Recently, many people have been decorating the interior of their home, if not completely, then at least partially, in the Japanese style.
And this is not surprising, because the simplicity, sophistication, conciseness and restraint of the East has always attracted and beckoned. But such an interior will look thoughtful and complete only if all the details fit perfectly into the overall composition. This is why it is so important to choose high-quality Japanese-style curtains for your apartment.
Japanese curtains are a thick or translucent fabric stretched over wooden or plastic slats to almost the entire height of the wall. Typically, the width of such curtains is in the range of 40-80 cm. To install such curtains, special curtain rods are used, which allow up to five curtains to be placed simultaneously.
You can create a masterpiece with your own hands!
Home textile stores sell a variety of Japanese curtains to suit every taste and budget. But you can also try to make Japanese curtains with your own hands.
If you have at least a minimal understanding of working with a sewing machine, this activity will not cause you any difficulties. In addition, you will need to make a frame. But before you make Japanese curtains with your own hands, you need to familiarize yourself with their style features, selection rules, and so on.
Style features of Japanese curtains
Textiles in Japanese style play the same important role as in other interiors.
A distinctive feature of this interior design is restraint, conciseness, minimalism and play of shades. Of course, the modernized Japanese style is considered more free; it allows the use of various prints and combined textures. But we recommend that you still adhere to the basic canons, otherwise your interior will be no different from an ordinary European one.
The main feature of Japanese curtains is the ability to use them in different styles. They combine perfectly with various modern accessories, emphasizing the lightness and airiness of the interior.
In addition, you can layer them to your liking, creating a unique play of light. It is usually customary to layer several transparent sheets, which will overlap each other by moving them to one side. But this will be possible if you install the cornice on several rows of canvases.
Japanese-style curtains are also very popular because they can be used to easily zone a space. If you place them in the middle of the room, you get a kind of partition that very elegantly separates one area of the room from another. Such a partition is often used in studio apartments, as well as in small spaces that need to be separated from each other, for example, in combined bathrooms, bedrooms with dressing rooms, and so on. At your request, curtain rods for such curtains can be equipped with an automatic opening system - closing, but this is not necessary.
Some people deliberately leave the curtains manually “adjusted” in order to move them differently each time. If you have not previously used fabrics with a complex pattern for curtains, fearing that the folds and tails simply will not allow your guests to see it, then with Japanese curtains you no need to worry about it. The fabric on them is perfectly smoothed, does not wrinkle or gather in folds. Therefore, any print, pattern, photo print or design you choose will be perfectly visible from all sides!
Design
The design of Japanese curtains fully corresponds to the view of life of the inhabitants of the Land of the Rising Sun: “Everything that clutters your home, clutters your life.” Their individuality is revealed only through experiments with the texture and color of the fabric.
Any accessories in such curtains are excluded, and the panels from which they consist are required to have a clear, straight shape. Therefore, in order for Japanese partitions to fit harmoniously into the interior, it must be laconic in the Japanese way - filled with everything necessary and free from everything unnecessary. It should not be overloaded with bulky large furniture, textiles and an abundance of decorative elements.
Most often, rooms that perform several functions or are intended to accommodate two or more people need to be divided into zones. This could be a studio room, a living room with a sleeping area, a children's room for two teenagers, a kitchen combined with a dining room, a bathroom combined with a toilet. Using Japanese curtains, any of these and similar rooms can be easily divided into autonomous areas and just as easily reunited into a single space.
Where to use Japanese curtains in the interior?
Many people have a strong association with the fact that the Japanese curtain-partition is used only in home interiors. But it is not so. It is customary to use it in any room that needs to be filled with freshness, lightness, airiness, without forgetting rigor, restraint and functionality.
Of course, the most common use for such curtains is in residential areas.
But even in them, a partition made of canvases on wooden slats can be used in different ways: First of all, they are used to decorate windows. The advantage of Japanese curtains is that they will perfectly decorate not only a wide, but even a small window opening, visually enlarging it. For a living room or kitchen, you can get by with one row of canvases made of translucent fabrics. Of course, they will not hide the room from the bright light of the sun or moon, but at the same time they will create amazing shimmers in the room.
