeling.

Be Authentic

You need to have authenticity when designing with wabi-sabi in your home. That means that things don’t have to be perfect or look straight out of an interior design magazine. If your walls have cracks in them, your furniture looks weathered around the edges, or your rug is a bit worn from all the people who walk through your home on a daily basis, these add to the beauty of your space. They show that time is passing but also that your home’s lived in. It’s not a showroom, nor is it supposed to be. Such flaws are like wrinkles on a face: they’re a mark of good times.

Create A Natural Landscape

Bring nature into your home, not just with plants and flowers, but with colour. Use colours that come right out of nature to bring an earthy and natural element into your home. Think shades of yellow, red, blue, and green. Colour plays a huge role in making you feel certain things, so use it to create relaxation (think blues and greens) and joy (think soft pinks).

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