When we talk about Asian influence in design, we are really talking about some very specific parts of Asia. Probably few people, unless they happen to be Tibetan or Burmese, plan a home in the style of Tibet or Myanmar – not because there’s anything unpleasant about house design in those countries, but because it has never caught the Western imagination. No; what has brought about the Asian influence on California home decor is the long-standing Western interest in the arts of China, Japan, Thailand and Vietnam. Also, perhaps to a lesser extent, India and Korea.
What is so different about Asian home décor?
In a word: Zen. Of course, nothing is ever quite that simple but don’t underestimate the inheritance from Zen Buddhism. “Zen” is used to describe lots of things, but what matters to designers is that Zen is a Japanese word with a simple meaning: meditation. The heart of the Japanese, Chinese or Korean house is a place of meditation. Pause for a moment and think (meditate!) about what you need in a place of meditation and the answer will be clear. You need peace; peace and an absence of distraction.
Bringing peace into the home
Once we accept that the heart of the Asian-influenced home is going to be a place of peace without distraction, the essence of the home décor you need is clear. One word comes up again and again when people who understand the Asian home discuss what is needed; that word is “uncluttered.” The Asian influence on California home decor is most clearly visible in clean, uncluttered spaces that show respect for nature and natural things. Nothing is crowded. The rooms and even the views are kept open, with sliding doors and large windows – and screens.
The shoji screen is a room divider in which translucent paper on a wooden frame binds a lattice of wood or bamboo. (The paper was originally shoji; modern manufactured paper is now also used, and screens can likewise be plastic). Screens are an essential part of bringing Asian home décor to California.
Circles and Water
Circles are important; circular doors are very popular as are circular windows, and pots, tables and other furniture can also be circular or have circular motifs. Even more important in creating the feeling of peace and an environment in which meditation comes easily is running water and this can be outside or inside the house.
Color
Red and black are two colors that dominate (red is a symbol of good luck); everything else is muted pastel shades of the sort that might be found in nature. There are no violent clashes. Since the accent is on natural materials, every shade of brown from the lightest form to dark mahogany is acceptable.
Materials
It will be clear now that furniture, rugs and wall hangings should be made whenever possible of natural materials: Wood, bamboo, wool, cotton – and of course, silk.
Windows
Tranquility is the essence of Asian window dressing, just as it is of the central interior. Bring the same concentration on materials as you would elsewhere: textured design; natural window blinds made from bamboo or grasses; the semi-translucence of rice paper. Asian silk can make a wonderful valance (or indeed, curtains) and larger windows can be covered in panel tracks made from satin or linen that are attached to the top of the window in the same way as a blind and opened and closed usually with a cord. Neutral colors are good, but so is red. And in the right place, gold can be quite striking on silk – but not too much, and only if it is also used to punctuate the decor elsewhere in the house.