Wabi Sabi
The marks of wabi-sabi
Wabisabi style promotes an intuitive feel for the harmony in your surroundings. It is a gentle aesthetic that lets you quietly enjoy and contemplate the simple pleasures in your home. Can you see the beauty in the most natural and simple things in your surroundings?
Japanese origins
Wabi and sabi have formed the basis for traditional Japanese beauty for centuries. Instead of reaching for perfection as the Old Greeks did, the Japanese embraced imperfection, based on teachings from Buddhism. Wabi and sabi are an important part of the traditional Japanese tea ceremony. This ceremony is a reminder we are all imperfect and we should cherish that imperfection.
Imperfect
Imperfections from nature are also called ‘flawed beauty’. But also the marks of craftsmanship can be seen as something beautiful in wabi-sabi design.
Incomplete
Nothing is ever finished. Nature keeps changing, growing and reaching. When is something ever complete and finished?
Impermanent
Natural processes result in irregularities, weathered surfaces and objects which have clearly felt the bite of time. A motto of Wabi-sabi design is “If nothing lasts forever, now is the time to enjoy it!”
Repairs
The most obvious example of a wabi-sabi is repaired pottery: due to time or use, the pot was broken, but with love and care it was glued or stitched back together. Placing such pottery in your interior and admiring it is a true sign you enjoy wabi-sabi design!
Remember: nothing lasts, nothing is finished, and nothing is perfect