Pictured: Wooden elephant

What does wabi-sabi mean?

Wabi-sabi describes a traditional Japanese aesthetic that embraces transience and imperfection. “Wabi” is often translated as simple, understated beauty, while “sabi” refers to patina—that is, the traces left by the passage of time. The concept has its roots in Zen Buddhism and has shaped, among other things, the Japanese tea ceremony.

How can wabi-sabi be applied to interior design?

Instead of perfect, uniform surfaces, materials with character are what matter: wood with a lively grain, ceramics and porcelain with a matte glaze, linen, and stone. Objects are allowed to look well-used. What’s important isn’t so much a specific look as the attitude behind it: having just a few things that you enjoy using and keep for a long time.

Pictured: Hopper Watering Can in white

What colors go well with wabi-sabi?

Natural tones: earth tones and sandy hues, warm gray, muted green, off-white, and the natural color of wood. The Hopper watering can in Light Gray blends seamlessly into this palette with its matte finish.

What is Kintsugi?

Kintsugi is the Japanese technique of repairing broken ceramics with lacquer and gold—the break is not hidden, but rather emphasized. It is often seen as an expression of wabi-sabi: the traces of an object’s history are part of its beauty.

Pictured: Spin in walnut

Each piece is one-of-a-kind

The “Spin” coat hook by Andreas Kowalewski is turned from a single piece of solid wood at a woodturning workshop in the Münsterland region and finished with natural oil. Because every piece of wood has a different grain, no two hooks are alike—whether made of oak, ash, or walnut.

A Bowl with a Wooden Relief

The Wave bowl by Geckeler Michels is made of ash. Its wave-shaped milled surface highlights the wood’s grain.

Pictured: Arc Tray in white and rosé

Porcelain in Curves

The Arc Tray by De Intuitiefabriek is a porcelain tray featuring gentle curves—available in rose and white or gray and white.

How does wabi-sabi avoid looking messy?

Imperfection doesn’t mean clutter. These tips help:

• Few objects, spaced apart from one another.
• A calm color palette of natural tones.
• Authentic rather than artificially aged: natural materials instead of a “used” look.
• Pieces that are allowed to show signs of wear —such as a solid-wood olifant.