JAPANDI LIVING STYLE: THE QUIET POWER OF A BASIC INTERIOR

If you run from pillar to post in your daily life and do your best to keep all the balls in the air, it is nice if your home is an oasis of peace. Perhaps that is the reason why a basic interior is currently the most popular living style. The natural materials and subdued colours with a touch of Japan and a pinch of Scandinavia (Japandi) provide peace and regularity and are still far from boring.

YOU NEED TO CALM DOWN

Whether you call it a basic, Scandinavian or Japandi - a mix of Scandinavian and Japanese influences - interior, we all have the same thing in mind: a home that radiates peace. A mix of natural materials and colours that automatically put you in zen mode and ensure that you relax. The basic style has not really been a trend for a long time, it actually fits in all too well with the current zeitgeist. When everything around you is going fast and fast and stimuli are flying around your ears, the desire to make your home a safe place is very logical.

YES, I WANT JAPANESE

Although Japan and Scandinavia are not exactly next to each other, the countries have one thing in common: they radiate a natural tranquility. Their shared serene, minimalist lifestyle is affectionately called Japandi and can count on many fans here.

Photo left: LAB chalk (lime paint) Grey Clay no. 74 (arches), Frosted Sand no. 374 (walls) and LAB interior paint Frosted Sand no. 374 (bench). Interior: @studionoorddrachten.

Japandi is timeless, natural, modest, without frills and certainly not overwhelming. White is a favorite, but sand colors and other natural shades are also mixed with each other. In addition, you see many organic shapes, soft fabrics and natural materials. Wood, reed, wool, linen, marble, travertine and concrete (look) ensure that it never becomes cold and chilly. What makes the Japandi style just a little different from a Scandinavian interior, are the contrasts with dark colors and types of wood. Another big plus: the style can be carried through the entire house: from living room to kitchen and bathroom . 

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Photo above: LAB bathroom coating Spider Mum no. 310. Interior: @patriciarompen. Photo left and right: LAB chalk (lime paint) Mushroom no. 287. Interior: @pamdosal. Photography: Lotte van Uittert.

WHITE IS FAVORITE

Shades of white are the big favorite in a basic, Japandi interior. A white base not only brings peace and purity, it also makes a room optically larger. Ideal if your living room is not very large or faces north. And with white we do not only mean pure white, if you just look at the LAB color card , the different shades of white immediately stand out. Think for example of White Wood no. 201 , Spider Mum no. 310 , Dark Ice no. 233 or of course Frosted Sand no. 374 .

CHOOSING THE RIGHT SHADE OF WHITE

Not all whites are the same and your favourite shade can look completely different in your home than in the store or on your screen. The incidence of light is an important cause of this. Because a room facing south simply gets more and warmer light than a room facing the cooler north. To find the most beautiful shade of white, LAB has large colour samples andsample pots , so that you can test at home what looks best on your walls. Also look at different times of the day, because that certainly makes a difference.

 
Do you have the LAB colour card at home? Then you can easily find a colour that combines nicely with the chosen shade of white. The colour card is constructed in such a way that you see a shade of white at the top of each row and this matches well with the colours that you find in the same vertical row. For example, the light Frosted Sand no. 374 looks great with the warm earth tone Mushroom no. 287. On our colour fan you will also find suggestions for beautiful colour combinations. 

READ ALSO: THIS IS THE INFLUENCE OF LIGHT ON A PAINT COLOR

A SCANDINAVIAN INTERIOR WITH COLOR

Basic and white may go hand in hand, but that doesn't mean that color is forbidden. Combine the white shades with warm nudes, grays, beige and olive green: colors that are inspired by nature and are therefore never too dominant. They do add depth and give the basic style more softness. Think for example of White Truffle no. 644 , Amaze no. 535 , Ibiza Rush no. 96 6 and Zen Garden no. 680 .

Looking for more contrast? Then the blue Denim no. 248 , chocolate brown Magnum no. 708 and deep Night Blue no. 273 are beautiful, sturdy additions to a minimalist Japandi interior.

READ ALSO: DON'T YOU PREFER STANDARD WHITE WALLS? THIS IS HOW YOU FIND BEAUTIFUL BASIC COLORS FOR YOUR HOME

A JAPANESE INTERIOR WITH CHILDREN

Does white never stay white for long in your household? Then your alarm bells probably start ringing when you have a light interior. We can imagine that with a white sofa or dining room chairs, but with white or light walls the damage is generally quite limited. LAB wall paint has scrub class 1, which means that the wall paint is easy to clean. If you apply two more layers of LAB wall coating , you are certainly safe from stains. Yes, even those from pasta sauce and a knocked over glass of red wine. And if you don't choose bright white, but soft grey, sand or beige, a stain will be less noticeable anyway. Clean the wall as soon as possible, then you will most likely not see anything of it anymore.  

Author: Monique van Beekhoven

READ ALSO

• A LOOK INSIDE FEMKE MEINES' HOME: COLOURFUL CALMNESS
• LAB COLOR CRUSH: SILK DREAMER NO. 194 
• THE TREND COLOR BEIGE IS HERE TO LAST: THESE ARE THE MOST BEAUTIFUL SHADES OF BEIGE AND HOW TO APPLY THEM