We’ve had classics and the loft style – now it’s time for wabi-sabi…

Wabi-sabi is a style or Japanese origin. The literal translation of the words “wabi” and “sabi” is simplicity and beauty; a beauty characteristic for old items, which have been worn by time or the forces of nature. Rooms decorated in this style are welcoming and incorporate elements made of natural materials. Characteristic for this style is the fact that nothing needs to be perfect, symmetrical and even.

Even though the name sounds exotic and it can be difficult to picture what it refers to, it is actually close the hearts of most of us. Wabi-sabi values… imperfection. However, such imperfection does not refer to chaos or mess, but rather to allowing architecture go out of complete human control so that it isn’t perfect.

While not too long ago the trend was first classics and then industrial brick lofts, we are now going back to nature. After all, wabi-sabi kitchens are characterised by elements made of natural materials, mainly wood – which needn’t be devoid of flaws into the bargain. The sanding may be imperfect and the surface may feature visible grain. A wabi-sabi kitchen is a kitchen in a natural colour scheme without elements in bold, saturated colours. Shades of beige, brown, white and grey prevail in such kitchens, emphasising the connection with nature.

Rooms in the wabi-sabi style like marble, but only when affected by nature – marble with discolorations. Arrangements in this style can also feature subtle rustic accents, self-renovated furniture and tableware as well as decorations which are simple, modest, yet individual in shape, diverging from standard even forms.

Wabi-sabi is a style which is supposed to serve humans, not the other way round. It doesn’t call for insane attempts to fix every space imperfection. It tolerates deviations from the norm – lack of symmetry and materials which are time-worn and imperfect by nature. The aim of wabi-sabi is to create a human-friendly space, to remain close to the nature of humans, which – much like the style – can be reserved yet close from perfect.