Emerging through the translucent canvas, the light will fill the entire room with a magical glow. But for a bedroom or children's room, you can use several rows of Japanese curtains, made of both thick and translucent fabrics. You can not only hide the moonlight, but also interestingly complement the interior, each time arranging the canvas differently. Japanese canvas curtains Perfect for functional division of space. If the apartment has a combined bathroom, for greater convenience of all family members it can be divided into two zones: toilet and bathroom.
If you need to allocate an area for a dressing room, the easiest way to do this is to use a Japanese curtain. To do this, you will need to stretch it from the ceiling to the floor. In the same way, you can highlight a relaxation area in the living room. You can use such textiles in any way your imagination tells you. In addition to residential interiors, Japanese curtains are used in themed oriental restaurants and cafes, in offices, as well as shops.
Features of the interior in Japanese style
Japanese-style interiors are a special philosophy, a way to know yourself, become closer to nature and dissolve in it. That is why Japanese-style design denies the pretentiousness of the environment, avoids excesses and artificial (non-natural) materials. Japanese style is defined by several characteristics:
- minimalism is the main and main rule that is observed in everything related to the interior. No unnecessary things, no frills: only necessary things that will be useful in everyday life. Most items are hidden in built-in cabinets or on closed shelves painted to match the walls, making them almost impossible to distinguish. This is why space seems empty, uncluttered
In a Japanese interior, everything is in its place and without frills
Wood, stone, water and details neatly arranged on shelves: an incomparable symphony of exquisite taste
- the power of emptiness - by European standards, Japanese interior is an empty space, with a minimum of furniture. Indeed, there is a lot of air here, energy circulates freely, which, according to Japanese tradition, is vital
Light, space and laconicism are the basis of an elegant and comfortable interior
- colors - no bright, flashy colors. Japanese style is a cloudless sky, sea foam and faded autumn leaves, cherry blossoms, a full moon and coastal stones. The predominant shades are natural, pastel: beige, milky, pearl, dark brown, sand, cream. Often there are interiors decorated in contrasting colors - black and white. Red and green colors are used very rarely, and even in this case - in extremely dark or very light, not bright, muted shades
Pleasant and discreet natural colors create a real philosophy of comfort
- unity with nature - in a traditional Japanese country house, the landscape is a direct continuation and addition to the interior, which is why the walls facing the terrace are retractable. When decorating an apartment, the Japanese give exceptional preference to natural and natural materials, using wood instead of stone. Instead of massive walls, there are light partitions or screens made of bamboo or rice paper. The floor is wooden, the same reliable and durable bamboo, the walls are covered with wooden panels, the curtains are exclusively natural, made of linen or silk.
Natural materials make this bathroom truly luxurious
Advice! Indoor plants in a Japanese bedroom are expressive and laconic, strict bonsai, graceful orchids, and not huge ficuses or lush palm trees.
A living bush growing from the ground right in the room is a striking feature of the restrained Japanese bedroom
- furniture - in a Japanese house there is no special furniture for sleeping or sitting; all these functions are performed by a special mattress - a futon. Since all Japanese-style design is designed specifically for a seated person, the simplest idea of Japanese furniture is tables, chairs, sofas and beds from which legs are simply cut out. All Japanese furniture is low, squat in design, but quite comfortable. A Japanese wardrobe imitates walls, the facades are smooth, without decoration, with expressive carvings, and the fittings are discreet. All books are placed in special boxes: tansu, a kind of chest of drawers on wheels. A modern Japanese bed is no longer just a mattress or tatami, it is a bed familiar to a European with a headboard, only very low, without legs
Luxurious Japanese-style bedroom with minimal furniture
- accessories are on the sidelines in Japanese interiors, but they are necessary, without them the design will be imperfect. There shouldn’t be many of them: the Japanese only place a niche on one wall (where they place a vase, coffin, netsuke, ceramic plates, small porcelain) or a picture on which the main emphasis is placed. According to the Japanese, hanging several paintings on the wall at the same time is like listening to several songs at the same time. As decorations you can use mats, bamboo rugs, patterns on silk, bedspreads decorated with hieroglyphs, Buddha figurines, fans, scrolls with wise sayings, dolls for interiors
Japanese-style interior details are elegant and well-groomed
- lighting is not bright, not harsh. It resembles moonlight, it is soft, with a rich play of light and shadow, halftones relieve nervousness and stress, immerse you in a state of trance and have a relaxing effect. Most often, wall lamps and floor lamps are used as lighting fixtures, with traditional Japanese designs on the ceilings. Lampshades (chandeliers) are made of wood, parchment, natural silk, and much less often - porcelain or glass.
