In the realm of Japandi design, worlds collide. The idea combines wabi-sabi, the Japanese philosophy of slow living, with hygge, the Scandinavian practice that prioritises comfort and well-being. The shared emphasis on simplicity and a connection with nature in both creates a natural overlap, one that has given rise to possibly the biggest interior design trend in recent memory.
The Japandi craze has caught on in Singapore, too, with many new homes boasting sleek lines, warm tones and minimalist modernity. But it’s not just a matter of aesthetics; practically speaking, Japandi works well in smaller, stacked city homes because its emphasis on natural integration usually means more windows, daylight and ventilation, and also because its uncomplicated look tends to make spaces feel larger.
Keeping it unique
Among the homes that have been influenced by this trend is an apartment on Lincoln Road. KNQ Associates, the firm behind the design of this condominium unit, undertook a full redesign of the place; the result is “a design solution that combines practicality and simple elegance, balancing aesthetics with easy maintenance”, chief designer Stanley Tham tells Options.
He shares that the homeowners, a couple with a young son, had asked for a “total revamp of all the fittings and fixtures in the house, given the age of the condo”.
KNQ Associates reimagined the space as a Japandi home, using textured timber-grain vinyl flooring in the bedrooms with matching wooden furniture, accenting those with neutral materials such as quartz, glass, metal and tiles. Furniture was sourced from Muuto, Muji and Kartell, while lighting fixtures came from Herman Miller and Foscarini.
The main risk one runs when following a design trend, especially one so focused on minimalism, is losing a sense of individuality. To avoid creating an overly generic home, Tham recommends personalisation, through means such as accessories and lighting. “For every one of our projects, we always try to advise owners on the choice of art, objects and furniture they bring into the house,” he adds.
To incorporate unique touches into the apartment, KNQ Associates focused on imbuing a sense of “quiet luxury”, Tham says. The addition of Japanese-inspired pieces, such as in the living room’s Shoji-style sliding doors, is something he “particularly loves”.
Tham also points out that just because your new home has a different style from your old one doesn’t mean you have to start from scratch when it comes to furniture. “We … try to make the best use of [homeowners’] existing possessions wherever possible and suitable,” he says. After all, a key tenet of wabi-sabi lies in embracing imperfections — in other words, don’t worry too much about keeping that dining table with cat-scratched or dog-bitten legs.
Entering the apartment, the design inspiration is immediately apparent, with Shoji-style sliding doors and warm tones used throughout the living room. “We used wood-grain and textured fabric-look laminates to create the sliding Shoji doors,” Tham says, adding that the doors have been used to conceal appliances, such as an ironing board, as well as provide storage for the family’s items.
A large glass sliding door that leads to a balcony adds natural light in the living room and dining area, which are connected through an open plan design. Tham explains that the owners had requested for as much cross-ventilation as possible, to leverage the unit’s position on a high floor. KNQ Associates thus replaced the original doors, which had fixed panels, with a fully sliding system where all four panels can slide freely.
The balcony was redone with raised deck flooring over the originally sunken planters to create more usable space. “In land-scarce Singapore, every inch of the interior space counts,” says Tham, adding that homeowners can make use of balconies to increase the efficiency of space use at home.
“For people who have green fingers, a balcony garden with hanging and wall-mounted planters or pots also adds enjoyment to their lifestyle,” he notes. Those less inclined towards plants could instead have zip blinds installed and turn their balcony into a small work area.
In the kitchen, a monochrome, neutral grey colour scheme is given visual interest by way of a subtle mix of textures. Matching wall and floor tiles, meanwhile, make the space feel larger. Clever placement of carpentry provides plenty of storage and counter space while keeping the kitchen airy and well-ventilated.
Tham shares that, for the master bedroom, his team was faced with the challenge of fitting a workstation in an awkwardly shaped room. He explains that the other bedroom in the house is for the homeowners’ son, while another smaller room has been turned into a helper’s room.
“As the space available in Singapore homes shrinks, we often need to explore creative and unconventional ways to incorporate various functions in our homes,” he adds. To maximise the space available without compromising on functionality and practicality, KNQ Associates created a collapsible working desk that can be folded into the wall when not in use.
In the master bathroom, a U-shaped layout separates the dry and wet sections, while allowing maximum air flow. Fluted accents add a pop to the otherwise neutral and simple design of this small space.
Another angle
At another home in Eunos, Nicholas Heng of SG Interior looked to create a Japandi dwelling that brought together the owners’ love of Japanese culture with their need for lots of storage space.
Taking inspiration from classic Japandi tones — neutral hues, beiges, greys and creams — SG Interior worked with the homeowners to determine a colour scheme. Keeping things pale-toned and incorporating lots of natural light make the 93 sqm home feel bigger, even with the addition of substantial carpentry in the living room.
“[The homeowners] wanted carpentry storage at their TV area to not only display their collectibles, but also to act as an enclosed dry pantry area … to store their snacks for movie nights,” Heng explains.
Materials used throughout the apartment include fluted panels from Vwalla and wood tiles from Hafary 5vs; the latter were used to create a feature wall in the common bathroom’s shower, evoking the vibe of a faraway resort. The use of wood textures in the bathroom also helps tie the space in with the rest of the house.
The minimalist undertones of Japandi make it a good base for home renovations. Heng notes that homeowners can quickly “get over” the design of their home, and that a refresh every two to three years can help to keep things interesting.
He suggests, for instance, repainting walls, installing new wallpaper, or even simply replacing smaller items such as rugs. Given that the Japandi aesthetic is clean, with a neutral palette, such homes are easier to make changes to, bit by bit, without causing too much of a visual stir or discordance.
KNQ Associates’ Tham notes that in homes that feature such a bare aesthetic, attention to detail is key. When everything is stripped back, even the smallest mistakes can be magnified; at the same time, with fewer elements to play with, more thought needs to be put into each one to keep everything coherent and cohesive.
“It is ironic that a truly minimalist interior design is harder to achieve than one which is intricately designed, as its greatest impact — and mood — can only be effectively conveyed through extremely careful editing and restraint,” Tham adds.
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