Today’s lifestyle of consumerism paved way to the continuous piling of clutter in your home and life as a whole. But, once you learned to embrace the Japanese-inspired interior design, you will be able to regain the peacefulness and tranquility that you lost along the way because of your hectic schedule and busy life.

Traditional Japanese homes have many unique interior features and decors that play an important role in the culture and history of the country. Even new homes continue to have these age-old features simply because they are charming and beautiful.

Below are the common interior decors you can find Japanese houses:

Shoji

Historically, glass is not used in Japanese homes that resulted to several interesting natural lighting methods. Shojis are sliding panels made of translucent paper in wooden frame. These are used for internet and even exterior walls. Shojis give character to Japanese homes as they allow shadows and diffuse light through.

Wagoya

The Japanese carpenters came up with advanced joinery methods and seldom constructed large buildings with any nails used. Complicated wooden joints that are tied with rope could be seen in frames of traditional Japanese homes. Wagoya, or traditional frames, feature a post and lintel design.

Fusuma

Fusuma is a sliding panel acting as walls and doors. This feature offers a lot of possibilities to Japanese houses as they allow rooms to be dramatically reconfigured.

Ranma

These are the panels found right on top of fusuma or shoji designed to allow light inside the rooms. These are usually shoji screens or elaborate wood carvings.

Engawa

Engawa is the outer corridor wrapping around a Japanese home. Traditionally, these were used as separator between the outer storm shutters and the delicate shoji. After shutting the storm shutters, engawa feel similar to a secret passageway circling a house that can get very narrow. There are instancs when large homes have wide engawa that looks like a wrap-around veranda with the storm shutters kept open.

Amado

Amado are storm shutters used for completely sealing an apartment or house for safety, security, and privacy purposes. These are specifically essential as typhoon protection. These are practical features that can be sheets of metal or wooden planks. They can totally transform a home’s aesthetics.

Tokonoma

This is an area with a slight elevation set against a wall in the room meant for receiving guests. This is the best place to put art like an Ikebana, shodo, or painting. These features have something to do with some rules of etiquette and manner. For instance, it is a very bad form to sit or stand in the tokonoma. Respected guests are seated near to the tokonoma with their backs to it. It is a humble gesture to avoid showing off prized art to guests in the tokonoma. This space is mostly kept bare with just a piece of art or a combination of an ikebana and a painting.

Zabuton

These are thin pillows used for sitting on floors. These are the equivalent of chairs.

Chabudai

These tables have short legs used while sitting on floors.

Because of everything that took place in the previous year, people had no choice but to seek safety in the comforts of their own houses. Extra time at home also brought homeowners determination and a bounty of ideas to replenish their interiors and make them more cozy-looking and closer to their personal styles.

1. Houseplants

Incorporating plants into interiors of houses began its popularity in 2020 when homeowners had a lot of time in their hands to nurture a flora indoors. Houseplants can immediately transform any dull space into a room that is teeming with life, full of vibrance and a welcoming feel.

2. Sustainable materials

More and more homeowners are slowly gaining consciousness and making sustainable decisions even when it comes to interior decorating. There has been an increase in sales of certified sustainable furniture manufacturers as people opt for materials and products that won’t create a negative impact to the environment.

3. Easy to clean fabrics and surfaces

Both health and safety are the focus of everyone right now which is why there’s no doubt that easy to clean spaces are going to be among the interior design trends of this year. Non-porous materials such as glass and metal, and upholsteries that require no-fuss cleaning and help curb the spread of germs indoors are likely to be used throughout living spaces, especially in houses where children are present.

4. Oversized tiles

In continuance with the subject of keeping spaces clean, opting for oversized tiles instead of those teeny-tiny penny tiles are an excellent way to save time in tidying up and getting rid of grout. Larger scale tiles means less grout lines and minimal visual appearance.

5. Functional outdoor spaces

Functional outdoor spaces will definitely rise up in popularity this 2021 because homeowners are longing to get back to travelling and enjoying nature. Creating a space in the backyard or garden that you can utilize for entertaining or for lounging around is a smart and convenient way of relishing the outdoors.

6. Home office as focal point

Our houses bear multiple functions since all activities had to be moved indoors. People who work from home had to put together for themselves a corner in their houses that will provide the space needed to induce thought and promote productivity. This trend is likely to stay in 2021 as long as social distancing is still imposed.

7. Doors and dividers

Much of interior designing means working with what you have. The sudden need to work from home made people come up of ways on how to convert a space into an office and dividers are just the answer to their dilemma. Closets are commonly separated by a room divider so it can double as a work space.

8. Neon signs

Gen Z has a growing preference for customized neon word art in funky fonts and neon-hued LED lights which is why it is included in this list. Fluorescent light fixtures add a dash of vibrance and individuality into any room.

9. Maximalism

Minimal interiors have been the trend for the past years but for 2021, there is a high chance that maximalism will start a spurge of popularity. The thing is, most people shy away from maximalism with the fear of messing it up. But maximalism, when done right, can actually create such a unique and interesting space with an eccentric look.

10. Distant shores

We all miss travelling, that’s a fact. Incorporating ocean hues from deep inky tones through to soft aquas and tropical prints will harbor the tranquility, greenery and relaxing tone of the distant beach into your home.

11. Earth tones

Warm, comforting earth tones are more preferred over cool grays because homeowners want to have a more relaxed space with a soothing palette. This trend in interior design won’t go away in 2021 as people are still expected to spend most of their time indoors.

