Japandi: bring this sleek trend into your bedroom

Love minimalist design but want a touch of cosiness in your bedroom too? Japandi style could be perfect for you!

Japandi has taken the world – or the internet, more specifically – by storm. In this article, we’ll let you in on everything you need to know about the evolving Japandi trend and share some ideas on how to get the look in your bedroom.

What is Japandi?

The name is actually a hybrid of two design styles – Japanese and Scandinavian. Intrigued? Let us explain…

Japandi style brings together the best of both: think minimalistic cosiness. Japanese interiors may be minimalist and elegant, but sometimes they can look a bit on the clinical or sparse side with their precise lines and pristine appearance. However, the Scandinavian concept of ‘hygge’ (comfort and cosiness) compensates for this with a natural aesthetic and a lived-in feel – think plenty of wooden accents, faux fur rugs and throws, plump scatter cushions and house plants.

These two design influences come together at a few simple principles: the use of neutral colour, natural fabrics and responsibly sourced materials. Japandi design is well-considered, practical and comfortable.

When it comes to designing your Japandi bedroom, the key elements are:

• A low-rise wooden bed
• Functional furniture with clean, angular lines
• Tidiness with no clutter
• Natural fibres and materials for soft furnishings
• Monochrome and contrasting colour combinations
• Accessories should be functional rather than purely aesthetically pleasing
• Rely on natural elements such as flowers and plants to bring the look to life

Japandi beds

Traditionally, in Japanese culture, people essentially sleep on the floor – or to be precise, on top of a carefully arranged mat with cushions that’s very low to the floor.

They use what’s called a tatami mat, followed by a Shikifuton (mattress) and a kakebuton (duvet), finished with a buckwheat hull pillow. The reason for sleeping so close to the ground is due to the Japan’s characteristically hot summers – lucky them, we say!

Tatami mats are light and breathable, and their position on the floor allows cool air to circulate around the body. This is because hot air rises, and cool air settles close to the floor. If you’re prone to overheating or night sweats, a low-rise bed could be very beneficial.

Another big benefit of a low-rise bed is that they can make your bedroom appear more spacious. The lower your bed is, the greater the illusion of having much more space around you. This is great if your bedroom currently feels a little cramped. Low beds are also much easier for young kids and pets to hop in and out of – if you like to share your bed with them, that is!

In terms of Scandi-style beds, these also tend to be lower to the ground, but they often have a little height from slim legs or feet and open space underneath. Light is able to pour under the elevated design for a feeling of spaciousness and tidiness.

When you bring the two design elements together, a Japandi bed frame should be low rise and dressed in breathable, natural fabrics. For super cosy comfort, our Sleepmotion 200i adjustable bed is a wonderful option. Its understated design works perfectly with or without a headboard based on your preference, and its low rise stature is effortlessly Japandi. Plus, it can be maneouvered to suit your sleep style at the touch of a button.

We’ve placed it in a bedroom with both Scandi and Hygge elements, with warm white walls to give the space a fresh and airy feel with botanical influences, while the blanket and rug add a touch of cosiness.

Japandi bedroom furniture

When it comes to picking furniture for your Japandi bedroom, try to keep it functional and minimalist in style.

Fancy drawer knobs and mirrored surfaces are a no-no. We know they’re lovely, but in this case they just don’t fit in with the natural, pared-back look of the trend. Wooden furniture to complement your chosen wooden Japandi bed is what you should aim for instead.

Also, try to keep furniture itself to a minimum. Space saving designs are your best bet as these will help you keep your bedroom tidy and clutter-free – a big tick for Japandi interior design. Think big on storage space and try to use multi-functional pieces where possible. For example, a bench at the end of your bed that doubles up as a blanket box is a good idea.

Japandi bedroom colours

When decorating your Japandi bedroom, we suggest first finding a base colour for the overall look.

Scandi style centres on neutrals such as white, cream, beige and grey. Meanwhile Japanese design tends to be warmer and slightly darker: light brown, taupe, green.

For a perfect Japandi look, stick to neutral colour schemes, with light, open areas if possible. Brown and beige are key tones, but you can use muted greens, blues and pinks to complement natural wood. We suggest using a lighter colour as your base and then bring in pops of contrasting darker colours for interest and a hint of drama.

You can always add colour by introducing plants and foliage in your bedroom – some plants can actually help you sleep better such as valerian and lavender. Check out this post on which 11 plants are the most sleep-inducing – there are also some which can help clean the air in your home. Alternatively, a Japanese bonsai tree would be an apt choice.

Don’t forget lighting, too, which is an incredibly important part of Japandi designs for bringing colours to life and highlighting natural features. Try swapping cold, LED lighting for warm white to mimic daylight fading, for a relaxed feel.

Japandi in a nutshell

So, we’ve given you some tips and ideas on beds, bedroom furniture and colours, but how exactly does it all come together?

If you’re looking for some visual inspiration, check out our Lodge platform bed frame pictured above, in a typical Japandi-style room. The walls have a base colour of dark blue and white, while darker elements are introduced with the black slim-legged furniture.

The Lodge has a minimalist low-rise design in a walnut stain finish with clean lines and practical ottoman storage space. In essense, it ticks all the boxes for Japandi style. The rest of the room is accentuated by natural textures including wicker and cotton. There’s a mixture of shades in terms of colour, but they all complement each other effortlessly for a natural look that’s pared back, cosy and inviting.

Credit: @birdshome, @ourcornishcottagerenovation, @homeatthemeadow, @bearvillahome