In the dim light of the bedside lamps, interior elements create bizarre shadows
What fabric to choose for Japanese curtains?
Traditional Japanese style involves the use of natural materials, such as cotton, linen or silk. Silk is considered one of the most expensive materials; moreover, it is impractical: it wrinkles quickly, is quite difficult to wash, and can stretch and shrink after cleaning.
But it’s simply impossible to deny his perfect appearance! Linen and cotton are considered more practical, but their cost is sometimes too high. But this is not a reason to give up the idea of making Japanese curtains with your own hands. After all, to make such canvases you will need significantly less fabric than classic curtains with many folds.
The combination of light weightless fabrics against the background of dense and heavy ones looks very interesting. Recently, interior designers have suggested using curtains made of bamboo, jute or straw fabric. You can also use combined natural fabrics mixed with synthetic ones - this increases their wear resistance, they will not stretch and fade in the sun.
Ways to control a cornice
Japanese curtains can be made from light and weightless fabrics, or from dense curtain-type fabric. Controlling their movement along the cornice is quite simple using a cord or automation.
- Manual cord control. The canvases must be independent of each other. You can move each one separately.
- Using manual control. Moreover, each panel is dependent on the neighboring one. Movement occurs in pairs and groups. If you pull both cords, the curtains will open or close together.
- For large window openings with wide leaves, the best solution is to use an automation console. This control is suitable for curtain rods with 3 to 5 guides. To activate the mechanism, just press a button on the control panel. The wire with the remote control will protrude beyond the eaves.
The materials from which curtain rods are made are plastic or metal profiles.
Make Japanese curtains with your own hands
The following instructions will help you make Japanese window curtains yourself:
First you need to decide on the width of the panels.
As we have already written, on average, one canvas varies from 40 cm to 80 cm. You need to measure the width of the wall on which the window is located (if you want the curtains to cover it completely) and divide the resulting number by the width of the panel. This way you can set the number of panels.
If the wall width is 3 m and the panels are 60 cm, you get 5 panels. But in this case they will stand close to each other. If you want one panel to overlap another, you will need to increase their number by one or two. Now you need to set the length of the panel.
To do this, you need to decide on the type of cornice: ceiling or wall. If you are doing something like this for the first time, we recommend installing a ceiling cornice on several panels - it can also be purchased at a hardware store. Now we measure the distance from the floor to the cornice + 10 cm for allowances. Now all that remains is to multiply the resulting numbers among themselves - we get the area of one canvas.
We multiply the result by the number of panels - we get the total amount of fabric. Iron the fabric well. Finish the side seams. Now we will sew Velcro to the top of the curtains.
They should be facing you. We attach previously well-ironed Velcro to the upper part, then attach it. Now we make a fold with Velcro on the reverse side, again we sew along the bottom and sides of the Velcro.
The second part of the Velcro will be attached to the moving curtain rod panel. Again, place the curtain facing you. We make a drawstring at the bottom and stitch it. You will need to put a special weighting agent in this fold that will prevent the curtains from fluttering in the wind. Everything is ready! You can attach the curtain to the curtain rod using Velcro!
We hope that our article was useful for everyone who wanted to learn how to make Japanese curtains with their own hands! Be sure to share with us your experience and useful tips in this matter!
- Author: Egor ArtamonovPrint
- Date: 04/10/2015 Comments: Rating: 24
Making partitions and curtains with your own hands is a fun, interesting and useful activity for the home.
You can make curtains with your own hands from almost any available materials. All types of fabrics are used: light and heavy, transparent and dense, plain and colored. You can also make them using the patchwork technique.
