A trending interior design style that combines the Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi with the Scandinavian concept of hygge, Japandi is all about creating simple cosiness in your home.

Hygge, a word in Norwegian and Danish that is used to describe a cosy and contented mood, is easy enough to achieve.

Think woollen blankets and throws, squishy furniture, a few candles and a stack of books with a mug of coffee.

But what about wabi-sabI? Wabi in Japanese means ‘less is more’ while sabi refers to an awareness of the transient nature of things.

So, the wabi-sabi approach appreciates simple beauty, even as objects age.

When it comes to kitchen design, Japandi, which combines the two concepts, offers so many aesthetic, practical and well-being benefits.

Today, the experts at Masterclass Kitchens share their 5 Japandi-style kitchen ideas to create this zen-like state in your own home.

1. Contemplate simplicity

Japanese thinking often comes from a deep ideology and Japandi design is no different.

Wabi teaches the importance of finding satisfaction in austerity, promoting the idea of simplifying your possessions to move closer to nature.

Wabi-sabi experts use tea ceremonies to illustrate this, as tea requires minimal materialism and is the perfect time to bond with family or friends over life’s simple pleasures.

It helps you to reflect and focus and, as the ancient Japanese proverb says, ‘If a man has no tea in him, he is incapable of understanding truth and beauty.’

Masterclass Kitchens’ new Breakfast Dressers are perfectly suited to the calming art of making tea.

High quality yet understated, these breakfast stations can be fully equipped with everything needed for your very own tea-making ceremony, morning, noon or night.

2. Aim for timeless design

Sabi is all about appreciating aging.

But this doesn’t mean letting your kitchen deteriorate.

Instead, it means making timeless design choices that help you appreciate it during every stage of its life cycle.

Take kitchen drawer units for example.

Cheap drawers crack and chip; their plastic dividers discolour and the boxes come away from their runners.

Masterclass Kitchens’ Wood-Effect Drawers remain timeless, with runners so reliable that they come with a Blum lifetime guarantee.

Filling their built-in, wooden cutlery trays with rustic items is a great way to embrace the wabi-sabi interior style.

3. Symbolise Japanese concepts

Japanese artisans use kintsugi, the art of mending fractured pottery with powdered gold, silver or platinum mixed with urushi lacquer to create something that’s even more beautiful.

It’s a perfect analogy for stress actually strengthening and making us more characterful.

Kintsugi complements the wabi-sabi style beautifully, aligning with its focus on transience and the art of finding perfection in possessions as they age.

For Japandi design, a Truffle or Midnight Pietra kitchen worktop hides imperfections yet looks even better with age.

The same goes for Mayfield or Farmhouse Oak with its rustic look and feel.

4. Display kitchen shelf asymmetry

Japanese philosophy is all about impermanence, accepting that life is perfectly imperfect so for a Japandi kitchen, use asymmetrical displays to reflect this.

Japandi design works well for this concept, as the minimalist Scandi style offers the perfect blank canvas.

Displaying natural finds and one-off pieces on Open Shelving for instance, connects both inside and out.

Masterclass Kitchens’ wall-mounted bookshelves can hold 85kg per sq m and come in Portland Oak or Tuscan Walnut.

You could also use the open shelving areas on its Freestanding Kitchen Islands for similar effect.

5 Create a natural modern kitchen

Japandi colour palettes are all about the neutrals so think off-whites, clays, woods and earthy tones.

Masterclass Kitchens’ Ligna and Madoc ranges both adhere closely to the spirit of wabi-sabi with their wood-effect finishes and calming style.

With 30 per cent more usable cabinet space, 16,000 cabinet configurations and a choice of natural finishes, these Modern Kitchens provide almost endless ways to create a wabi-sabi kitchen that flows effortlessly and organically within your home.

If you need more help and advice on creating your own Japandi-style kitchen, find your nearest Masterclass Kitchens showroom and book an appointment with a Masterclass expert today.