by Sara Costi
An integral part of Japanese culture, Wabi-Sabi is founded on the concept of transitoriness and deliberate simplicity. It derives from two words heavy with meaning and deeply rooted in culture and religion. Wabi 侘 means ‘dependence’, and implies seeking beauty in simplicity, while Sabi 寂 means ‘solitude’ or ‘detachment’, and indicates the way in which everything evolves with the passing of time, altering the purely external nature of things.
Wabi-Sabi teaches us to have a profound aesthetic awareness, which transcends the external appearance of matter, and to detach ourselves from the idea of perfection, in order to rediscover absolute beauty in the authenticity and uniqueness of imperfection.
This spontaneous understanding can only be glimpsed through profound contemplation of an imperfect world. A journey through beauty, right to the heart of life itself, to uncover hidden truths, freeing ourselves of the superfluous and shifting the focus from the exterior to the interior.
The true beauty of Wabi-Sabi does not lie in objects, but in acknowledging the value of a simple, natural style. This aesthetic sensitivity and artistic awareness can also be savoured in the creation of a furnishing style that is gaining growing popularity also in the western world.
How to choose the right materials and colours for a Wabi-Sabi style home
Accepting the passage of time, in which nothing is finite, perfect or lasting, defines the oriental philosophy underlying the Wabi-Sabi style, expressed, at the design stage, through a desire to overturn the essence of things and to embrace imperfection. Like Japandi style, this trend features a balanced look, with simple settings in which the preference is for natural materials or objects crafted by hand, with irregular, asymmetrical shapes.
In Wabi-Sabi, neutral tones can be joined by dashes of all sorts of colours that range from sage green and sky blue to pink, allowing you to team tone-on-tone plain colours or distinctly contrasting shades.
Casalgrande Padana porcelain stoneware tiles – made of exclusively natural elements, free from plastics and harmful substances, non-allergenic, antibacterial, fire-resistant, eco-compatible and fully recyclable – are able to shape alluring settings and appealing, balanced living spaces with a calm, meditative vibe.
Each home, regardless of its size or value, can become a pleasant place to spend time, a cosy, inviting setting that reflects who we are and what’s really important to us. Wabi-Sabi style expresses the desire to set out on a creative journey to shape imperfect, evolving, inviting and contemplative living spaces, in which small imperfections and irregularities become elements of exquisite beauty. A natural, deliberately simple look able to bring a richly original, authentic allure to any setting.
