What is Wabi Sabi design?

New to the zeitgeist of interior and architecture home design is the Japanese concept of Wabi Sabi. You may have seen the category on your Pinterest home design page, or a section of popular home goods on Amazon, and wondered what exactly the term means (like I did). Generally, I appreciated the minimal design, natural tones, and saw from a glance that it matched ‘my’ aesthetic - clean lines, soft tones, free of clutter…

The meaning:

Taken from the Japanese words wabi, which translates to less is more, and sabi , which means attentive melancholy, wabi sabi refers to an awareness of the transient nature of earthly things and a corresponding pleasure in the things that bear the mark of this impermanence. Andrew Juniper - The Japanese Art of Impermanence

From a design perspective, think of that perfect earthy color palette with a nod to nature.

Check out a few projects and products that caught my eye:

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Wood Ribbon Apartment | Toledano+Architects

Paris, France

Tondo White-washed Serveware | Crate and Barrel

Tondo 10.5" White-Washed Bowl

Solstice Console | West Elm

Solstice 60" Console Table

Thumb Cup | Etsy

Joyemadeclay Handmade Thumb Cup

Cool Neutrals | Sherwin Williams