This is perhaps the most interesting of all the ways to create curtains with your own hands. Before choosing a material for curtains, you should determine which room they will be in and relate the concept to the general character of the interior. Once the general concept is determined, you can begin to select the material.
The color and material of curtain partitions depends on the room in which they will be located.
Decoration Materials
The design of a Japanese-style room does not require complex, labor-intensive and expensive surface finishing work, as well as the purchase of expensive finishing materials. To create a calm atmosphere, the following wall coverings are used:
- painting on plastered surfaces;
- bamboo or paper wallpaper;
- combined option: painted walls are partially covered with rectangular wooden panels, thick mesh or symmetrically placed slats;
- glue rice panels;
In modern Japanese-style rooms, a combined wall decoration option looks good
- delimiting the space, one wall of the room or part of it can be covered with stone mosaics or natural stone tiles;
- one wall can be distinguished by a painting repeating traditional Japanese motifs: hieroglyphs, chrysanthemums, Fuji, drawings of objects;
- an emphasis on one wall can be made using photo wallpaper with natural or plant images (bamboo groves, snow-capped mountains).
One of the walls can be decorated with a thematic pattern
A Japanese-style room (photos of the most beautiful rooms can be found in the article) always seems more spacious than it actually is. The reason is that the walls and wooden inserts are made light, which visually increases the area.
An important element of the Japanese interior are partitions and screens; for many centuries in the Land of the Rising Sun they have learned to make them in different ways:
- The structure, called fusuma, consists of thin wooden slats that are covered with rice paper or thin cloth and a pattern is applied to them for decoration. This screen folds easily, saving space.
Fusuma
- "Shoji" is the name of the scrollable section. The frame is made of wood or bamboo, covered with paper.
Shoji
Modern partitions are made of chipboard, MDF, wood, as well as imitation wood-like plastic, decorated with satin or transparent colored glass inserts. With the help of screens and partitions, the room is limited to recreation and work areas, reduced or enlarged, combined with a kitchen or hallway.
The ceiling in a Japanese-style room is never pretentious or structurally complex. Designers recommend using one of the following ceiling finishing options:
- a simple stretch ceiling that matches the tone of the wall covering;
- integrated drywall without complex elements in the form of square panels;
- ceiling modules.
Japanese style involves a simple ceiling design
An excellent design technique that allows you to simultaneously install the necessary lighting is to create a false ceiling by combining square wooden frames with lighting.
For flooring, only natural materials are used, usually wooden or bamboo boards or laminate. The color of the floor can be either dark, contrasting with the color of the walls, or light, the same color as the covering. In any room there are rugs or rugs made from materials such as:
- sisal;
- bamboo;
- jute;
- agave.
Rugs made from natural fibers, such as jute, can be placed on the floor
However, the most popular are tatami. They are made of golden straw, the edges are trimmed with ribbons, the service life of such a carpet is 6-12 months, after which replacement is required. Traditionally, tatami mats are placed on the floor so that they do not butt together, without overlapping each other.
Materials for Japanese style in a modern interior
To create an authentic Japanese-style interior, it is necessary to use materials that were available to the Japanese in the 16th and 17th centuries. These raw materials, which were mined in the island nation, were not exported and were widely available:
- wood was widely used (maple, cedar, kiri);
- natural stone tiles;
- reed, bamboo and straw;
- wicker, rattan, mats;
- silk, leather.
Of course, in a modern interior it is difficult to refuse artificial materials - surfaces made of linoleum, vinyl, acrylic and plastic have become firmly established in our lives. But natural materials can be found more affordable, but effectively imitating. Instead of wood, you can use high-quality laminate, replace natural silk with an artificial analogue, the appearance of which can only be distinguished by a professional.
Partitions
The division of rooms, the division of personal space in a common room and the assignment of zones are carried out using partitions. Wood, rice paper, and bamboo are used for this.
Advice. The more free space, the better.
Japanese style partition
Flooring: which coating is better?
The following materials were used for flooring in the old days:
- stone tiles;
- wood;
- pebbles
Comfort and practicality are created by rugs made from threads, screws or other natural materials.
