To create Asian interior design, you need to take a closer look at the culture of the world’s largest continent. The Asian style concept is mainly based on influences from the Far East, China, Japan, Malaysia, and Thailand. All of these countries, as well as the cultures in them, are very exotic and intriguing. The oriental interior has a significant influence on Western designers – this is especially evident in the Art Nouveau and Art Deco styles.
The versatility of Asian style in the interior
The indisputable merit of the Asian style of interior design lies in its fantastic versatility. Depending on your preference, it can be discreet, neutral, or exotic vibrant. For example, if the Chinese style guides you, the interior will turn out to be “dramatic”, built on the contrast of red, gold, and black; folding screens with calligraphy and ornaments with a dragon will look organic here. However, if you want to create a calm living space in an oriental style, you just need to choose the Japanese style with natural neutral tones, simple lines, and brief natural objects as decorative accessories.
How to decorate an interior in an Asian style
When it comes to Asian motives in the interior, Japanese, and Chinese design styles come to mind first. However, the Asian direction in the interior involves not only Chinese and Japanese motifs but also many more because it combines the styles of Thailand, India, Singapore, and other countries of the East.
It does not matter which culture of which country you prefer, any of the eastern countries has its flavor, and the interior with Asian motives always has a touch of oriental acuity. If you want to achieve an authentic Asian-style interior, then you better turn to an experienced designer (preferably from one of the eastern countries).
For those who like eclecticism, it is much easier to use Asian motives in the interior, combining styles from different countries.
Color in an Asian interior
Often, the Asian style is characterized by a combination of brown with bright orange or deep blue colors. At the same time, brown in no case should be mixed with pastel shades. Otherwise, all exoticism will be lost. Also, in Chinese interiors, a combination of black, glossy varnish with golden or red hues is often used.
Materials in an Asian interior
All eastern countries maintain and cultivate closeness to nature. Therefore, the use of natural materials in the interior is simply necessary. One of the unchanging elements of all Asian styles is bamboo. These can be blinds made of bamboo or bamboo rugs. You can also plant bamboo in a vase.
Asian style window decor
The look at window decoration in different countries of the East is very different. Japanese minimalism is all about bamboo blinds or curtains. And for China, the use of curtains made of heavy fabrics of dark red color with the obligatory decor with golden tassels is more typical. In one thing in the East, everyone converges – the windows must be significant.
Water in an Asian interior
For all inhabitants of the East, water has a special meaning. Water is a symbol of life, health, and family well-being. Therefore, elements related to water must be included in the interior. The Asian design is characterized by small decorative fountains located in the house. But (attention!) they must be in action because a fountain in which water does not gurgle is a bad sign. It will become more common for Europeans to install an aquarium in an apartment. It does not need to be a massive aquarium with many brightly colored fish. Even a small one, but fit in a conspicuous place, is enough. By the way, goldfish are especially honored in the East, so it is best to settle it in the aquarium.
Asian carpets
The use of carpets in such an interior is a controversial issue. If most of the design is done in Japanese style, then fluffy colored rugs will have to be abandoned. The minimalism inherent in Japan and the Japanese style will not tolerate such luxury. China is much more loyal to the use of such decorative elements, but then the carpets’ color scheme should be combined with the style of the entire room. A hot pink fluffy rug will fit perfectly into the art deco, but it will be superfluous in an Asian style.
Plants in an Asian interior
Closeness to nature, accuracy in handling it – these tendencies have always permeated the East. And if you strive to bring Asian motives into the interior, then plants will help you with this. Orchids look great in pots, growing bamboo, and, of course, bonsai trees, which have long become a symbol of the East.
Asian decor ideas
Asian interior design is characterized by clean, straight lines, which are also present in the Japanese design style. Very low furniture suits the Asian style. The room can be supplemented with accessories in the form of oriental vases, candles, and a coffee table. Some walls can be painted by hand – very often, this technique is resorted to on partitions inside the same room. Also, the interior is often complemented by a short-haired carpet, pillows, spotlighting.
When decorating a room in an Asian style, you need to remember about harmony with nature. Residents of eastern countries do not recognize the abundance of furniture – they choose multifunctional furniture, small chests of drawers, simple beds without pretentious backs, tall, smooth cabinets with a lot of drawers.
The best material here will be natural wood – often it is painted black and varnished. The Chinese and Japanese style love shiny things in the interior, so metal things are perfect as decor.
Also, furniture made of bamboo belongs to the Asian interior, bamboo blinds, rugs, napkins are welcome.
In Asian countries, they love nature, appreciate it. Therefore, in every original Asian interior, there should be vegetation.
The more living plants in the interior, the better, but you need to know when to stop in everything. Bonsai is considered the main “Asian tree”, and several pots with this tree can be placed indoors without disturbing the interior.
First of all, the Asian interior is an ample, free space with a minimum of walls. Folding screens in Asian design are used instead of walls. As a rule, these screens have an image in the form of hieroglyphs or plant patterns. As for the symbols themselves, they can be used in an Asian setting, but very carefully.
If you want to create an authentic Asian style in your home, you must first study what these or those hieroglyphs mean and then use them in the decor. In Japan and China, each symbol has its mystical meaning, so it must be used carefully not to harm the aura in the house.
Chinese style in the interior
If the Chinese style dominates in interior design, then black, red, and gold colors must be present. This style looks a little gloomy and very solemn. Particular attention will need to be paid to furniture – it should be lacquered with carvings and hand-painted furniture. Even the ideas for painting are limited: tigers, dragons, monkeys.
For a European, such an interior looks rather aggressive due to the abundance of red and its combination with black. In the European tradition, red is the color of blood, and black is death. However, such an understanding is unacceptable for China because red is the primary color for this country. Red symbolizes good luck. There should be a lot of this color.
Large vases or fish figures made in classic white or blue will help relieve the interior.
Japanese style in the interior
The Japanese style is not similar to the Chinese. You will not see sharp black and red combinations here. And bright colors in the Japanese style are not welcome. Most of all, the interior in this style is suitable for lovers of minimalism. The Japanese style is forgiven and calm.
Natural materials serve as the basis for such interior decoration because the goal of this style is to get closer to nature. Wood, bamboo, paper, and stones are essential elements of an Asian style with a dominant Japanese line. The interior color scheme will consist of green, gray, brown, and shades. The ease of space is ensured by the rejection of brick partitions inside the apartment. Folding screens are actively used.
The Japanese style accessories are also attractive: these can be bonsai or magnificent silk panels with embroidery.
But furniture in Japanese style is a big problem for a European. Therefore, when designing an Asian-style interior, designers rarely borrow Japanese furniture trends. Beds and sofas are not accepted in this country. In the living room, there are floor cushions on which you can sit. But the bed in Japan is replaced by a mattress made of cotton. In most cases, the most straightforward wood furniture is selected for such an interior to match the room’s primary colors.
A modern approach on Asian design traditions
Eastern culture has a rich history and traditions, but this does not mean that they should remain unshakable. As in many other areas, design continually mixes old and new styles. The result is often fantastic: the modernized Asian style looks fresh, unique, and straightforward, but it frequently draws ideas from old, proven solutions.
Check out some modern Asian-style interiors:
Conclusions + Asian interior photo gallery
Asian culture was formed apart from the European one, which is why the East amazes us, captivates and excites us. The originality of this region’s countries is expressed in everything: traditions, clothing, music, and, of course, the interior.
If you want to create an interior in Asian style or partially fill your home with Asian motives, you should remember that the most important rule of the East is harmony. It is she who is lacking for the inhabitants of modern cities. Perhaps, having decorated an apartment in an Asian style, you can find balance within yourself.
