Wabi Sabi...

At Icon Interiors many of our designs are influenced by our travels and we incorporate these experiences into our decorating philosophy. We often include oriental elements into our designs, with influences from japan and china inherent within each room, by the use of decorative furniture, grass paper and artworks.

Inspired by the Japanese aesthetic of Wabi-Sabi, these designs are simple and balanced. Wabi-Sabi is a way of making things according to the Buddhist principle of being true to materials. A complex aesthetic, it is a combination of rustic simplicity, freshness or quietness (wabi), together with the beauty and serenity of age, where an object acquires a patina or repairs due to prolonged use (sabi).

The principles of wabi are linked to those of shihui and ideas of refined austerity, all of which aspire to the ideal of creating simple objects free of unnecessary distraction. Evidence of how the material was worked is a way of showing the 'hand of the maker' and imperfections and irregularities are welcomed as a link between the natural and human worlds, as perfection is rarely found in nature.

it is possible to use contemporary suppliers to achieve this look - Benchmark Furniture produce beautifully hand-crafted simple designs.

For those interested in exploring this concept further, see 'Wabi Inspirations' by Axel Vervoordt, containing several interior images of elegant, pared down spaces.