Ready to spice up your space with an East meets West theme, but don’t want to dominate your home with Asian decor, bold colors, and a jumble of Asian trinkets?
Not an impossible feat, I get.
Why?
Think of the Japanese style of decorating their houses. Before I “got” into interior decorating, my friend dropped by with her British nanny (what a cliche!) who said my bedroom was “practically Japanese.” I had to ask him what he meant. The comment wasn’t directed at the little Asian figurines she had (or didn’t have), but at the reality that my house was so…bare. But hey, I practically just moved in!
But voila… the secret to simple Asian home decor. The Japanese do not over-decorate, so you can take a hint from them.
First things first: to get on your way, find a large box and get rid of all the clutter. Put away everything you don’t need and focus on items that don’t fit into an Asian design.
When you choose to drop off an item, make sure everything gets its own “space.” Unless items are part of a set intended to be displayed together, each item should have a breathing space away from other items to keep the area open and airy.
After clearing your space, you need to find some Asian items to decorate. My recipe for Asian decoration:
* Houseplants: If you don’t have time to care for a houseplant, or you don’t have the best conditions for houseplants (like your vegetarian roommate keeps trying to eat them… I kid! I kid!), you can always get fake plants Of course, most of the time when someone thinks of “houseplant” and “Asian” they shout “bonsai!”, but you’re not forced to go that route. Why not try an Asian money tree or, if you like fresh flowers, an oriental lily? Remember to count the plant as a decoration and thus give it its own “space” as mentioned above.
* Water Fountains – Water fountains are a very classic feng shui application. Not only are they beautiful, their dripping noise soothes the wildest beast. A few drops of bleach in the water will kill bacteria and algae that can turn the water green and smelly.
*Japanese Tea Sets/Sake Sets: Absolutely perfect for sprucing up a kitchen or dining room, even if you never use them. (Wipe them down before company arrives to fool guests!) They can be found in a wide variety of shapes, colors, and patterns, from pleasing earth tones to bold blacks and reds.
* Chinese Gongs – You don’t have to have a huge one! These gongs also come in small sizes, perfect for a desk, a side table, or even the centerpiece of the perfect mantel.
* Figurines – Buddha figurines are very classic, but if you want something more secular, Asian figurines come in all shapes and sizes.
Remember the infamous KISS saying: Keep It Simple, Stupid!; You really only need four or five items to add an Asian flair to any home, and the simpler you keep it, the more each of those items will stand out.
It really is that simple… you too can bring exotic luxury to any space.