There is an assuring calm that comes in living the Japanese wabi-sabi ethos. Once we accept the transience and imperfection of life, we can come to appreciate unexpected beauty in weathered objects and raw materials we discover around us. In order to gently harness this peaceful aesthetic, we must shed ourselves of a perfectionist skin-deep society and instead embrace authenticity. This translates to interior design through furniture built from bare knotted timber, floors of rustic stone, pitted concrete walls and surfaces, woven rugs, and intriguing hand-made textiles. A lived-in look is nurtured rather than show-home chic, and a reassuring sense of peace and tranquility through simplicity.
Architect: Maria Marinina
Designer: Maria Marinina
We begin the first of our two home tours in the rustic living room of a 62 square metre interior. Natural stone floor tiles scatter irregular pattern, whilst the texture of raw concrete walls wash up against bare timber doors, trims, and a stunning vaulted ceiling. The combination of natural materials shape an ideal base of sublime imperfection.
A cane lounge chair rests at the edge of a woven area rug. A set of ribbed concrete coffee tables and a large concrete planter pull the cool wall theme to the floor.
The neutral lounge design stands in open plan with the kitchen diner, where a live edge wood dining table adds a rugged rustic charm.
Wooden hourglass stools complete the dining room’s rustic furniture ensemble. Another concrete planter brings a spray of wild greenery to the tabletop.
The split surface of the turned wood just adds to the charm of the stools, in true wabi-sabi essence.
A unique swing arm wall lamp pulls over the dining table, escaping the difficult logistics of a tier fall ceiling above it.
This half moon mirror and macramé cord creation adds depth to the small entryway of the home. Modern wall sconces hung either side of the decorative mirror bring a subtle industrial chic touch. A smart linen basket serves as a catch-all on the floor.
Colourful pattern draws the eye to the floor, where a red and grey woven mat is pulled up at the feet of an unusual modern bench seat.
An additional boho style wall hanging embellishes the other side of the entryway, where a stylish wooden sideboard sits. Dried grasses come together with the soft textiles in the home to build comforting layers.
A coat rail is suspended on straps from the home’s high ceiling. Wooden hangers hold each piece in a uniform arrangement that becomes hallway decoration in itself. Obscure glass doors swivel to give entry into the main living room.
Inside the kitchen, a single wooden shelf extends from a deliciously smooth wooden stripe in the wall. The grey stone backsplash and countertop match the floor tiles throughout the open plan.
A decorative vase and pestle & mortar create a unison of black accent pieces in the pale grey kitchen. The cutting board adds in a pool of warming wood tone.
Moving into the first bedroom we find a neat workspace with welcoming pink and red accents, and a stunning woodland view. A quirky perspex speech bubble gives the tranquil space a little boost of edge and personality. An enchanting mushroom table lamp teeters on top of the modern home office desk. See more unique table lamps.
Modern wall lights glow from within a recessed seating area beneath a bespoke lofted bed design.
The laundry basket in the bedroom is an alternative colourway from the one seen in the entry hall.
A balloon lamp draws the eye up to the scalloped edge of the raised bunk, and its knotted wood grain.
Layered padding constructs an irresistibly cosy headboard design, where a gold and grey swing arm wall lamp sheds reading light on each side.
Soft grey textile runs around the edge of the platform bed, above a frame of natural timber.
Industrial design is at play in the bathroom. A solid concrete basin lays heavily on a metal stand, and vanity mirrors extend on matching black metal brackets.
A tactile pitted concrete bathtub fills the other side of the room.
Floor plan.
Visualizer: Anastasiia Reznichenko
Our second and last featured project was entitled ‘Wabi-Sabi’ house by its designers. The Japanese influence here is clear in the furniture silhouettes, an uncluttered room layout, and a deeply rich colour palette.
The upholstered bench is an extended length that runs across the open plan living room on exposed timber legs.
The dining chairs are the same design as the lounge accent chairs. Six seats gather around a spectacular modern dining table that is set into curves of concrete.
A black and gold linear suspension light descends close to the tabletop.
The warm metal provides shining contrast with the cool concrete.
Light plays over the smooth polished surface.
Hessian panels drop a rustic patch into the kitchen.
The hessian lightly screens off open shelves and wall units in an L-shaped kitchen arrangement of wooden cabinets.
In the centre of the dark stained weathered wooden kitchen, a sleek concrete kitchen island makes a stand-alone piece.
Glass pendant lights swing low from high wooden rafters, their embers of light burning seductively across the reflective concrete.
Exposed electrical wiring draws black linework across the textured wall render, crisscrossing and catching at junction boxes.
A gold tap arcs from the concrete countertop of the island.
Recommended Reading: An Architect’s House That Melds Traditional Japanese And Ukranian Ethos In A Modern Shell
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