Creating an Urban Oasis with Japandi-Industrial

Back before the world slowed down due to Covid, a good friend of mine took a bold step in the heart of New York City. They moved into an old manufacturing building that had been lovingly converted into studio apartments. Initially, they tried decorating with a pure Japandi style, known for its tranquility and minimalistic approach. However, the inherent industrial vibes of the apartment—think exposed pipes and rough concrete floors—clashed with the soft, serene elements of Japandi. Since I was in NYC on a several-month project, I was invited to help with my friend's design. Through trial and error, we discovered the beauty of blending these two distinct styles. We think of this hybrid as Japandi-Industrial, a unique design that incorporated elements of each to create an urban oasis that felt right at home amid the city's bustling backdrop. In this post, I’ll share some Design Inspirations to help you visualize and perhaps incorporate elements of Japandi, Industrial, and Japandi-Industrial into your own space. We'll also check out a few items and collections from Home Trends & Design that can be used in this style.

If you remember from some of my past blog posts, these Design Inspirations use AI image-generation prompts to try to create images that I use to try to capture the essence of a design, but also take new (and admittedly, sometimes humorous) twists and turns, and occasionally inspire new design ideas and perspectives--and if I can tie in a few items we have for sale at Haiku Designs, I think my boss will be happy, too. Anyway, I hope you enjoy my Japandi-Industrial Design Inspirations.

Background on Japandi, Industrial and Japandi-Industrial Design

AI Prompt: "Please generate a picture of an Industrial Living Room."  Notice the rugged and raw industrial elements, like exposed ducting, brick, metal accents, reclaimed wood, and big factory-style windows.

Industrial Design focuses on raw and unfinished elements. Exposed brick, steel beams, and visible mechanical elements often dominate the space, reflecting its functional, factory-like origins.

AI Prompt: "Please generate a picture of a Japandi-style Living Room that I can use to compare to the Industrial one."  Notice the wood and calmer tones. It feels simpler and slower-paced.

 

Japandi, on the other hand, is a style that marries the modern-rustic vibe of Scandinavian design with the traditional elegance of Japanese aesthetics. It emphasizes minimalism, natural materials, and a calm, earthy color palette that brings peace and tranquility to any space.

AI Prompt: "Focusing on the natural wood, please create a realistic picture of a comfortable 'Japandi-Industrial' living room featuring a coffee table, side table and end table with a lighter-colored sofa and Industrial decor." Notice with the natural elements, the room feels more tranquil, while still matching the Industrial space.

 

Japandi-Industrial is our bespoke blend, tailored to harmonize the stark functionality of Industrial elements with the soft, natural touch of Japandi. This style is perfect for bringing a sense of nature and calm to more urban environments.

Japandi-Industrial Design in the Living Room

In the living room, choosing natural wood occasional tables instead of the typical reclaimed pallet wood can shift the aesthetic more towards Japandi. However, to maintain a touch of the Industrial vibe, we pair these wooden pieces with stark black metal legs— a nod to the urban roots of the style.

AI Prompt: "Please create another image of a living room with Japandi-Industrial influences." Notice the browns of the wood accents and softer beige coloring of the sofa makes the space warmer than the stark black and white Industrial space. The grains on the wood tops bring the nature, while the stark black legs keep the matching industrial feel.

 

Pictured: Photo of the Home Trends & Design Elliston Living Room pieces, the Elliston Sheesham Coffee Table and Elliston Sheesham Side Table. Match with the Elliston Console Table, some greenery and a softer functional Innovation Living sofa bed with black metal or dark wood legs, perhaps the Malloy or Cassius Quilt, and you're looking a lot more Japandi-Industrial with the brick wall.

The color palette in an industrial space typically features darker, more monochromatic tones. Materials like brick and concrete, metal, glass, etc, are all cold. In contrast, Japandi favors softer, neutral colors, making your space more inviting. By blending these palettes, we create a Japandi-Industrial style that balances warmth with urban edge.

Japandi-Industrial in the Dining Room

AI Prompt: "Please create a Japandi-Industrial Dining Space, but use Live Edge on the dining tables."  Looks like the AI did its job, creating the Live Edge. Notice the Industrial style room, windows, lighting. 

In the dining room, we might choose a natural wood table with a live edge to highlight the Japandi influence, emphasizing the beauty of unrefined nature. The chairs and benches, while echoing the form and function typical of industrial design, bring durability and a utilitarian perspective to the dining experience.

AI Prompt: "Please generate another Japandi-Industrial Dining Room, but consider more natural elements".  It kind of got the message and put more plants.  Notice the chairs with thin black metal frames (like the Melbourne or Grandby)--another Industrial touch, too. The natural light is good. Also, notice the Shoji-Screen-like room divider on the left, great for allowing natural light to reach inner living spaces while maintaining privacy.

Along with Industrial-style lighting, for Japandi-Industrial, incorporating natural light and plant life is crucial, too. I've even seen water features used here, too.  Especially when you can't get out into nature as often as you like, bringing grounding materials like this makes your space your own. These elements introduce a hint of the natural world, transforming the dining area into a part of your urban jungle oasis.

Pictured: Elliston Sheesham Live Edge Dining Table, Sheesham Live Edge Dining Benches, and Elliston Sheesham Dresser, posing as a Sideboard. Home Trends & Design has lots of items that can match a Japandi-Industrial look.

Eco-Friendliness of Japandi-Industrial Designs

Like any designs Japandi-Industrial can be as Eco-Friendly and Sustainable as you make it. Haiku Designs makes it easy by curating our collections to help you make quality choices for whatever design you're looking for. Industrial designs focus on factory and industrial looks, giving us a great opportunity for reclaimed, upcycled and repurposed materials. Industrial pieces from Home Trends & Design regularly feature upcycled materials. Japandi designs prioritize natural elements like wood. The sheesham wood highlighted in the Elliston pieces above, for example, can be over-harvested, but if you select quality pieces like the ones in our collection from Home Trends & Design, you can rest easy knowing the wood is harvested sustainably from Mango Foundation and FSC certified forests.

Is Japandi-Industrial Right for My Space?

Japandi-Industrial is a design style that thrives in the right environment. If your space features exposed beams, ducts, large industrial windows, or brick, this style might be perfect for you. Consider substituting natural elements for manufactured ones and think strategically about the placement of natural light and plants to bring life into your urban setting. Remember, even traditional or purely Japandi designs can benefit from the occasional industrial accent or conversation piece, especially if it resonates more with your personal style and the architectural character of your space.

Creating a Japandi-Industrial interior is about more than just blending two styles—it’s about creating a space that reflects both the bustle of city life and the tranquility of nature, a true urban oasis.

I hope you have enjoyed my Design Inspirations and exploration of Japandi-Industrial elements. Thank you for reading.

Miko Tanaka, Haiku Designs Blogger

P.S. I would love to hear your thoughts on these interesting Japandi-Industrual Design Inspirations. Which design inspired you the most? Share your ideas and plans for integrating these themes into your own spaces. Follow us on  the Haiku Designs Facebook Page for more inspiration!