Wabi Sabi, Beauty In Imperfection
By nora bouz - Well-being building designer
“Beauty isn’t all about just nice loveliness. Beauty is about more rounded, substantial becoming. So I think beauty, in that sense, is about an emerging fullness, a greater sense of grace and elegance, a deeper sense of depth, and also a kind of homecoming for the enriched memory of your unfolding life.”
– John O’Donohue, On Being Interview
The magical and poetic breath of O’Donohue, the Irish poet and philosopher, brought Wabi-sabi to mind, the expression of understated elegance and the Japanese pantheon of aesthetics.
Derived from Zen Buddhism and Cha-no-yu (the way of tea), Wabi-sabi cherishes and celebrates beauty in imperfection, incompletion and impermanence. Although Wabi-sabi doesn’t translate accurately into English, today, it is translated as “rustic beauty” and “serenity that comes with age.”
The representation of Wabi-sabi in our lives and homes offers an opportunity to turn away from the modern world’s relentless pursuit of perfection that leads to stress and anxiety and invites meaning, tranquillity and unique beauty, re-establishing our connections to the inner and natural worlds.
Wabi-sabi is generally characterized with “asymmetry, roughness, simplicity, economy, austerity, modesty, intimacy, and the appreciation of both natural objects and the forces of nature.” I have to admit most words describing Wabi-sabi move me and speak in a poetic language my heart melts for.
Photo: Seres
Although there is a drive for the new and shiny, newness might come with unfamiliarity, and the polished and squeaky-clean might come with aloofness. Wabi-sabi cherishes the passing of time and loving use and encourages us to stay content with what we have instead of constantly seeking more. This connects today to the concept of economy and sustainability, where we can use what we already have by repurposing and re-using. In that, there is a great sense of individuality and uniqueness seldom found in the new.
So what home feels like, smells like, and looks like, is our intimate idea and expression of beauty. This leads me to the question; how would we embody the essence of Wabi-sabi in our homes?
Imperfection
At home, it’s about ease, comfort, slowing down and rejuvenation. When our physical environment reflects these attributes, it acts as a reminder of how to be in life. There is a great sense of freedom in accepting and celebrating what is.
Sometimes there is a need for the new, and within that context, we can recreate the feeling of the familiar, unique, simple and intimate. Sometimes, people go out of their way to mimic the old and worn-out in a way that is not true to who they are and their experience and history. Such spaces might elicit feelings of disconnect and estrangement over time.
Asymmetric Fireplace Wall
A well-designed asymmetrical fireplace wall provides unique beauty due to its balance and harmony. It speaks to the informal and casual and supports an environment of comfort and ease.
Textured Wall
A subtle and natural texture of cob, clay, plaster, or perhaps using techniques such as sponging, colour washing, crackling, adding sand or fine straw to paint… will bring the feel and presence of nature indoors in its rawness and depth.
Reclaimed and Weathered Wood
Whether using it on the exterior or interior walls or floors, I find re-using old wood planks meet several characteristics of wabi-sabi such as roughness, economy, modesty and history. With that, we also choose to have a sustainable approach to new construction.
Antiques
A worn-out piece of furniture, whether a chest, mirror, table or chair passed through generations, enriches the present with the depth of history and cherishes the passing of time and celebrates ageing.
Photo: Makhno Studio
Un-matching Furniture
Staying with simplicity, harmony and subtlety, putting together un-matching furniture opens the door to slipping gently into the comfort of informality and familiarity.
Incomplete
Since the beginning of my interior design career, I have noticed a tendency towards designs that allow change, and I would leave some corners of my clients’ homes unfinished, undesigned. I felt there was a need to leave space for change and evolvement.
Art by Alice Neel
A few years later, when I learned about Wabi-sabi, I realized the value and depth of this tendency; the law of impermanence: everything in our world, including us, is in constant flux. A rigid and complete design that doesn’t allow change or evolvement is flawed. The subtle representation of the incomplete is a reminder of what might be and possibilities of what could unfold.
Art
In addition to leaving undesigned corners and areas in the home, art is another way to mirror incompleteness. Whether it’s your art or someone else’s, displaying art that reflects incompletion brings these attributes to the forefront of awareness. Easily flowing lines and clours and suggestive art also support the Wabi-sabi way.
Simplicity
In his book Wabi-Sabi Simple, Richard Powell writes, “Wabi-Sabi is a way of life that appreciates and accepts complexity while at the same time values simplicity. […] nothing lasts, nothing is finished, and nothing is perfect.”
And I love this quote by Natalie Babbitt, a writer and illustrator “Like all magnificent things, it’s very simple.”
Colour Palette
A simple colour palette that evolves around harmonizing and layering colours sets the foundation for simplicity in our personal environment. The secret lies in the harmonious use of the nuances of colour.
Furniture Arrangement
Choosing comfort and “less is more,” a furniture arrangement can be an irresistible invitation to relax, let go and melt into the stillness of presence.
Photo: Makhno Studio
Meaning
The author Andrew Juniper writes, “If an object or expression can bring about, within us, a sense of serene melancholy and a spiritual longing, then that object could be said to be wabi-sabi.”
Like everything around us, objects have energy and can elicit feelings in us. When an object has history, like a chair passed through generations, or an original work of art that carries the essence of its creator, or a box that travelled with us and witnessed many eras of our lives, or a shell that holds the heart of the ocean; these objects bring their own unique spirit and meaning and elicit emotions might be deep in our being.
Embracing Wabi-sabi
Looking at nature for inspiration and following one’s intuition are two great ways to bring this style and philosophy into our homes and spaces. Being authentic and embodying the essence of Wabi-sabi in your approach will take you on a journey of discovery, ease, and enjoyment.
Embracing Wabi-sabi helps us be mindful of the environment, appreciate the natural world, and practice economy and sustainability. When we incorporate Wabi-sabi in our homes, we feel at peace, nurtured and connected; it allows us to embrace serenity and find beauty everywhere, even in the imperfect, worn, cracked and incomplete.
“The human soul is hungry for beauty […] When we experience the Beautiful, there is a sense of homecoming. Some of our most wonderful memories are beautiful places where we felt immediately at home. We feel most alive in the presence of the Beautiful for it meets the needs of our soul.”