How New Door Fronts Create Japandi-Inspired Calm Without A Full Rip-Out

While some kitchen design trends are undeniably fleeting, others have more to say and don't simply align with the things that are proving to be popular right now. Japandi is a design style with staying power and it's one that has a lot to offer kitchens in both traditional and more contemporary properties alike.

What Is Japandi Design?

Merging Japanese restraint with a sense of Scandinavian ease, at their core Japandi style spaces are light, bright, airy, and functional. However Japandi style goes deeper than that, offering an easygoing air of simplicity and practicality, whilst also creating a sense of calm and the sense that you're aligned with the natural world.

What Makes Japandi Style Kitchens So Appealing?

Your kitchen sits at the heart of your home, so you likely need it to be both aesthetically beautiful and supremely functional in ways that specifically align with how you want to use the space. This is precisely what the Japandi ethos offers, as it prioritises beauty, functionality and durability in equal measures.

One of the central elements of a successful Japandi space is its focus on craftsmanship, which is something you can demonstrate in myriad ways within a kitchen, particularly through your choice of cabinetry. Simple, understated styles which feature subtle details rather than overly decorative elements align with the Japandi ethos, so let's explore how to design a successful space, focusing on some of the replacement kitchen doors in our collection that could take pride of place in your Japandi kitchen.

Choose Simple, Beautifully Crafted Doors

Kitchen cabinets often do a lot of the talking within a Japandi design scheme, so finding the perfect replacement kitchen doors for your space is key. There are myriad styles in the Happy Doors range that fit the criteria here, including our Valore slab doors. This style has achieved both FSC certification and the FIRA gold award, highlighting the quality and sustainable materials that are used in their construction. The simple profile has a timeless quality and the variety of finishes available take this style to the next level.

Our chic Bella Venice slab doors are another option to consider, as they also have a sleek profile, clean lines, and come in a variety of suitable finishes to elevate your Japandi kitchen. The style's simplicity will also stand the test of time and continue to make a positive impression for years to come.

Pro Tip: Happy Doors kitchen doors come with a 6 year guarantee, so you can feel confident that your cabinetry will continue looking its best.

Stay Away From Stark White

Although Japandi spaces can successfully feature a lot of light neutral tones, including crisp whites, they shouldn't form the foundation of your design. As cabinetry takes up a lot of visual space within a kitchen, this is the perfect opportunity to infuse your space with a sense of warmth and depth.

There are a plethora of warm neutral colours to explore, including warm taupes, greige, dove grey, and stone. Even light neutrals, such as cream, mussel, ivory and antique white, are far enough away from crisp whites to offer a subtle element of contrast to your space.

Pro Tip: Other options to explore here that can offer a bit more colour include subdued sage greens, delicate dusky pinks, and delicate pistachio hues.

Incorporate Wood Tones To Create An Authentic Atmosphere

One of the simplest ways to ensure your kitchen's atmosphere feels authentically Japandi is to incorporate elements of wood within your space. This doesn't need to be within your cabinet doors themselves, as light toned cabinetry pairs wonderfully with wooden floors and worktops in Scandinavian design.

However, if you do want to incorporate cabinets with a wood finish, you absolutely can because they're a staple in Japanese kitchens. Japanese kitchens often feature deep wood tones, and there are many finishes throughout our collections that can work beautifully in your home, such as Vicenza oak from our Bella range and Vanguard walnut from our Valore range.

You could even opt to mix and match the replacement kitchen doors you choose for your home. Choose light coloured doors for your upper cabinets to retain a sense of openness and pair them with wooden cabinet doors for your base units. Alternatively, cabinet doors can also be used to distinguish particular features within your kitchen, such as an island or pantry.

Pro Tip: The Japandi sense of balance between Scandinavian and Japanese styles is found by combining paler and deeper hues. Wood is one of the simplest ways to achieve this equilibrium in a stylish way that'll stand the test of time.

Frequently Asked Questions

What colours are suitable for a Japandi kitchen?

Although images of completely white kitchens might initially come to mind when thinking about this design style, there's actually much more room for colour creativity here, whilst still staying true to the style's ethos. Warm neutrals, earthy greens, and even dusky pinks can be incorporated with ease, as they can all be found in nature and have an inherently calming and laid-back vibe.

How easy is it to install new kitchen cabinet doors from Happy Doors?

As we make sure that each door is expertly crafted to your precise measurements, achieving a perfect fit is remarkably straightforward. If you also provide us with hinge hole measurements when placing your order, your new doors will arrive with pre-drilled hinge holes, which will make the installation process even easier. For more in-depth guidance, we've created an installation guide that you can find here.

Will the hinges I choose really make that much of a difference?

As kitchen cabinets get a lot of use on a daily basis, we always recommend choosing high quality hinges which preferably have a soft close mechanism. Soft close hinges prevent doors from being slammed shut, which will increase their longevity and prevent injury!