Japandi – calm interiors in Swedish homes

Japandi is not a decorative style but a way of thinking. Japanese restraint meets Scandinavian warmth: fewer objects, longer lifespans and materials that are allowed to age visibly.

The feeling

The room should feel calm before it is even fully furnished. Low silhouettes, empty surfaces that are allowed to stay empty, and a palette kept within only a few steps. It is the contrast between pale paper and dark wood that carries the look, not the amount of decoration.

The colours

Use off-white, beige or greige as the base on the walls. Against it, add black and brown in small amounts — the back of a chair, a lamp shade, a ceramic bowl. Avoid spreading the dark tones evenly; let them gather at a few points in the room.

The materials

Dark oak and walnut add weight. Linen and wool soften the room. Paper, ceramics and untreated stone add irregularity, which is what separates Japandi from pure minimalism.

How to get started

• Declutter first, furnish second. Japandi is built as much on what you leave out as what you add.
• Keep things low — coffee tables, benches and bed frames close to the floor.
• Choose a single pattern for the room, preferably in a textile.
• Use several warm light sources, never just one ceiling light.