Japanese room - create one in your home

When East meets West the feel is one of clean lines and simple elegance. Japanese room decoration is all about no clutter, traditional antique pieces, natural fibres and lots of charm.

The key to making a great Japanese room is not just in your choice of furniture. Japanese-influenced design also embraces simple, clean lines, uncluttered spaces and elegant styling that includes wood, bamboo and other natural textiles.

Furniture for a traditional Japanese room

Of course, once you've made your commitment to keeping clutter to a minimum, creating a traditional Japanese room can be done quite easily. It all starts with a strong feature piece, says Kirsty Bathurst of Melbourne interior design store, Made in Japan. "This is usually a 'dansu', or traditional Japanese cupboard in a Japanese room," she says. "There are many types of dansu, but the most common is a chest."

Traditional Japanese room furniture items are predominantly made of wood, such as Japanese cypress, or elm, and feature detailed ironwork. "Traditional ironwork handles and iron plates along with natural-coloured woods in walnut, lighter honey and deeper chocolate are a distinguishing feature of Japanese furniture," says Kirsty.

Once you have a good starting piece for your Japanese room, Kirsty suggests it can easily be dressed with an obi (a decorative sash traditionally worn with a kimono) used like a table runner, or perhaps an Ikebana vase with a simple floral arrangement. "The room can also be dressed with tatami mats, which are made of rush, and shoji screens," she says. "These are also very popular for bedrooms."

Japanese room decorative furnishings

Other simple decorative ideas for Japanese rooms include using elegant Japanese ceramic pieces and wall hangings of calligraphy. "These can be done locally in Australia and look lovely," says Kirsty. "Lacquerware is also strong within this style and is ideal for creating the look of a traditional Japanese room; there are really beautiful lacquer platters available that look gorgeous on tables."

One other suggestion that is not very Japanese at all, but has caught on in the West, is using a wedding kimono as a wall hanging. "Japanese find this a little strange, but it is popular here, as the kimonos are very beautiful items and can look great as a wall hanging, especially in a bedroom," Kirsty says.

You may want to talk to an expert before buying your feature piece, but from there it's easy to give your living space a Japanese feel, by keeping it simple with your own selection of furniture and furnishings. Find your local furniture store online and get shopping for a Japanese room in your own home: