Natural materials, authenticity and imperfection are at the heart of wabi-sabi (wabi translating to ‘subdued, austere beauty’, and sabi as ‘rustic patina’). When applied into the home, this ethos affects not just interior design but how we interact within a space – accepting the transience of life and the natural world while finding the beauty in the raw, unfinished and imperfect. These projects from the ELLE Decoration archive show this ancient philosophy can be integrated into the modern home.
A traditional country home brimming with juxtaposition
A little anarchy can be a very good thing when it comes to interiors. Designer Jo Berryman struck just the right note with a clever juxtaposition of wabi-sabi-like imperfection and fearless modernity in her Somerset home. For instance, in the living room Pierre Frey’s graphic ‘Leo’ wallpaper contrasts brilliantly with the faded and peeling original plaster.
The British design studio with Japanese influence at its core
Wabi-sabi is at the heart of Lucy Currell’s designs. ‘I apply it to every aspect of my process. I would say my designs are very soulful and warm, while remaining visually balanced and calming,’ says the founder of London-based Studio Iro. Axel Vervoordt is a big inspiration. ‘I love how antiques are such a big part of his interiors. There’s always a story to be told, and it makes the pieces much more meaningful,’ says the designer, who spent her childhood on tours of antique fairs and car-boot sales.
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An elegant yet earthy home in London
Wabi sabi influences meet quiet luxury in this serene London penthouse. The work of Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, founder of Banda, the beauty of imperfection can be seen throughout the space from ‘the maker’s fingerprints in the pendant light above the dining table,’ he points out, and the original Pierre Jeanneret chairs, which came from the architect’s Chandigarh project in India. ‘You can see where they were used in schools and universities. They have dents and markings. It’s the same with the marble we’ve used throughout the space, it’s telling the story of hundreds and thousands of years.’
The Ukrainian designer inspired by wabi-sabi
Ukrainian architect and designer Sergey Makhno has been guided by wabi-sabi principles throughout his career. In his own home, the minimalism of Japanese design combines effortlessly with urban Ukrainian architecture – for instance, the sleek glass-walled bathroom is tempered by the addition of a basin crafted from an ancient wooden vessel. Elsewhere, his collection of ceramics and contemporary art add depth and earthiness: he chose artworks with a handmade or distressed look that blend beautifully with the rough clay walls in the space.
The wabi-sabi home in rural France
The philosophies of renowned Belgium designer Axel Vervoordt were integral to the design of this home in rural France, so much so that the homeowners, ceramicist Justine Lacoste and her husband Jean Hay de Slade, took a trip to the designer’s foundation to meet him. Wabi-sabi principles abound, from the pared-back, limewashed walls and concrete floors to the way the couple celebrate the passing of the year, with soft candlelight and tables dressed in a poetic mixture of worn linens and dried floral arrangements.
The calm, monastic home in London
The frenetic pace of London life doesn’t necessarily pair with the authenticity and simplicity born of the wabi-sabi ethos, and a former garage in the capital’s north seems an even more unlikely location. For writer Anabel Cutler, it was the perfect place to cleave some calm from the fast pace of the city and create a wabi-sabi inspired oasis, somewhere to celebrate the ‘beauty in the flaws that come with age,’ she says. ‘We can shut the door and find stillness and peace. It’s a modern interpretation of the word ‘home’.’
The home of a wabi-sabi devotee in London
The home of avid art collector Rafic Said is an homage to Belgian minimalist Axel Vervoordt. ‘I’ve studied him to death,’ he says. ‘I have every one of his books, I’ve been to his castle in Antwerp and I understand his philosophy.’ The concept of perfect imperfection goes down to the very bones of this house, with walls covered with hessian that has been roughly painted over and a mezzanine constructed from reclaimed wood chosen for its rustic appearance.
The concrete home in Hamburg
A trip to Japan sparked the idea for this raw yet stylish home in a former WWII bunker. ‘The clean interiors style, reduced to only the necessary, yet still very detailed and well-crafted, was just what we wanted,’ says homeowner Mark Seleen. The imperfect texture of the concrete walls contrasts with the carefully curated design classics that fill the home, including the 1970s travertine dining table by Draenert and the ‘Camaleonda’ sofa by Mario Bellini for B&B Italia.
