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Design2build

Month: September 2023

Categories
Interior

JAPANDI : new design language

Japandi is a style that mashes up both Japanese and Scandinavian design principles. It is becoming very popular globally and that is because these philosophies can be contextualized to be used anywhere in the world. Both these individual interior design languages go back centuries and are rooted in very similar places logically. In essence of their logic, both design styles emphasize revolving the design purely around a high quality of life. They both rely on using calming, soothing palettes and clean lines combined with natural elements to form a beautiful home. Japandi and its causal relationship with the happiness of the users cannot be ignored. We at D2B Spaces deeply believe that the magic, or greatness, in a design will shine through when the design is able to improve the quality of life of the users. There are several design languages, techniques, materials that can better the quality of life, user experience and overall impact that a space can have and Japandi is one of them. 

Japandi mainly draws from two concepts, the Japanese, Wabi-Sabi, and the Scandinavian concept, Hygge. We will talk about both these concepts a little bit, so that we can contextualize what merging these two styles would mean and learn a little bit about where they come from. Wabi-Sabi is a philosophy or way of living that has been translated into a set of design philosophies and hence a language as well. Wabi-Sabi throws out a lot of notions that western design clings to for comfort like symmetry, perfection. It has origins from Zen Buddhism in Japan and has been practiced for centuries. Wabi-Sabi hinges on three main notions: nothing is perfect, nothing is complete, nothing lasts. It acknowledges these as simple realities and translates them into a simple acceptance of the cycle of birth and decay that life takes naturally. How does one take these notions forward with design? Find beauty in the smallest details, embrace the imperfections, allow for wear and tear and enjoy the aging process, celebrate impermanence. Intentionality is a big thing in Wabi-Sabi. Everything you do must be well-intentioned and with purpose and this is a great philosophy to develop for any style of design. Focus on every little detail, place every object, furniture unit, surface treatment with intention and remember that less is more. Wabi-Sabi essentially tells you to ignore perfect symmetry, clean lines and go with what feels good and natural to the eye. When it comes to Hygge, the word is originally used to describe a feeling or a state of mind. Very much like Wabi-Sabi, the principles of Hygge have been extended to design as well. The feeling of Hygge comes from comfort and coziness and originated from the need of Scandinavian states to provide some form of respite or haven from the harsh winters of the region. This part of the world has more cold, gloomy days than warm and bright ones and so the entire mindset of Hygge relies on creating beauty out of small rituals, creating warm and comforting spaces indoors, and being present in the moment. Therefore, Hygge is not so much about a particular style, but very user specific. Hygge is about what brings the feeling of comfort and coziness to each client specifically. Hygge dictates that you pay attention to specific details like touch and feel and how they add to the comfort level of the client. Hygge and Wabi-Sabi are married in the style that we call Japandi. The new language draws on the philosophies of both these two age-old philosophies and comes up with a new set of principles that are based around quality of life and optimized living. We will talk about how to go about creating a Japandi design philosophy in any atmosphere. 

Japandi relies on the following concepts being followed: 

  1. Minimal clutter 
  2. Clean lines 
  3. Emphasis on natural, organic materials
  4. A color palette that emphasizes neutral tones with a special focus on whites and browns.
  5. Lots of natural light 

Japandi essentially focuses on interior design that is centered around the quality of life of the user, whether it comes down to color palette, use of material, intentionality in the placement of objects. The principles that Japandi brings to residential interior design can be applied to any design style and can be easily contextualized for interior design in homes in Bangalore, India.

You can buy products designed on the principles of Japandi from our product line here. 

Categories
Interior

BIOPHILIC INTERIOR DESIGN

Home Interior

Biophilia is humans’ natural affinity for nature and nature’s ability to create calm and peace in a human being’s life. Biophilic interior design translates to bringing in as much of natural life, natural light, ventilation as well as maintaining as much organic form as you can in the interiors of a space.

Biophilic design works more keeping well and being in mind, rather than aesthetic. As human beings, we seek closeness to nature subconsciously. Interior designers in Bangalore can take special advantage of biophilic interior design given that we come from the garden city, and those in Bangalore who are looking for great design will already have an affinity for nature, greenery, and the outdoors.

As designers, we engage with this need of the human condition by creating biophilic design wherever possible. There are ways to do this without overwhelming a space. Over the last two centuries, the human connection to the natural world has diverged more and more to a point where we now engage with our indoor spaces far more than we ever have as a species.

Biophilia points us in the direction of our ancestry. Human beings, more than ever, crave natural materials, forms, and colors in our spaces. Indian interior design and architecture have always had a close relationship with nature and even our architecture has always allowed the outdoors into our spaces!

There must be ways for the modern interior designer and clients in Bangalore to evoke some of these concepts and bring them into our current spaces, whether it’s living room design, bedroom design, or something as small as the design of your products. The move back to concepts that are naturally soothing for us allows for the marriage of good design, great architecture, and a perfect overall ambiance for residences. Let us talk about ways to bring nature into the various spaces of your home and embrace biophilic interior design.

1. Creating visual relationships with nature: As any interior designer or architect practicing in Bangalore already knows, Bangalore as a city is full of natural elements, lakes, trees, etc. The focus of any interior design would be to keep as much of the natural elements as possible, bring in as many new ones as you can and create soothing organic shapes that one would see in nature, wherever one has the opportunity to play with form.

2. The use of sensory elements to create multi-dimensional space: If you’ve ever been in a forest you will know that it is not just one sense that overwhelms you. You could close your eyes in the forest and still know exactly where you are. Biophilic interior design requires the use of multiple sensory elements (olfactory, auditory, visual, etc) to create an experience that leaves you feeling fulfilled in more ways than one. One can bring this in via the furnishings, decor, etc.

3. The intentional use of dynamic lighting: One of the key features of biophilia is using light, and specifically filtered light, in a way that is similar to natural ambient light, in order to create the feeling of being as close to nature as possible.

4. Presence of water : Architecturally we know that water is an element that not only causes a literal cooling effect but an emotional one as well. When in nature, especially in dense vegetation, one will notice that a congregated source of water is never too far away. It is how animals and plants survive and as humans as well, we gravitate towards the water. Whether it’s the ocean, lake or rivers, it’s no surprise that we will travel long distances just to connect and be one with water. Bringing water into your home gives this effect constantly and keeps the energy of the space light and calming.

5. The use of natural elements themselves : A home and it’s energy are largely dictated by the materials that go into the kitchens, bedrooms, common spaces, etc. Bangalore is very lucky as it’s architects and interior designers have vast access to natural materials and love using them. The experience level your designers will have with natural elements in Bangalore is likely to be very high.

This is why we suggest that if you’re looking for home decor ideas, or interior design tips, biophilia is a good place to start and a great new design language to explore, especially if you are as obsessed with designing the perfect quality of living, just like we are. For great home interiors and architecture please contact us at Design 2 Build Spaces, and we will show you how you can create a biophilic space, right here in Bangalore, India!

Shop our range of biophilic products here.