12. Cottagecore

Cottagecore rose to fame in 2020 whether it is in fashion, aesthetic and now, including interior designs. Simplicity, comfort, soft fabrics and elegant, vintage accents are what makes a cottagecore interior theme.

13. Grandmillenial style

Vintage, floral patterns with striking, bold colors create a space filled with nostalgia and reflect a longing for the comfort of your Grandmother’s house. Grandmillenial style of interior design is expected to be a trend for 2021 as millenials decorate their spaces with a romantic, sentimental vibe.

While the trends are now leaning towards minimalism, one design never goes out of style, and this is none other than the Scandinavian inspired interior design.

Scandinavian inspired interior design makes use of a combination of soft colors, contrasts, and textures to create modern and sleek furniture feel warmer and more inviting.

However, it isn’t an easy feat to be restrained with your décor choices and at the same still manage to make your space feel comfortable. This style is extremely in demand as it speaks to your tendency to stay clean and your desire to dwell in a cozy and welcoming setting.

Take a look at the following common features of Scandinavian inspired interior design that make it a great choice for most homes today:

Muted and Light Colors

With winter months often dark and long, Scandinavian interiors are often painted in white for the spaces to look bright all year round. If colors are ever used, these are maintained understated and soft so that the whole space will feel bright, uniform, and cohesive.

Ditch the Wall to Wall Carpets

Scandinavian inspired interior design never favors the use of carpets. It uses wood flooring instead all over the house that is sometimes softened with sheepskins or rugs.

Stick with Clean Lines

The Scandinavian design doesn’t have excessive or ornate detailing. Clean lined, modern, and solid pieces are very common and serve as defining features of this style.

Go for Wood

Whether it is on the walls, the floor, or on the cupboards, the Scandinavian design uses wood and plenty of it. However, it doesn’t use just any kind of wood. To stick with their light theme, Scandinavian design uses woods that are often light woods such as pine, ash and beech.

Choose Simple Furniture

The furniture pieces will always play a big role in interior design. These should be a reflection of the style and theme of the space as a whole. The Scandinavian inspired interior design uses modern and sleek furniture that has simple aesthetic. Light in material and color, the furniture is used to create a wholesome image that effortlessly goes with other interior treatments.

Natural Light in Abundance

Natural light is another critical feature of the Scandinavian style. Such spaces feature large windows that allow sufficient amount of natural light. It reflects on light colored interior to make the space look more austere and more expansive than it actually is.

More Functional Layout

The layout’s workability is among the fundamental concepts of an ideal Scandinavian inspired interior design. The functionality makes the style very pragmatic and a visually attractive commodity as far as the design market is concerned.

Straightforward Accessories

Scandinavian inspired interior design uses décor that is achieved through strategic and sporadic placement of different modern accessories. These include modern portable lamps, simple and plain photo frames, and clear glass baubles.

There is no doubt that the Scandinavian inspired interior design is a showcase of uncomplicated and easy aesthetic derived by the mixture of some basic design formations. This sophisticated, honest, and unadorned design is what makes it a popular trend in the design market.

 

 

Now more than ever, homeowners pay closer attention to interior design. As a result, more new and exciting trends are being introduced day by day. This year is not an exemption. Below are some of the 2020 interior design trends that you might want to incorporate to your own home soon:

There’s Beauty in Organic

The interiors this 2020 are expected to have a stronger connection to the great outdoors and the natural world as a whole. Organic forms and natural materials have already found their way inside homes and you can look forward to seeing more of them this year and beyond. Artisanal, timber, jute, linen, and rattan décor items with their perfect imperfections can add a more personal touch to any space. You can completely embrace this trend or you can use a few handmade treasures placed in strategic spots around the house.

Nature-Inspired Tones to Soothe You

While color choices are a matter of personal preferences, there are some hues perfect for calmness and relaxation. Many colors are trendy this year and you will surely fall in love with restorative nature-inspired colors. Earth tones are here to say as well as pink, orange, and different shades of green and blue in both cool and warm hues. The super chic color option for most home space is none other than ripe olive green. You can maintain the fresh and modern look with the use of a surprising accent color. Some great color pairings include rust and lilac or pink, mustard with dusty pink, and taupe with periwinkle blue.

Welcome Mindfulness the Subtle Way

2020 is seeing the emerging trend of mindfulness where it goes hand in hand with the mainstays including wellness and sustainability. Just like these two concepts, mindfulness in interiors can transform your house to your personal refuge from the outside world and all its stress factors. Mindfulness in interior design invites you to come in to take shelter. Great options to add mindfulness to your interior include floor cushions, low furniture pieces, natural materials, a soothing palette of whites and natural tones, and natural materials that speak of pure bliss.

Plants to Bring the Outdoors Inside

If you have a green thumb, it is never enough to have lots of plants inside your house for you to have a stronger connection with nature. There are many new plant trends these days including long leaf figs, olive trees, cacti, and cast iron plant that in spite of its intimidating name, it actually resembles a peace lily. Don’t worry if you don’t have any talent in gardening because there are also artificial varieties that almost look like their real counterparts.

Playfulness is the Key

Gone are the days when only kids can play. Playful interior design elements now pop everywhere and they will surely be trendy this 2020. Fun surprises in design can make your home look warm and joyful, especially if you have kids. Pops of color, playful design décor, and artwork that reference pop culture will let you introduce the spirit of play to your home.

Which of these 2020 interior design trends would you like to add to your own house soon?