Japandi is an interior style and trend that merges Scandinavian-inspired design with a Japanese aesthetic. It is often characterised by a neutral colour scheme that encourages a sense of calm and cosiness.
Because of its clutter-free influences, Japandi is a style that is popular with modern homes that want to boast a minimalist look. Here are some of our favourite ways to incorporate the Japandi trend into a living room scheme.
17 Relaxing Japandi Living Room Ideas For A Minimalist Feel
1.Soft, Floaty Floor Length Curtains
Add an element of softness to a Japandi-inspired living room with flowy floor length curtains or voiles.
Sheer fabric allows the natural light to pass through them but they still offer a certain level of privacy.
2.Soft Angular Sofa In A Neutral Tone
Japandi is all about creating a calming environment where you can relax and unwind, so try to avoid harsh edges.
This soft curved sofa is ideal for a Japandi living room. It’s not only stylish but super functional, too.
3. Natural Wooden Furniture
If you’re wanting to incorporate wood into your living room and adhere to Japandi design principles, choose a lighter shade of wood that will complement a neutral scheme.
Japandi is all about keeping a space feeling light and bright so you want to make sure your surfaces and finishes follow this rule.
4. Define The Scheme With Black Accents
Contrasting a neutral scheme with black accents is a contemporary take on the Japandi trend. However, make sure that the lighter colours outweigh the pops of black, you don’t want the space becoming overwhelmed by contrast.
You only need to add a few well placed black accents to tie the room together, you could incorporate this through lighting, decor, photo frames and interior hardware.
5. Boucle & Marble Is A Soft Yet Luxurious Combination
Bring a sense of luxury to a Japandi living room by elevating your surface and fabric choices.
Marble and boucle are both synonymous with elegant luxury and they undoubtedly work really well together.
6. Zone With Natural Slat Wood Panelling
Slat style panelling is a key design element of a Japandi-inspired space. It creates texture on the walls without being too overwhelming.
This looks great mirrored with slat style wooden furniture and soft, bouncy sofas for juxtaposition.
If you want to draw focus to a specific area or perhaps zone a section of the room for a reading area, or perhaps a home office, then this is a great way to do it.
7. Embrace Natural Elements In The Design
Both Japanese and Scandinavian interiors are heavily influenced by nature. Fully embrace this when designing your living room if you want it to feel Japandi-inspired.
We recommend dotting around a selection of houseplants to fill empty spaces and incorporating natural materials when possible. Natural materials are heavily used in traditional Japanese interiors so do make sure you add some wooden pieces of furniture and decor into the living room.
8. Add Additional Seating Options With Rounded Pouffes
Get creative with your choice of seating options and consider adding in pouffes or foot stools that can be used by guests.
Try to opt for circular designs instead of square or rectangular to avoid harsh lines.
9. Focus On Incorporating Simple Lines
When curating a Japandi style living room you want to carefully think about the structure of each piece of furniture that you introduce into the space.
Simple lines work best for this kind of aesthetic. Try to avoid cluttering the space with multiple different pieces and instead focus on a few key items that you want to stand out.
10. Combine Differing Neutrals For A Warm, Layered Feel
Rather than sticking to one particular neutral shade, try and layer a few different ones to add texture and cosiness.
Balance out cool and warm tones by mixing beige with grey.
11. Stop Furniture From Floating With A Large Area Rug
Be conscious of the different zones in your living area and try to define them appropriately.
For example, a large rug placed under a sofa will immediately define that particular space and make it feel more intentional.
12. A Statement Coffee Table
Choose a statement coffee table as the show stopping piece for your Japandi living room.
Don’t rush into buying something cheap that won’t last and instead take your time finding the right table for the space, which you’re going to love in years to come. Marble can be notoriously expensive, but do look at other versions that include materials such as quartz, it’s much more durable and less expensive.
13. Blob Mirrors
As mentioned, curves are important in Japandi design as they create a sense of flow. A curved or ‘blob’ mirror is an affordable way of nodding to this trend without breaking the bank.
If you’re in the middle of a full renovation, other ways you could incorporate the softness of curves could be through arched doorways, or by adding an arch to alcove shelving.
14. Simple Styling, Less Is More With Japandi
Less is definitely more when it comes to Japandi design. Try and style any open surfaces appropriately and avoid cluttering them.
Choose a maximum of three items per shelf that vary in height and texture.
15. Lean Into Dark Wooden Tones For An Accent Wall Feature
A space that is exposed to a lot of natural light can afford to introduce dark wooden tones. Create a wood-effect feature wall that boasts lots of different tones and shapes to make your living room stand out.
16. Japandi Style Lighting
Don’t forget about lighting! Lighting is a great opportunity to invest in a stand out item that elevates your space.
Hunt for a lighting fixture that has structure and wow-factor! This fanned out pendant is a striking design.
17. Warm Walnut & Boucle
Cosy living rooms are a no brainer and combining boucle and warm walnut is a match made in heaven.
Try and balance out the richness of this combination by keeping the walls neutral and paired back.
