What is Wabi Sabi and How Can you Bring it into your Home?

• Posted on February 05, 2018

If you’ve looked through any home decor or design magazines recently or perhaps been perusing websites for home decorations in the last few months, then chances are you’ll have seen the new trend that has been dominating the home design world.

Wabi-sabi is a style that comes from Japanese culture. It is a Japanese art that focuses on the natural flaws in objects and materials. So what does it mean? Well, the word wabi is used to refer to the natural beauty in an object, while sabi is used to refer to the beauty in an object as it ages.

So the combined term of wabi-sabi is an art and design style that appreciates the rustic, natural beauty of an object or material and its flaws and imperfections that it can acquire naturally as part of its ageing process.

So what’s the big deal? Well, the entire art form is about embracing imperfection. And what this means is that you may no longer have to worry about having those perfectly positioned home decorations to create your precisely styled home.

Home decor should be about simplicity and natural beauty to create a welcoming and relaxing space that will only get better with age. And that’s what wabi-sabi is all about. There’s no need for homebuilders with this new trend, this is one you can do yourself.

So How Can you Bring Wabi-Sabi into your Home?

First of all, you will need to find it within yourself to embrace the imperfect. For many of us this could come pretty easily but maybe you’re one of those people who love everything to be pristine and perfect all the time.

With the wabi-sabi style you can save yourself a lot of stress and worry just by knowing that everything in your home will look just as nature intended it, and that the imperfect beauty of your home decor is what makes it perfect.

Natural materials, such as wood, wool, stone, grasses and cotton are what the trend is all about. These materials can have natural flaws that add character and that’s what you should look for. Wood or stone with asymmetrical patterns and fabrics with uneven textures can add an unfussy, laid back look to your home decor.

It’s not about creating a messy environment in your home, it’s almost the opposite. It’s about simplicity, keeping your home tidy but not overly styled. Keep it casual and functional. You should have storage options, such as woven baskets or rustic wooden shelving, so you can organize your belongings to keep your home decor clean and free of clutter.

You might find that when you embrace the wabi-sabi style and create a calming home environment, you will have a clearer mind with less stress, leaving you more time for relaxation.

Try incorporating a relaxing scent into your home design, such as lavender, to boost the sense of calm, or open a window to let some fresh air inside. Don’t worry about symmetry and the age of your home decorations. Let nature take over and if something needs to be repaired, repair it. Repairs will simply add to the charm.