Wood is often used for flooring
At the moment, the choice of materials is wider:
- ceramic tiles;
- parquet;
- laminate;
- natural wood;
- self-leveling floor
When using imitations instead of real wood, the texture should be emphasized and highlighted. And whatever finish you choose, it should create a matte finish.
You can often find an imitation of real wood
Using the cover you can carry out zoning. Multi-level structures are also used for these purposes.
Ceiling
The ceiling is the same color as the walls. It should be uniform and monochrome, so it is optimal to use stretch ceiling panels for finishing. Glossy and mirrored Japanese-style ceilings, like ceiling paintings, are also pointless. A uniformly matte ceiling matching the color of the walls is the best solution for decorating a house in the ethnic style “Land of the Rising Sun.”
Textile
Of course, textile elements are also not alien to the traditions of Japanese style. Curtains are made of silk and linen, rugs and mats are made of mats. Screens are made from cotton. There are techniques for decorating a Japanese interior using suede and even leather. The fabrics used can be printed on. They are often followed by a floral motif. Their surface can be decorated with hieroglyphs and leaves.
Japanese style window decoration
Choice of colors
The color scheme for curtains should be harmoniously combined with the overall color of the room.
It is advisable that the curtains and draperies attached to the wall openings are not much darker than the wallpaper in the room. If the entire room is decorated in dark colors, then the curtains should be quite dark, since contrasting interior design is a rather risky technique in room design. We should not forget about warm and cold colors in the interior.
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Step-by-step sewing of curtains with your own hands.
The most common way to make curtains with your own hands is to sew them by hand or on a sewing machine.
If you plan to make curtains from a homogeneous material, then the process of making them becomes extremely simple. It is enough to measure the perimeter of the window or doorway and select a piece of material that is suitable in size, color and texture. It needs to be folded along the bottom edge and a special tape attached to the top edge, to which you can attach hooks. But this is not a particularly interesting option.
For variety, you can decorate the curtains with fringe and ribbon along the bottom edge. But the most interesting technique is patchwork. This is a patchwork technique, the essence of which is as follows: small pieces of fabric of different colors, textures, patterns and sizes are taken.
These pieces are sewn together either in a random order or in accordance with a pre-thought-out layout plan. It all depends on the personal taste and preferences of the master, but in any case, you should follow a few simple rules that will help you avoid annoying mistakes and the need to redo the finished work. These are the rules:
- You should use scraps of fabric of approximately the same density. It is undesirable to use soft and elastic knitwear. Scraps of material of different densities should be distributed evenly, as otherwise deformation of the curtain panel may occur.
Making curtains with your own hands does not require any special skills, and anyone can learn this quickly enough.
You just need to stock up on materials, free time and patience. Another quite interesting option is making curtains from plant material. But it already requires some skills and knowledge in the field of processing such materials.
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Also an interesting and functional element of the interior are partitions and screens.
They allow, for example, to turn one room into two or to create a cozy place to relax in a large room.
Scheme of a screen with pockets.
Just like curtains, partitions can be an original decoration of any interior. There is a very large selection of materials and solutions.
For example, wood, bast, cardboard, fabric on a frame. It is enough to choose what you like best and what will not be difficult to work with. Wood is perhaps the least convenient material to work with, but everyone can handle the rest.
Thick cardboard partitions are an inexpensive and easy way to decorate your home. Cardboard can be processed, giving it an exquisite shape, painted with paints.
You can also try to paint it to look like wood. This will take some time and effort, but will cost less money than making a partition from natural wood. Having woodworking skills, you can create a truly unique piece of work with your own hands, but this is not available to many.
But you can make a partition yourself from twigs or bast.
The difficulty lies in choosing a frame. And already on a wooden or metal frame it will not be difficult to weave the partition itself. For stability, it is advisable to give the screen a tricuspid shape, so that one part is exactly in the middle, and the other two sides are at an angle from it.
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Folding screen diagram.
There is another great way to create a screen with your own hands - make it from fabric stretched over a frame. There is truly a huge scope for imagination: the fabric can be painted with special paints, made into patchwork, or embroidered.
