The Wabi Sabi style in interior design: what it is, ideas and tips

Synonymous with tradition, naturalness and freshness, the Wabi Sabi style was born with the aim of communicating a more real and personal vision of the home. Here are some tips, ideas and information for furnishing your home following this design.

Nowadays, the Wabi Sabi style is an increasingly popular furnishing solution. Born in the East, this particular design expresses and communicates the natural and imperfect essence of life, seen as a continuous flow. Here are some home furnishing ideas and tips.

Wabi Sabi: meaning and origin of the style

From a literal point of view, the word Wabi indicates living in harmony with nature, while the word Sabi indicates the incessant flow of time. As is already evident from the meaning, therefore, this design was created with the aim of communicating a simple lifestyle, accepting everything that life offers us in its course. This conception of life originates from oriental philosophy and, with the passage of time, has come to be expressed both in the way of understanding life and in the way of furnishing the home, thus becoming a true style of furnishing. Consequently, we can see how the principle of this philosophy is to appreciate everything around us, highlighting how perfection and immortality are non-existent concepts.

The characteristics of a home furnished in the Wabi Sabi style

Furnishing a home in the Wabi Sabi style means creating a living and utterly personal environment that combines functionality and aesthetics. The aim is to show an ambience that shows and does not hide imperfections and the passage of time. Hence, wood and stone grain, period accessories, uneven ceramics, asymmetry, rustic and rough objects, and antique furniture are just some of the peculiarities of this style. When furnishing, essentiality and simplicity should be preferred, characteristics that go perfectly with the natural, quality materials typical of design. It can be seen how, that imperfection and wear and tear that are usually considered as flaws, become in this case the main strength of the style.

Wabi Sabi furniture: which colours and materials to choose?

As far as colours and palettes are concerned, this style favours neutral and warm tones, ideal to make the environment warm and cosy. In particular, colours such as beige, soft grey, white and different earth tones stand out. In this design, excesses of colour and patterns are not welcome, although it is possible to add some brightness through certain colour accents. For example, a good idea would be to use pastel colours, such as pink, mint green, light blue and many others for home design accessories. The choice of materials, on the other hand, favours absolutely natural elements. Specifically, wood, stone, linen and ceramics are the materials that are the protagonists of these environments, between furniture and textures.

Advice and suggestions for furnishing a home

When furnishing your home in this style, it is good to keep in mind that brightness and sustainability are two absolutely necessary elements. As far as brightness is concerned, soft, subdued light is preferred, capable of warming the rooms. Taking into consideration the materials chosen by this style, one can see how Wabi Sabi tends to create sustainable spaces. In these spaces, wood, stone, bamboo and all antique furnishings are able to enhance the natural essence. As far as flooring and walls are concerned, unfinished and not perfect solutions should be preferred, perhaps with some grain and some irregularities. Furthermore, furnishing details are of fundamental importance for the home. They are able to give that extra touch of rusticity and tradition, enhancing the entire environment.

Zenit Plus Bontempi Casa 2 and 3 seater linear sofa

To recall the neutral and soft colours typical of a Wabi Sabi furnishing, Arredare Moderno proposes the Zenit Plus Bontempi Casa 2 and 4 seater linear sofa. This is a sofa with a wooden base and a removable fabric or leather cover. Available in different colours, the Zenit Plus sofa is an ideal solution for home living rooms, as it easily adapts to the practical and aesthetic requirements of the home.

Compact Altacom Coffee Table

Among the various proposals in the Arredare Moderno catalogue, the Compact Altacom coffee table stands out for its innovative and absolutely versatile structure. The coffee table, in fact, can be transformed into a dining table and features a metal base and a rectangular wooden surface. It is an ideal design solution for the living area, capable of lending elegance and rusticity to the entire room in perfect Wabi Sabi style.