These days, there are thousands of interior design styles. Each one has its own personality and characteristics, which ultimately are reflected in the home where it is used, regardless of whether it’s trendy or not.
Today we want to tell you about one of them—the Wabi-Sabi style of decor—and how it manages to find beauty in imperfection.
What is Wabi-Sabi decor?
It is an ancient philosophy, as well as a Japanese aesthetic term, that describes the beauty of imperfection and encourages us to accept and appreciate life as it is.
It also teaches us that nothing lasts forever, that nothing is permanent, and that nothing is perfect.
If we break down the word “Wabi Sabi,” we see that ‘Wabi‘ refers to simplicity, humility, and harmony. Meanwhile, ‘Sabi‘ expresses the beauty that comes with age and the passage of time.
Colors and Textiles
As for colors, Wabi-Sabi decor generally features brown, white, gray, beige, and black, as well as various shades of green that evoke nature, the passage of time, and wear and tear.
As for the textiles and fabrics used, they are generally natural materials such as cotton, wool, or linen, which feel soft to the touch and convey a sense of lightness.
In short, it is a decor style with a simple and austere aesthetic.
Sustainability
This design, in addition to featuring natural products, delves deeply into the world of sustainability.
The idea is to give older pieces of furniture a second life. In other words, to reuse and give a “facelift” to furniture that’s no longer in style, turning it into one-of-a-kind pieces. So it’s also a solution that helps us be more sustainable!
So, if you have antique furniture or pieces, don’t worry—you’ll add authenticity by restoring and repurposing them… and it’ll be better for the environment, too!
Materials
This philosophy is closely linked to the use of wood, as its connection to nature and to natural materials is evident
Even if the connection is complete, not just any type of wood will do. These materials must feature asymmetry, roughness, simplicity…in other words, they must be products that have not undergone any processing and that exhibit natural imperfections.
Cement or clay
Yes, these types of textures and materials are widely used in this decorating style; in fact, the style is characterized by the combination of elements that, until now, had seemed rather unusual to us.
The cement and clay give the impression of being unfinished. And that is precisely what we are trying to highlight: the beauty of what is unfinished.
For all these reasons, don’t discard pieces that are cracked, worn, discolored, or that appear to be very old. That’s part of the essence of Wabi-Sabi. And of course, don’t forget to preserve the wood effectively and non-invasively.
What do you think of the Wabi-Sabi style? Are you ready to embrace imperfection to beautify the rooms in your home?
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