A little about the technique of painting on fabric. Painting on fabric with abstract or rather conventional designs that do not require clear lines looks very beautiful. The easiest way to paint on fabric is to work without a preliminary drawing, which eliminates the possibility of creating precise outlines, unless, of course, a professional artist is working.
It should be noted that what is drawn on fabric is quite difficult to wash off or correct, so it makes sense to either practice first on unnecessary pieces of fabric (necessarily of a similar texture), or trust your taste and do everything the first time. Moreover, some carelessness will only enhance the aesthetic qualities of homemade interior items.
If you are brave enough, you can try to decorate the walls of some rooms with paintings. But you can do this: buy a ready-made inexpensive screen or partition, for example, made of plywood, and burn a drawing or abstract ornament onto the plywood. In conclusion, it should be noted that homemade interior items are not compatible with any decor: for a country house in a country style, such items are ideal, but not for an apartment in an elite building with an expensive European-quality renovation made from modern materials.
1Installation of partitions begins with preparing the room
1. The walls, floor and ceiling must be clean and dry where the partition is located.
2. Using a construction cord, draw a line for the location of the partition on the floor. Using a level and plumb line, continue this line onto the walls and ceiling.
3. Direct installation of plasterboard partitions begins with attaching a metal guide profile
2Attaching the metal guide profile
1.
Cut the profiles to the required length, keeping in mind that the bottom profile will be interrupted at the door location. In these places, bend the profile at a right angle upward to a height of 15-20 cm, cutting its side surfaces using metal scissors (you can also use wire cutters or a hacksaw). 2.Using dowels and self-tapping screws, screw the profiles to the floor every 60 cm.
Screw the second profile to the ceiling so that it is exactly above the bottom profile.3. Place the first vertical profile (the length of the profile should be equal to the height between the floor and the ceiling minus 1 cm) and screw it to one of the lower profiles bent at the corner and to the top profile. Replace the door by placing the door frame against the vertical profile. Check the verticality of the door frame and screw it to the profile using self-tapping screws.
4. Place a horizontal profile with upward-curved ends 15-20 cm high on the crossbar of the door frame. Screw it to the door frame and to the first vertical profile.5. Place a second vertical profile along the door frame and insert it into the top and bottom profiles. Screw it down.
6. Duplicate the vertical profiles between the top of the door frame and the top profile in order to give them greater rigidity.
7.Insert vertical profiles between the upper and lower profiles at a distance of 40-60 cm from each other.
Check that they are vertical and screw them down. 8. Make wiring for electrical cables for sockets and switches using the holes in the profiles. Tips It is recommended to use mineral fiber to soundproof the partition.
To hang heavy objects from the partition, insert reinforcing elements in their future locations. Insert 70x40 (45x40) beams into the profiles to which the door is attached. Lay a soundproofing board under the profile that runs along the perimeter of the partition.
3Installation of plasterboard sheets
1. Cut a sheet of drywall to a length equal to the height between the floor and ceiling, minus 1 cm as necessary to protect the drywall from moisture rising from the floor.
2. Place 2 wedges of 1 cm thickness (for each sheet) on the floor and use a lever to lift the sheet close to the ceiling. Make sure that the edge of the sheet falls on the middle axis of the vertical profile, which will simplify fastening.3. Screw the sheets to the metal frame every 25 cm with self-tapping screws (focus on the reference points on the sheets). If the sheets have rounded edges, leave a gap of 5 mm between them.
4.Place insulating material between the vertical profiles. Similarly, secure the sheets of drywall to the back of the partition. Make sure that there is only one joint of plasterboard sheets per vertical profile (alternate the outer profiles on one side and the other of the partition).
Tip Try to ensure that the vertical joints between the sheets of drywall do not fall on the axis of rotation of the door.
How to cut slabs
1.
Take a breadboard knife and a ruler. Place a ruler along the cutting line and draw a line with a breadboard knife, pressing firmly. 2.
Place the sheet vertically and bend it where the cut is made. Using a breadboard knife, draw a line on the back of the sheet to finish cutting. 3.Use a hand saw to cut curves or corners.
