A slightly lopsided, hand-thrown ceramic bowl. A wooden table whose top bears the marks of years of shared meals. A crumpled linen sheet that has never seen an iron. To many, these are flaws. In Japan, that’s where true beauty lies. This way of looking at the world has a name: wabi-sabi (or wabi sabi, without a hyphen).
As much a Japanese way of life as it is an aesthetic, it encourages us to appreciate what is simple, natural, and marked by wear and the passage of time. Far from industrial perfection and mass-produced items, it champions authenticity and remains deliberately modest. In this article, we explain where this concept comes from, what it truly means, and how to incorporate it into your home—from the living room to the bedroom.
What Is Wabi-Sabi? A Definition of the Beauty of Imperfect Things
Wabi-sabi (侘寂) is a worldview rooted in Japanese aesthetics, centered on the acceptance of impermanence and imperfection. Architect and theorist Leonard Koren, author of the 1994 seminal work *Wabi-Sabi for Artists, Designers, Poets & Philosophers*, sums it up as follows: it is “the beauty of imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete things,” as reported by Japan Experience.
What do “wabi” and “sabi” mean?
The word combines two distinct concepts that are difficult to translate:
- Wabi evokes a simple, unadorned beauty, as well as the modesty and sense of fulfillment one feels when in the presence of nature.
- Sabi evokes patina—the beauty that time or human labor bestows upon things.
Together, they celebrate what is humble, natural, fleeting, and sometimes unconventional: a beauty that does not seek to shine. It is beauty in imperfection.
Where does wabi-sabi come from?
This aesthetic has its roots in Zen Buddhist thought (it is also sometimes associated with Taoism), and more specifically in the teaching of impermanence, known as mujō. But it was through the tea ceremony that it took shape.
For a long time, the tea ceremony was a lavish affair, during which precious objects imported from China were displayed. In the 15th century, according to Wikipedia and Japan Experience, the Zen monk Murata Jukō (1423–1502) transformed it by emphasizing simple, handcrafted utensils. About a century later, the tea master Sen no Rikyū carried on this tradition, emphasizing local craftsmanship and a tea house modeled after a humble peasant hut. This vision of beauty then became a way of life.
Kintsugi, a powerful symbol
The most famous expression of this concept is undoubtedly kintsugi, which involves repairing broken pottery with lacquer dusted with gold. Rather than hiding the crack, it is highlighted. Broken ceramics are not thrown away: the crack becomes an ornament, and the repair becomes part of the object’s life. The object becomes more precious than before, bearing its own history.
Other artisanal traditions embody this spirit, such as raku ceramics—handcrafted pieces with an irregular, crackled appearance—as highlighted by Japan Experience. A far cry from smooth, perfect porcelain, each bowl is one of a kind.
The Key Principles of the Wabi-Sabi Philosophy
Wabi-sabi is based on three simple ideas that resonate deeply with the way we design our products at Kipli:
- Imperfection: Nothing is perfect, and that's just fine. An irregularity, an asymmetry, or a trace of the hand give things a soul.
- Impermanence: everything changes, everything ages. Rather than fighting against time, we learn to appreciate what it leaves behind: the patina of wood, the softness of linen that has been washed a thousand times.
- Simplicity: We do away with the superfluous, the incidental, and the ostentatious to retain only the essentials, chosen with care. A form of restraint and modesty.
It's really just another way of saying what has always guided us: it doesn't take much to be happy.
How can you incorporate a wabi-sabi decor style into your home?
Raw and natural materials
This style favors natural materials that evolve over time: solid wood, linen, wool, ceramic, stone, and terracotta. They bear the marks of their origin and develop a patina rather than deteriorating. Their rustic, irregular textures invite you to touch them. Organic shapes and matte finishes should be prioritized. Conversely, plastic, glossy surfaces, and synthetic materials should be avoided. To learn more about linen, discover this fabulous yet underappreciated material.
Handmade items that tell a story
No two pieces of this kind are ever exactly alike—that’s the very essence of artisanal ceramics and handmade furniture. This is true of our MARA ceramic pendant light, handcrafted from clay and glazes from Catalonia: each piece is hand-thrown, making every one unique. Similarly, our BAOBAB organic wood coffee table, made of solid ash enhanced with a natural oil, is handcrafted in our workshop in Italy, near Turin: each table is crafted there as a one-of-a-kind piece. To learn more about the history of this collection, read “The Baobab Collection: A Story of Roots, Shapes, and Balance.”
A palette of natural colors
When it comes to colors, this decor draws inspiration from nature: beige, sand, clay, stone gray, brown, ochre, moss green, and terracotta. These soft, earthy hues—often used in monochromatic schemes—are soothing to the eye.
Emptiness and the Essential
This style allows the space to breathe. Fewer things, but pieces that matter. A bare wall, a sparsely filled shelf, a clear table: just as in traditional Japanese architecture, empty space is part of the composition. We keep a few everyday objects—beautiful and useful.
How do you create a wabi-sabi bedroom?
The bedroom is the perfect place to embrace this mindset every day: a room that invites calm, where you can slow down.
Sleeping close to the floor, on a futon. In Japan, people traditionally sleep on a futon spread out on the floor: a humble, unpretentious sleeping surface that lets the room breathe. Our natural futon embodies this simplicity. It is handcrafted in France, in the Aveyron region, with a cover made of untreated ecru linen, grown and woven in France. Its core is made of French wool—cleaned without soap or chemical treatments—or organic cotton. It can be placed directly on the floor or on a slatted bed frame. And because nothing goes to waste, after about ten years, you can have the filling replaced—a very wabi-sabi idea. To find the one that’s right for you, read our guide on how to choose a Japanese futon.
Pre-washed linen bedding. Its crinkled look and natural texture make it the ideal fabric for this style: it doesn’t need to be ironed, and it gets softer with each wash. Our pre-washed linen duvet cover is woven from linen grown in France and Belgium. Explore our entirebedding collection.
Solid wood. Solid wood develops a beautiful patina over the years rather than deteriorating. Furniture with simple lines creates a serene atmosphere in the bedroom.
Wool textiles. A throw draped at the foot of the bed—like our GOYA merino wool throw made from Woolmark-certified wool—adds warmth and texture.
Soft lighting. Choose a lamp with warm, subdued light, and let natural light in during the day.
In Everyday Life: A State of Mind
Beyond decoration, it's a way of life. Wabi-sabi invites us to:
- Keep and repair rather than throw away and replace, following the example of kintsugi. We discuss this in the context of passing objects down through generations: a new way of consuming.
- Accept that things age, and see it as a good sign. That’s exactly what we explain in “A Mattress Over Time”: how it changes, and why that’s a good sign.
- Choose fewer, but better items: durable pieces made from natural materials and crafted with care.
- Slow down and savor the moment.
- Be kind to yourself: our imperfections are also part of our beauty.
Wabi-sabi, Japandi, minimalism: What are the differences?
It is sometimes confused with other styles. Minimalism seeks simplicity: a minimalist interior often features smooth, flawless surfaces with very clean lines; wabi-sabi, on the other hand, embraces the irregular and the weathered. Japandi, a blend of Japanese and Scandinavian design, borrows some of its elements (light wood, simple lines, neutral tones), but remains a decorative style, whereas wabi-sabi is first and foremost a philosophy. It doesn’t need to be new or perfect—it just needs to be authentic.
Kipli, of course.
Written by the Kipli team, specialists in natural sleep since 2018. The information on wabi-sabi is based on the works of Leonard Koren, Japan Experience, and Wikipedia; product information is taken from our product pages.