Unlocking the Japandi Aesthetic in Your Kitchen Design

If you want to infuse one of the main living areas of your home with a sense of peace and serenity, Japandi style can help you to achieve the clarity and calm that you're searching for. Here we explore the essence of the Japandi aesthetic and look at a few tips to consider when designing your dream kitchen.

What is the Japandi Aesthetic?

Combining the clean lines that are synonymous with Scandinavian design with the sophisticated minimalism of Japanese style, Japandi interiors are stylish, balanced and supremely functional.

Minimalism and the celebration of natural materials are two distinctive characteristics of Japandi style. Colour palettes are often muted, and while every aspect of a space serves a clear purpose, you're never left feeling as though you've just stepped into a room that feels cold or clinical. Importantly, there's a real focus on quality craftsmanship, so handmade elements and sustainable materials are prized over the cheap, throwaway culture that has infiltrated modern life.

So, with all this in mind, let's explore some quintessential features of a Japandi kitchen and share some of our top tips for designing a serene and tranquil kitchen of your own.

Celebrate the Beauty of Natural Materials                           

Natural materials are the star of the show in Japandi interiors, with many spaces celebrating the beautiful grain patterns within natural wood finishes. One of the reasons for this is that wood is a beautifully versatile material, which pairs well with concrete, ceramic and stone to create a layered aesthetic featuring lots of natural texture.

Wooden cabinetry features prominently in Japandi kitchens, with slab style doors being an excellent option as there are no superfluous details to detract from the finish itself. Our Bella Venice doors are an excellent example and are available in a selection of wooden finishes, including Halifax Natural Oak, Lissa Oak, and Cremona Oak Cotta.

Pro Tip: The notion of wabi-sabi applies to Japandi interiors, which really celebrates the beautiful imperfections and uniqueness that exist in hand crafted items. Rather than focusing on the unachievable goal of perfection, choosing one-off pieces that have their own unique character will ultimately help you to design a more successful space.

Choose Earthy Colours

Japandi spaces have an inherent sense of tranquillity, which is a quality that is created in part by the neutral, earthy tones found within Japandi colour palettes. Alongside classic neutrals, such as cashmere, beige and taupe, sage greens, warm greys, and muted terracotta tones can also look stunning.

Neutral tones can sometimes look quite cold, particularly in kitchens which need to be functional. Incorporating texture is a straightforward way to avoid this, so don't be afraid to incorporate elements such as handmade ceramic tiles, beautiful linen tea towels, and brushed metal finishings. Even the smallest details have the ability to lift a space and bring additional dimension, so don't hesitate to infuse a sense of your own personality into your design.

Create a Sense of Calm with Streamlined Cabinetry and Concealed Storage

Keeping visual clutter to a minimum is key, as Japandi kitchens should ideally feel like a breath of fresh air as you step inside. Incorporating streamlined cabinetry and cleverly concealed storage solutions will enable you to house everything you need to ensure your kitchen is functional.

When designing your kitchen, we recommend incorporating tall cabinets and concealing appliances behind stylish doors, as this will help you to create a space with a seamless flow, which is important in Japandi design.

Pro Tip: Choosing sustainable custom kitchen doors, aligns well with the Japandi ethos. Here at Happy Doors, we are committed to sustainability and the majority of our doors are PEFCTM and FSC certified.

You could also incorporate additional storage elements that can be displayed on open shelving or a kitchen island, such as wicker baskets and boxes, which can act as both clutter-concealers and decor simultaneously.

Achieve an Ideal Ambience with Subtle Lighting

Japandi kitchens often feature large windows, which allow plenty of natural light to flood the space. As kitchens often need to work just as hard during the evenings and nights as they do during daylight hours, it's really important to think carefully about your lighting in order to create an ideal ambience.

Lighting in Japandi kitchens requires achieving the right balance between impactful and subtle, so it's often best to layer different styles of lighting for a customisable look and feel. Pendant lights can tick the practicality box, and they can also be fitted with a beautiful paper or ceramic shade that diffuses the light for a less overwhelming look.

Adding LED strip lighting underneath your wall-mounted cabinets can offer additional task lighting for your worktops, as can some carefully placed table lamps. LED strips can also be applied to your base cabinets, which can provide the ideal amount of ambient light that's perfect for relaxation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Japandi aesthetic suited to kitchens in UK homes?

Many kitchens in UK homes have a small footprint. As Japandi inspired spaces celebrate light tones and layered lighting, it can be an ideal design style for even the most compact kitchens. Plus, the clutter-free ethos of the Japandi aesthetic also helps to make spaces feel more expansive.

But even if you're fortunate to have a large, open-plan kitchen and dining area in your home, the versatility of the Japandi style means that it's equally suited to your home. Essentially, the Japandi look is perfect for you if you enjoy light, bright spaces that allow you to enjoy cooking, baking, socialising and relaxing, all in one space.

How do I choose the right custom kitchen doors for my Japandi kitchen?

The process of selecting the right cabinetry for your kitchen is often very personal; however, we always recommend beginning by choosing a particular style that really speaks to you. From here, you can start to compare different finishes, keeping in mind that earthy tones and wood finishes are always certain to look spectacular in Japandi spaces.