Modern Japanese Style Lighting: tips and ideas

Japan is an age–old tradition, a special atmosphere. Many features and peculiarities of Japanese culture are transferred to a modern interior. Conciseness, clear thoughtfulness of each line, arrangement with deep meaning, thoughtfulness of all details, lightness of designs – all these are signs of the Japanese style, which must be taken into account when choosing lighting in such interiors.

Features of the Japanese style

In the selection of lighting fixtures in the Japanese style, you need to adhere to the general rules, as in the entire interior. Therefore, we will first highlight what distinguishes this eastern ethno-style.

• Simplicity and conciseness. According to the Japanese themselves, nothing should distract a person from thinking about the meaning of life.
• The use of asymmetry, because, according to Japanese philosophy, you can recognize an object from different sides, i.e. look into the very essence.
• Naturalness. The Japanese people are very close to nature, and under no circumstances do they want to give up naturalness. The color palette in the interior fully confirms this desire: the choice of calm shades, the desire to give the room more natural light. Only natural materials are present: wood, stone, cotton.
• Japanese hieroglyphs on lamps, textiles and other objects are a good opportunity for us to awaken fantasies, so that there is an opportunity to fantasize and philosophize.
• The atmosphere of privacy, even some intimacy. Eastern residents believe that it is necessary to be able to isolate themselves from the busy world. A striking example of the desire for solitude are openwork partitions that easily shift and move apart. Therefore, a very bright light will only interfere. It should be slightly muted.
• Day and night are two opposite edges, dominated by different luminaries. In this regard, the Japanese style prefers a cold light, like the glow of the moon in the night sky.
• With a minimum number of items, maximum functionality must be observed. This also applies to lighting.

Japanese style is a philosophy that is comprehended and revealed gradually.

Types of lamps in Japanese style

Any lighting devices are divided into ceiling, wall, floor and table. Each of the types may well be present in the Japanese style, but preference is still given to ceiling lamps.

The favorite shapes of lamps are square and rectangular. Sometimes they are used with bends that repeat the architecture of the structure. Most often you can find ceiling structures in a Japanese dwelling, suspended ones are chosen extremely rarely, and if they do choose, then on short rigid rods.

Ceiling chandeliers

The most common types of ceiling chandeliers are large squares made of wooden frames with inserted frosted glass that gently diffuses light. Such lighting devices are located in the center of the room and play only a functional role.

Another popular option is a lot of small lamps in rectangular shades arranged along the ceiling in a strict order. The Japanese do not accept chaos.

Lighting built into the ceiling is often chosen. For this purpose, plasterboard structures or stretch ceilings are used. Modern technologies make it possible to create such lighting with the help of luminous stretch cloths.

There are, of course, exceptions in choosing the shape of the chandelier. But a rule wouldn’t be a rule without exceptions. There are round lamps on the ceiling, but they are very simple and concise, play the role of a celestial luminary. As, for example, in the following photo.

Wall lamps

Such devices are also made in a laconic style using natural materials. The light is installed in places where local lighting is required, for example, as a sconce, a backlight above the bed or in the recreation area.

Wall lamps should be in complete harmony with the overhead light. Often they make up a single composition, i.e. they repeat the shape of each other, the material from which they are made is also the same. This allows you to somewhat enliven the strict simplicity of the interior, create lighting for various purposes.

The design of wall sconces is very simple: neutral colors, either plain, or decorated with an unobtrusive floral pattern or hieroglyphs.

Japanese-style lamps are rarely open. Basically, it is a light bulb in a closed box in the form of a cube, rectangle, round tube, polyhedron.

Table lamps

This type of lamps plays the same role as wall sconces, i.e. they are used for local lighting, as an additional decoration. The peculiarity of table and floor lamps is that some models are a real work of art, and are often used as interior decoration. In addition, they do not require much effort to install. You can change their location according to your mood.

In shape, material, and color scheme, they differ little from other devices. If you still want something special, then you can choose a sphere suspended in a wooden frame. For example, as in this photo.

Models of Japanese lamps

The peculiarity of Japanese-style lighting is that each model has its own name, which makes it easy to find the right shape and type.

