Post by Kyle St. Romain.
Asian inspired design embodies most of the traits I look for in a bedroom: minimalistic furnishings, clean lines, and an overall feeling of tranquility. While Asian inspired design can take some careful planning to pull off, especially when you’re designing a bedroom, the rewards can be bountiful.
To help you achieve Zen in your bedroom, I’ve put together my top five cornerstone elements of Asian design.
1. Asymmetry
Several weeks ago I discussed the different ways to achieve balance, which is one of the main principles of design. To recap, the three types of balance are: Symmetrical, Asymmetrical, and Radial. Asymmetrical can be difficult to implement, but it creates the most visually interesting space.
A common example of asymmetrical design in the bedroom is the use of differing nightstands. When planning an Asian inspired bedroom, you may try to include a single nightstand on one side of the bed and an iconic sculpture (e.g., Buddha), or decorative lamp on the other You may also use two of the same nightstands, and place different objects on top of either.
2. A Touch of Nature
Asian inspired design almost always includes natural elements, such as the use of stone and wood for your furnishings and floors. A natural wool rug can also be a nice addition to an Asian themed bedroom. While it is against the general principles of Feng Shui to include living plants in the bedroom, a small plant in a large bedroom may be perfectly acceptable; it all depends on your particular space. Orchids and bamboo are two examples of smaller plants that you can incorporate in your Asian inspired bedroom.
3. Chinoiserie Furniture
Chinoiserie is the French word for “Chinese-esque,” and represents a style of furniture that emerged in France around the 18th Century. Often Chinoiserie furniture comes in dark lacquered colors with painted decorative scenes. Replicas should be easy enough to come by, and the sky is the limit if you’re planning to use real antiques. When selecting furniture for your Asian inspired bedroom, aim to keep it simple. This furniture tends to be very ornate, and you can quickly overdo it and make your bedroom feel busy.
4. Clean Lines
Clean straight lines, coupled with circular décor are what will help tie the look of your room together. Rectangular platform beds, and long straight furnishings will help keep your eyes on level. To keep the look interesting, you can include circular motifs throughout the room. The circle is an important symbol in Japanese culture, and is associated with Zen and enlightenment. Circular mirrors and sculptures are a great way to spice up the straight lines of your bedroom.
5. Minimalistic
Asian inspired bedrooms imbue a sense of minimalism. An uncluttered bedroom is essential to capturing the serenity that you should feel while in your bedroom. This is a prime example of, “less is more.” It can be easy to go overboard with purchasing interesting objects to decorate your bedroom with, but think of this as an exercise in self-restraint. If you can follow this singular rule, you’ll be well on your path to enlightenment!
These are just a few of the major points for designing an Asian themed bedroom, and the possibilities are almost limitless. The Asian cultures are diverse, and you may either choose to encompass a sort of melting pot of Asian design, or stick to one country or culture exclusively. Most importantly, designing an Asian themed bedroom should be fun.
What do you think are the essential elements of Asian design? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
