1. Calm, clear, pure, wide open-Reduce the color palette to calm, ‘quiet’ colors (like neutrals, water and earth tones)
-Gradually take away all clutter, including small decorative items (visually, they are clutter as well), things you don’t actually use, things with an obvious pattern, area rugs (particularly if they’re colorful and eye-catching)
-Clear the space (walls, floor, tables and other furniture).
When you look at this list, you might find that Zen interior design is a very radical concept. But it doesn’t have to be. You could, for example, start with one area, even a very small one; if you have a home office, it could just be one part of your desk. Decide that nothing is going to disturb this free, clear, calm space. No decoration, nothing.
Is there a part of your home that would be suitable as a Zen interior decorating test space? Just experiment a little. What color(s) do you want to have here? What materials? How would you like to express calmness, clarity, purity and openness?
2. Conscious awareness.
Reducing the decor in your home can have a very calming effect. The less there is to stimulate your senses, the more you will notice what is there, and how it affects you. Which brings me to the next aspect of Zen interior decorating …
3. Loving kindness.
Some people think that Zen interior design has to be sparse and spartan, that it's about denying yourself creature comforts. But that's not how I understand it. You could express loving kindness through the materials you use, and the things you surround yours
elf with. Are they pleasing to the senses? What do they look, feel, smell, sound, and taste like? Is your furniture comfortable? Do you feel at ease with the things around you? Are they welcoming to others?
Zen interior design really isn't about living in empty rooms. It's about creating true well-being, for body and soul.
4. Meditation
There are many ways you can focus and calm your mind using home decor. For example, pictures or natural objects can help you enter a clear mind-state, and they definitely have their place in Zen interior decorating. The fewer and simpler they are, the better:
pebbles
a piece of driftwood
a flower
a picture of a waterfall
a seascape
...All of these can work beautifully in Zen interior design.
The Look of Zen Interior Decorating
Let's take another look at the idea that Zen interior design is more or less the same as giving your home a "Japanesey" appearance. After all, you’ve read this far, and hardly a word about Japan yet! Well, Buddhism originated in India and then ‘traveled’ north to China. Zen as a practice was first established in China, about 1500 years ago (it was called Ch’an). It spread to Vietnam, Korea, Japan, later to Europe and the USA, and is now practiced in many parts of the world. Sure, the word ‘Zen’ is Japanese, and the first Zen teachers that came to the West were Japanese. But there are many non-Japanese 'schools’ of this type of spiritual practice. And while traditional Japanese interiors are exquisitely stylish, pure, and gorgeous, Zen interior design really doesn’t need to ‘look Japanese’ at all. Any style that is not ornate or frilly can work. If you pare it down enough to fit the following list of criteria, you’ll be fine.
Elements of Zen interior design:
-Clean lines: nothing that's visually busy
-Open, clear spaces (zero clutter)
-Natural, beautiful but unfussy materials
-High quality but simple furnishings: nothing ‘bling’, no high-maintenance stuff, nothing that grabs attention or tries to impress
-Low-impact colors taken from nature, a minimum of (subtle) pattern
-Quality rather than quantity
-A calm overall look (you get enough stimulation when you step outside the front door!)
By using Zen interior design you'll create a peaceful, inspiring home that looks good without looking dressed up.
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