• Andon. This is the name of all square or rectangular lamps, the construction of which is a metal or wooden frame and stretched paper or fabric. Another feature of andon is the natural flame of the candle inside the lamp. In such cases, andon is performed with a box in which matches and oil are stored. A great option for romantic evenings. It should be warned here that classic Japanese andons require special attention because of their fire hazard. It is impossible to leave them unattended in any case. It must be said that modern manufacturers offer electrical analogues to classic lamps.
• Bombori is a polyhedron lamp, most often suspended. It consists of a frame supporting frosted glass, on which a Japanese motif can be applied.
• Round chandeliers on the ceiling are called tetin, often resembles a flashlight. The decor also emphasizes this similarity.
• Toro – outdoor lighting, for example, on a summer veranda: a light bulb decorated with carved details is covered with an openwork frame.

Japanese-style bedroom lighting

A low bed, the same small bedside tables, cabinets with sliding doors – a minimalist Japanese bedroom decor. You can completely abandon the overhead light, leave only wall lamps and table lamps, although many designers recommend that you still stop at ceiling chandeliers. Here the right to choose remains with the owner of the room. The main thing is to observe the basic principle – the light should be scattered, not be bright and striking in the eyes. Since the bedroom is the kingdom of night, it is better to choose cold light. This way the harmony between the light and dark time of day will be observed.

Additional lighting, which plays the role of decorative design, can be created with the help of neon lighting along the lower perimeter of the bed. This will create the feeling that the bed is literally floating above the floor.

Japanese-style living room lighting

In the living room, unlike the bedroom, floor lamps are perfect, which together with a ceiling chandelier and wall sconces will create a harmonious composition. Several geometric–shaped chandeliers on the ceiling, made of a frame with rice paper and hieroglyphs or sakura twigs applied to it, wall lamps of the same shape and design are a good solution for the living room.

The so-called hidden lamps decorated with Japanese sliding screens are becoming more and more fashionable.

Japanese-style kitchen lighting

A large ceiling chandelier in the form of a square or rectangle will become the center of the entire composition, giving the main light. As a rule, the windows are left open to allow as much natural light as possible. Spot, of course, can and should be used, especially above the work surface, but everything should be in concise proportions in the form of illumination under the upper cabinets of the kitchen set or in the form of small wall sconces in the dining area.

Some unusual examples of Japanese-style lighting

The kitchen is made in Japanese style, but with the use of bright accents. The ceiling is decorated traditionally: a luminous canvas with squares, i.e. hidden lamps. The calm color scheme is diluted with a red hanging lamp above the bar. The chandelier is stylized in Japanese style. The result is a modern Japanese interior.

In the living room, all the requirements of the Japanese style are met. Firstly, minimalism in the interior: nothing superfluous, a lot of free space. The panoramic window lets in a lot of natural light and brings you closer to nature. As the main lighting, square ceiling lamps cover the entire width of the room.

Another living room option. The design is made in brown tones. The open space is illuminated by ceiling lamps installed around the perimeter of lined squares and rectangles. The subdued light fully complies with the principles of Japanese stylistics.

A bedroom that fully meets all the canons of style. Strict forms of furniture made of natural wood, a low bed without legs standing on a slightly raised platform, an armchair of simple outlines, the wall is decorated in the form of a Japanese screen. And note that there is no overhead lighting. Only hanging round chandeliers on both sides of the bed and a small table lamp on the table. The composition of bamboo and flower bouquets in Japanese vases completely complete the Japanese picture.

What can’t Japanese lamps have?

For those who want to reproduce the Japanese history as much as possible in their apartment, you need to know a few points concerning lamps specifically.

The material for lighting devices cannot be made of plastic, even if it is very similar to glass or rice paper. The Japanese will not tolerate unnatural components in a traditional interior.

Be sure to pay attention to the color design of lamps and fixtures. There is no way they can be colored with all the colors of the rainbow. The standard palette is brown, beige, white shades, sometimes with the addition of black. Stylization under the Japanese style is possible if the lamps are chosen as bright accents, but this will mean a deviation from traditions and an incomplete coincidence.

For the most part, the design of lighting fixtures is monochrome. Although images in the form of hieroglyphs, sakura, and other plant elements are allowed. But even in this case, prints are used quite rarely, only if you need to emphasize, for example, a panel on the wall.

We do not get tired of repeating that the light should flow smoothly, disperse around the room, not be too bright.

Another detail that distinguishes Japanese-style lighting. Light is divided by seasons: winter, spring, summer, autumn. You can distinguish them by the material. For example, winter lamps are made of woolen threads, and cotton and rice paper are used in the summer version.

Japan is still one of the most mysterious countries. The culture of the Japanese people is very peculiar, characterized by conservatism, philosophy. Everything must obey the laws of nature, and man is only a small part of this very nature. Equip a piece of oriental wisdom in your apartment, and you will get real peace for your soul and body.