Japandi design has seamlessly worked its way into Western homes over the last couple of years, loved for its simplicity, natural elements and uncomplicated demeanour.
This lovable trend is perfectly fitting for creating a spa like bathroom that’s restorative and welcoming. If you’re looking to recreate this look in your home, here are some of the best Japandi bathroom design ideas.
Stunning Japandi Bathroom Design Ideas
1. A Traditional Japandi Twist
Taking a trend and adding elements from another time period is a great way to give an unusual twist to Japandi. If you’re a lover of traditional design or are renovating a period property, this style might suit you.
Japandi design is quite evidently in place in this bathroom, but the floor tiles are black and white, and predominantly a traditional finish that you would use in a Victorian or Georgian home. The juxtaposition of styles is refreshing and adds an unusual twist to this much loved trend.
2. Introduce A Green Accent Wall
A neutral colour scheme is a key characteristic of Japandi design, but green and natural elements are welcome accent colours for depth and interest.
Make like this bathroom and introduce a green tiled accent wall in a shower enclosure, or as a divider like pictured.
3. Add Definition With Terrazzo Tiles
Whilst black accents are a key characteristic, you might want to add definition in a more subtle way. Choose grey terrazzo tiles for the walls or floor, they ground the space and look amazing. Grout them with a light grey grout to avoid drawing attention to them in the wrong way.
Pair with lighter coloured tiles and white walls to create a light and bright space.
4. Neutral Scheme With Black Accents
A neutral colour scheme using creams, white and light greys is a great starting point with Japandi design. But, don’t forget those black accents!
A few well placed black items will tie the colour scheme together and deliver just the right amount of definition. Use black mirrors, light fixtures, tap hardware and any small black decorative accessories to finish the look.
5. Ground The Bathroom With Light Grey
Instead of black, ground the bathroom with light grey tiles. It adds subtle definition, you can then naturally draw the eye up in the room with light, neutral walls.
Creams are a better alternative than a bright white as they tend to be more calming and less clinical on the eyes.
6. Introduce Natural Materials
Using natural materials is synonymous with Japandi interiors. It gives us that connection to the outside world and it looks amazing in a neutral colour scheme.
An easy way to incorporate natural materials is with a wooden vanity unit. You may also want to include materials such as rattan, concrete, seagrass and wicker into your bathroom with baskets or light fittings, although you have to be careful not to air too much on boho design.
7. Natural Slat Wood Panelling
In keeping with adding natural materials, natural slat wood panelling in a shower enclosure ticks all the boxes for Japandi design. The clean lines are a key characteristic, it’s natural and keeps an emphasis on the nature that surrounds us.
This style of panelling works well in a shower enclosure as shown below, or use it as a feature wall behind your vanity unit and sink.
8. Light Up Mirror
Japandi design is uncomplicated and simple. Wall lights aren’t commonly seen in this style of design, instead opt for a no nonsense light up mirror.
Opting for a round mirror adds a sense of softness to the space which works perfectly with a neutral colour scheme.
9. Use A Focal Feature
If you have a large bathroom you may have the opportunity to create a focal feature in the space.
Introduce a show stopping tub like this copper beauty in the image below. Remember that Japandi design is uncluttered and simple, so just because you have a large bathroom, you don’t need to fill it up completely. Less is definitely more where this design trend is concerned.
10. Take Tiles Floor To Ceiling
A clever way to lay tiles is by taking them from floor to ceiling, it’s a modern approach and it adds verticality, making the bathroom seem taller than it is.
Using the same neutral tile throughout is clean, minimal, and a gorgeous take on Japandi design.
11. Lean Into Dark Wood
We tend to mostly see lighter wood tones in Japandi spaces, but you can choose to lean into darker wood too as shown below. This adds much more definition to the space and will ground any room scheme.
Don’t be afraid to still use black accents in tandem with the scheme though.
12. Concrete Brings An Unusual, Natural Element
Try tying together two natural elements for a really unique look. This wooden vanity unit with concrete sink is easy on the eye, but instantly draws you to the natural world.
It pairs beautifully with the grey flooring in the wet room section.
13. Limewash Walls
Limewash style walls are ever popular. They bring added visual interest than plain painted walls as they engage you visually no matter what lighting you look at them in.
Just be careful with the light fittings you choose, the rattan pendant below leans more towards Boho design. It’s best to stick with simple downlights, or more contemporary style lights to nail this trend.
14. Light Wooden Tones
Those light wooden tones are a key defining Japandi feature. It’s a perfect way of adding natural warmth into an otherwise neutral colour scheme.
Handleless wooden vanity units make a great feature.
15. Zellige Tiles
Zellige tiles are handcrafted and growing in popularity. They are special blend of local clay and then glazed and fired, which results in tiles that are not all identical. Each one carries a slightly different colour variation or irregularity.
This perfectly imperfect look is unusual and engages your eye no matter where you are in the bathroom.
16. Panelled Arch Niche
Soft arches add a sense of subtleness to a scheme and are ever popular throughout interiors. Make a feature out of a niche like this by adding panelling to the back of it.
It will draw the eye in, and add perfect definition against a neutral colour scheme, as beautifully demonstrated in the image below.
17. Combine Key Characteristics
Clean lines, natural materials, black accents and a neutral colour scheme is at the core heart of Japandi, and combining all of them will result in a perfectly Japandi bathroom.
What’s not to love? Such a relaxed, yet warm bathroom.
18. Considerate Styling
Clutter definitely isn’t a thing with Japandi design, styling details are fine to include but choose them wisely and use sparingly.
A simple bottle of hand wash and a vase with a single stem is enough on a vanity unit, remember that less is more with this design trend.
19. Use Browns & Warmer Tones To Layer The Scheme
Add more visual interest to a neutral colour scheme by layering with differing shades and include browns. Browns are on-trend for 2024 and they bring definition to a plain colour scheme.
Include soft towns of brown with textiles such as towels or window dressings.
20. Kit Kat Tiles
Kit kat tiles are becoming one of the most favourable ways to tile. These chunky tiles add verticality and make a great feature wall behind a vanity unit.
Pair with natural slat wood panelling on another wall, or lean into soft painted walls to create that light and airy space.
21. Heavily Feature Wooden Details
Natural wooden details can be used as little or as heavily as you like in Japandi design, but I would say don’t lean into it anymore than 60% in your overall design as it will feel heavy and lack visual interest.
A simple feature wall like this that combines both slat wood panelling and traditional wood which breaks up the monotony and draws the eye into the space.
