What is Wabi Sabi & How to Embrace it in Your Home

OCTOBER 11, 2025

As sustainability and more mindful living become increasingly important concerns, the idea of wabi sabi provides a wonderful guiding force to direct our design choices and encourage us to be more intentional in our interiors. 

What Does Wabi Sabi Mean?

Wabi sabi is a Japanese philosophy that finds beauty and value in imperfection and impermanence. At its core, it invites us to appreciate things as they are, taking cues from the natural world to embrace transition and change.

 

There is no direct English translation for the term; rather, it encompasses a range of ideas and emotions that celebrate that which is flawed or fleeting. From things as simple as cracked pottery and aged wood to the ephemeral and experiential, the concept of wabi-sabi can be felt all around us. 

Wabi Sabi Characteristics

In art and design, key characteristics that play into the notion of wabi sabi include:

  • Asymmetry, cracks and flaws – anything that hints at imperfection. 
  • Appreciating the transition of the natural world and celebrating the natural cycle of growth, ageing, decay and renewal. 
  • Finding beauty in things that do not last.
  • Simplicity and functionality – nothing overly opulent or grand. 
  • A sense of peace and serenity away from the rapid pace of modern or urbanised life.
  • Authenticity and intimacy – a personal and considered connection to the world around us.

The Japanese art of kintsugi – whereby broken pottery is repaired with golden lacquer – is the perfect example of wabi sabi in practice, as it draws attention to the pieces’ flaws and turns them into beautiful, valuable features rather than hiding them. 

Read Next: How to Add Personality to Your Home

Wabi Sabi in Interior Design

When it comes to interior design, there are several ways to embrace these ideas and infuse your space with a bit of wabi sabi serenity and sophistication.

 

For many, the philosophy offers a new take on minimalism, as it encourages you to curate a considered collection of things you really love, creating timeless interiors that reflect who you are. 

Natural, Weathered Materials

Furniture made from reclaimed wood or pieces that have otherwise been weathered is ideal for embracing wabi sabi notions of imperfection and the cycle of change.

 

Weathered wood with scratches, chips, dents and stains hints at a past life full of rich history. These flaws become valuable parts of the furniture, lending it a sense of character and individuality that can’t be replicated with newly-made, mass-market products. 

Neutral Colour Palette

A neutral colour palette that utilises white, cream, beige, brown and black tones provides a wonderfully soothing backdrop. Wabi sabi is often concerned with simplicity, and focusing on calming or natural colours is an easy way to tap into that sense of straightforward, unfussy style.

 

Organic, earthy colours like muted moss green, mustard yellow, terracotta or dusty pink can also work well to highlight a connection to nature and bring a bit of extra tranquillity into your home. 

Personal Touches 

Let authenticity be your guiding force here. The idea of wabi sabi is deeply connected to our personal connections to the world around us and how we view it. Embrace this by displaying sentimental and personal pieces that say something about you and your relationship to your surroundings.

 

This is a great chance to show off heirlooms that have been handed down or collected art that captures a particular moment in your life. 

Functionality & Minimalism

Spaces that engage with wabi sabi most successfully often feel cosy and lived in, rather than being too concerned with looking perfect all the time. But lived-in doesn’t have to mean cluttered; in fact, paring back your space to include only functional pieces and a few carefully selected items you love is a great way to hone in on the concepts held within the philosophy.

 

Traditional Japanese furniture offers a brilliant example of how highly functional solutions can be combined with evocative design that brings character to a space without it feeling dishevelled. 

Engage all the Senses

To further add this authentic, lived-in feel, consider how sound, smell and touch play a role in the space. Candles, incense or room spray are great at making your interiors feel more specific to you, as well as creating pleasant environments to spend time in.

 

Similarly, water features or other ambient sounds can prompt a more considered connection to your environment that goes beyond how it looks. 

Asymmetry

Embrace pieces of all shapes, sizes and silhouettes for a naturally flowing space that reflects the diversity of the natural world. From combining slender vases and squat decorative bowls to playing with different heights throughout the room, embracing an asymmetrical design will make your interior feel more organic and layered. 

Embrace Antique Furniture

Bringing old or antique furniture into your interiors is another simple yet incredibly effective way to put you on the wabi sabi path. Furniture that is hundreds of years old but still retains unmatched levels of refinement and beauty perfectly showcases the idea that we should embrace that which ages and changes over time.

 

It’s these changes and visual reminders of the past that give antique furniture an appealing significance. 

Let Items Age With Grace

In a similar vein, if you notice wear and tear in your space, find ways to embrace this instead of making sure everything looks brand new all the time. Cherish those scratches on your wooden chairs and delight in emerging patinas – change and the transition from one state into the next are parts of life we should celebrate. 

Romanticise the Everyday 

Find the beauty in everyday items and moments, refining your normal routine to allow you to slow down and appreciate the little things. Craft your interior design around what you enjoy to turn the mundane into something special.

 

This could mean setting up the perfect stage for your morning coffee with an expertly curated coffee table or simply making your bed with gorgeous woven throws and bedspreads to ensure you return to a cosy haven each night.  

Wabi sabi is not just a trend or a design style; it is a way of looking at the world. Part of the beauty of it is that there’s no perfect formula for getting it right – there are so many ways to embrace its core teachings in your home and life.

 

If you’ve been inspired to embrace the imperfect yet beautiful, our selection of Japanese, Indian and Chinese antique furniture and home decor offers just that! Each of our antique pieces is sympathetically restored to ensure they maintain their sense of unique character and history. 
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