Sealing seams
To learn how to install plasterboard partitions, follow the instructions given in the booklet “How to cover walls with plasterboard”
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The use of curtains instead of doors and interior walls is a long-standing tradition. Our grandmothers also used this technique, and today it is also relevant in modern design.
As an option to separate the dressing room
Depending on the design features, they are distinguished
- Frame, the specific manufacturing of which requires the presence of a rigid frame with a tightly stretched fabric fabric in the form of a continuous structure or folding in sections. Suspended. When fabric sheets are hung on a special cornice. Such models look very much like window curtains.
According to the type of execution they are divided into the following:
- Plain Thread Roller BlindsScreen
Let's consider the features of each of them separately.
Basic motives of Japanese style
For modern interior design in the Japanese style, the following principles must be taken into account:
The formation of the concept of Japanese style is based on nature and the opportunity to know oneself by approaching it.
Ideally, a private house , where the natural theme smoothly flows beyond the boundaries of the home and is embodied in the landscape design of the local area.
But even inside a city apartment you can find a way out: plant a low bonsai, grow bamboo, and even equip a small greenhouse on your balcony or loggia.
The use of natural materials is a priority. Modern design projects often use artificial analogues of stone or wood. But the quality of this raw material must be impeccable. The use of wood, bamboo, straw, rapeseed and stones allows you to create an authentic Asian-style interior.
When it comes to color, traditional Japanese homes mostly used light wood. We complemented it with surfaces and objects in warm colors: beige, sand, light brown, golden. Black is often used for contrast. It helps to emphasize the geometry of the room, highlight one or another functional area, and outline the boundaries. The most significant and striking elements of the interior were often placed on a black background.
All furniture in Japanese design projects seems to tend downward; they do not have high legs, backs, headboards, or armrests. The correct geometric shape, laconic design and even a little rigor in execution are the key to creating an original Japanese interior.
The living space should have as much free space as possible and as few interior items as possible; finishing is kept to the required minimum.
To zone functional segments, partitions and screens made of straw or rice paper on a wooden frame are often used. The main mechanism of interior doors is sliding (like a compartment).
Regular
Ordinary or traditional curtains-partitions in a room are made of fabric (as in the photo), which is hung on a classic cornice or string.
To enclose the sleeping area, they prefer to use thick fabric, which will visually replace the wall. In this case, the curtain will be placed on the cornice right under the ceiling. To prevent this kind of “wall” from sagging over time under the weight of the fabric, it is best to use a massive cornice with large rings.
If such an element in the room is only for decoration, then you can choose light, weightless materials, and it is better to combine them with a thin string cornice.
Zoning with thick fabric
Advantages
It is no accident that Japanese partitions became the ancestors of all other varieties. It is thanks to them that today you can transform any office space, taking advantage of modern all-glass options.
Nevertheless, Japanese partitions have been and remain a popular way to rationally use space due to their unique properties:
- light weight;
- ease of installation and dismantling;
- mobility.
In addition, transparent partitions do not prevent light from entering the room, which is also of considerable importance.
Thread
With thread curtains you can decorate not only the kitchen window, but also zone the kitchen-dining room, kitchen-living room space. If you need to allocate only part of the space on one side of the opening, then these models are suitable.
Thread ones are very practical, since dust does not accumulate on them, because they are impregnated with a special solution. Due to the fact that muslin is translucent, the visibility of the room is maintained, while the functional areas, or the baby’s bedroom and the parents’ resting place, are clearly demarcated. In addition, the thread drawstring will become an additional stylish interior decoration.
Thread in the kitchen
Fusuma septum
One of the variants of shoji is fusuma. This is the name of a sliding partition used to divide a spacious room into several small rooms.
The word "fusuma" is of Japanese origin. According to the official version of the appearance of the name, for the first time this word began to be used in relation to the imperial bedroom. Fusuma then became synonymous with the word "bedroom". And only after that a special type of sliding door began to be called this way. There is another version: the partition resembled a fusuma bed, which is how it got its name.
