What is Japandi style and how did it inspire The Block 2023 winners?

The short version

• Japandi is Japanese minimalism plus Scandinavian warmth: fewer, well-made pieces in natural materials and muted colours.
• The palette is white walls, light timbers and warm beige, with richer, darker natural tones for depth and no flashy colour.
• Natural light does most of the work. YourHome says north-facing living areas get the winter sun, and eaves or shading keep big windows comfortable in summer.
• In a new build, look for zoned living, a walk-in robe and a butler's pantry so the clutter has somewhere to go.
• The style traces back to the 1860s, so it's unlikely to date.

If you were in the dark until now about Japandi design style, it’s time to come into the light! 

Japandi had its big Australian TV moment a few years back and it hasn't gone anywhere since. At its heart, it's about warmth, simplicity, naturalness and comfort, which is why it suits a new home so well.

What is Japandi design?

The word ‘Japandi’ is less complex than it first looks, as it’s a simple blending of ‘Japan’ and ‘Scandi’, which is the nickname for designs inspired by Scandinavian countries.

Japan and Scandinavia don’t initially appear to have a lot in common. They’re far flung  geographically-speaking and they don’t share a great deal in terms of language or culture.

However, Japan and Scandinavia both enjoy a similar design aesthetic. Both cultures favour quality over quantity, calm instead of clutter, and natural tones over flashy colour.

Let’s look at the two styles separately and then how they combine:

What is Scandi style? 

Scandinavian interiors traditionally feature an elegant and thoughtful design using a base palette of crisp white, overlaid with a neutral palette of light-coloured timbers and natural textures, such as rattan and paper cord.

Inspired by mid-century icons such as Wegner, Verner Panton and Arne Jacobsen, Scandinavian design celebrates beautifully crafted furniture and carefully curated decorative elements. 

What is Japanese style?

Japanese interiors are known for their lack of clutter. Everything has a place and a purpose, with unnecessary decoration avoided. Think of Japanese-born Marie Kondo’s approach to restoring calm and sparking joy through decluttering. 

Japanese homes traditionally have few pieces of furniture, paper-thin walls, and floors made of tatami mats, all creating a soft and muted palette. Bamboo is a favoured timber choice paired with white cotton and linens. 

Put them together: Key elements of the Japandi look 

Japandi unites these two interior styles into a beautiful, relaxed, easy-to-live-with style. 

Scandi design and Japanese style have much in common; both share a simple and understated sense of design paired with a neutral palette. 

Put simply, with Japandi style, less is more. 

Japandi tends to include richer and darker tones than traditional Scandinavian homes, but still celebrates the natural world to create a sense of calmness and simplicity. 

Sustainability is key, with furnishings and accessories chosen carefully to reflect an eco-conscious way of living. Large windows allow homes to connect with the outdoors and statement furniture is complemented by softer elements such as luxurious rugs, plush throws and chunky knits.

Those big windows only work if they face the right way. According to the Australian Government's YourHome guide to orientation, north-facing living areas get the winter sun, so that's where the glass should go. The catch is summer, and YourHome's guide to shading notes that eaves, awnings and other shading over big windows are what keep a light-filled room from turning into a hot box. Design the shade in from the start and the room stays comfortable in both summer and winter.

Japandi checklist

• White or off-white walls and ceilings as the base
• Timber on the floor, furniture or ceiling
• A muted, natural palette: warm beige and light timber over the white base, with richer, darker tones for depth
• Clean-lined, comfortable furniture, and fewer pieces than you think
• Natural textures: linen, wool, rattan, paper, stone, ceramics
• Big north-facing windows with eaves or shading
• Storage that hides the clutter: walk-in robes, a butler's pantry, concealed cabinetry
• Carefully chosen indoor plants and muted artwork or black and white prints

What’s the history of Japandi?

The Japandi style has been on the rise for a few years, with a growing aesthetic visible  on Instagram and Pinterest as well as search volume from those seeking to capture Japandi’s calm style in their own homes. 

According to the book, Japandi Living, the style harks back much further; all the way to the 1860s when a Danish sailor (yep, Denmark is part of Scandinavia) published a book about his explorations of Japan’s style and culture.

This sailor, William Carstensen, noted the similarity between the Danish concept of ‘hygge’, which is all about the wellbeing that comes from being cosy and the Japanese ideas of ‘wabi sabi’, which is about embracing nature including all its imperfections.

Japandi on Australian TV

The style got its biggest local push when Steph and Gian won The Block in 2023 with a Japandi home: clean lines, soothing white and warm beige, natural stone, exposed ceiling beams, open-plan living, generous storage and a concealed TV. Steph, a qualified architect, had been working in Scandi-style residential design and simply brought the two halves together.

How to integrate Japandi design into your home 

You don’t need to live in Scandinavia or Japan to capture the beauty and simplicity of Japandi design. 

Existing homes can be renovated or simply decorated to bring in elements of the natural and clean aesthetic. 

And, if you’re in the market to build a new home, you can incorporate elements from the beginning.

The home itself

Many modern home designs have elements that lend themselves well to a Japandi look and feel. Look for homes with:

• Zoned living, which allows for easy movement between spaces yet creates a sense of cosiness within each zone.
• Walk-in wardrobes, so that storage can be kept separate to the minimal lines of bedrooms
• A butler’s pantry, so you can keep the hustle and bustle of kitchen life separate to living areas and visitors.

Japandi interior design

White walls and ceilings work best as an ideal base for Japandi interior design.

Then, choose furniture pieces that are both comfortable and offer clean lines. Ideal examples are Fritz Hansen Series 7 chairs designed by Arne Jacobsen and, especially great for those on a tighter budget, IKEA’s Poäng armchair, which first launched in 1976 and still going strong.

Accessorise with natural textured cushions and throws, Japanese ceramics and  perhaps the understated beauty of a Japanese Shoji room divider. 

Carefully chosen indoor plants can mirror the natural world and connect the home to the outdoors. Muted artworks or black and white photographic prints are ideal choices for the walls.

Keen to learn more about Japandi design? 

Here are some recommended sources:

https://www.vogue.com/article/what-is-japandi-style

https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/japandi-style-101

Are you thinking about building your dream home?

We’d love you to check out the huge range of Rawson homes:

• On our website
• In our display homes, or
• Simply give us a call on 1300 223 345!

Already building a Rawson home with us? Make an appointment to visit one of our Design Studios near you!

Frequently asked questions

What is Japandi interior design?

Japandi is a blend of Japanese and Scandinavian design. From Japan it takes restraint: few pieces, everything with a purpose, nothing fussy. From Scandinavia it takes warmth: pale timbers, soft textiles and furniture that's comfortable as well as good looking. Put together you get calm, uncluttered rooms in natural materials and muted colours, with plenty of daylight and a strong link between inside and out.

What colours are used in a Japandi home?

Start with white walls and ceilings as the base. Add light-coloured timbers and natural textures such as rattan, linen and stone, then warm beige and richer, darker natural tones for depth. Keep to natural tones rather than flashy colour.

How is Japandi different from Scandi style?

Scandi starts from a base of crisp white with light-coloured timbers, natural textures and carefully chosen decorative pieces. Japandi keeps that and adds the Japanese preference for fewer pieces and less decoration, and it tends to include richer and darker tones than a traditional Scandinavian home. Both share a simple, understated design and a neutral palette.