The Japanese aristocracy lived in houses in the Shindendzukuri style. The dwelling was a large hall without internal walls. In order to create isolated rooms, a fusuma partition was used. Initially, the structure was decorated with silk. Later, this material was replaced by paper, which was imported from China. To move the partition, special grooves are installed on the floor and ceiling, along which it slides easily. A traditional fusuma should match the dimensions of a Japanese tatami mat. In the old days, the upper and lower parts of the septum were waxed to ensure good glide. These days, instead of wax, a special vinyl overlay is used.
Roller blinds
The most convenient option for dividing space.
Such roller curtains are suitable for demarcating a large room, disguising a storage room or a certain part of a corridor. Such a curtain becomes a beautiful decorative element, while zoning the space. Such curtains made of PVC fabric are most applicable in a kitchen studio, as they are resistant to the absorption of odors and are quite easy to care for, while they can perfectly distinguish between the working and dining areas.
Roller blinds
Screen
Very easy to use and manufacture, the distinctive feature of which is the presence of a rigid frame. There are single-screen (pictured), flexible and folding. The first is characterized by the presence of two support legs, the latter consists of two or three sections that are folded together thanks to fittings in the form of loops; it is not difficult to do it yourself.
Flexible screens are especially extravagant. They are made of a large number of narrow sections in the form of a single wall. It can be rolled up, taking up minimal space, and the main feature is that it can be used in various situations, as it can take fancy shapes.
Single screen on legs
It’s easy to make such a casement with your own hands
Stylish flexible
Features of application
When decorating a space with a partition, for a harmonious look it is necessary to take into account some nuances:
- The selected fabric should be formed into even folds and at the same time keep its shape, otherwise there will be a feeling of untidiness. A certain area or opening is decorated with a fabric length that reaches the floor, while completely covering the vertical space. You can use two different types of curtains at the same time - a light translucent curtain and heavy curtain fabric. This option allows you to change elements as needed.
The advantages of fabric partitions are the following:
- Easy, non-labor-intensive installation The volume of space is preserved as much as possible, unlike installing doors, while it is possible to expand the functional area Instant replacement of a component when rearranging a room Another additional element of textiles creates a light mood, adding romance to the interior.
How to build a textile “wall” with your own hands
Before you make it yourself, you need to think through the design in detail, decide on the type and material, taking into account the interior design, since some hand-made items do not always fit with the decor.
To create with your own hands, you can use any design you wish.
The important details of this decor are the frame and fabric. The frame is often made of thin planks with heavier lower bars. By connecting all the planks around the perimeter, a frame is formed.
You can further strengthen the frame with transverse strips. Next, the fabric is stretched onto the frame using a furniture stapler and metal staples. The amount of fabric needs to be measured so that there is a reserve, this will allow you to better stretch the fabric onto the frame and secure it, and then the remaining fabric can be cut off.
Color palette
The restraint of the Japanese is fully manifested in the choice of colors for the decoration of the house. There are no too bright colors or flashy patterns here; the interior, as a rule, is made in light colors. Residents of the Japanese islands prefer warm, light colors: cream, light yellow, beige and olive. Darker and warmer shades are used to create contrast.
As a rule, the interior of a room should contain at least two colors: the main one, in which all the main elements of furniture are decorated, and an additional one, which emphasizes the main color and creates contrast. Successful color combinations are collected in the table.
Base color | Additional color |
White | Brown, red, burgundy, Wenge wood color |
Beige | Dark wood color, warm raspberry shades, brown |
Olive | Dark brown, light brown, white |
Light pink | Cherry, black, dark brown, wenge wood color |
Fishing | Warm shades of brown, black |
Sand | Black, grey, brown-red |
Light coral | Purple, black, burgundy, brown, white |
Light gray | Shades of dark red, black, dark wood colors |
Orange | Black, red-brown, white, cherry |
In modern Japanese style, three colors are often combined - one main and two contrasting ones. As a rule, the walls and ceiling, as well as some furniture, are made in the main color, and decorative elements are made in one or two additional colors. Most commonly used combinations:
- White with black and pink;
- Beige with brown and red;
- Light shades of yellow with black and gray;
- Light brown with black and white;
- Warm shades of brown with white and beige.