Wabi Sabi 101
A designer’s take on the art of loving the imperfect beauty in homes
I dog-eared every other page of Wabi Sabi Home by Mark & Sally Bailey. Their words turned my perfectionist brain upside down – and my projects look warmer for it. Here’s the low-down in plain English, plus the tricks I use on real jobs.
What Does “Wabi-Sabi” Even Mean?
Wabi-sabi philosophy comes out of Japanese culture, and it’s way bigger than a décor trend – it’s an entire worldview.
Think of it as the opposite of glossy showroom life. A worldview that spots beauty in wear, age, and humble materials. A chipped mug, a sun-bleached linen napkin, a crooked beam – each one whispers, “I’ve lived”. That story is the décor.
The Principles
(and How I Apply Them)
embrace Imperfection
Celebrate scuffs, cracks, frays, dents.
The ding on your oak table? It marks the night you laughed too hard. Keep it.
Choose Handmade
Pottery, carved spoons, woven baskets. Fingerprints stay visible.
I swap factory plates for local clay ones. Meals feel slower – better.
Embrace Patina
Oxidized metal, sun-faded fabrics, worn leather.
Clients panic at rust spots. I call them earth’s confetti.
Stay Simple
Fewer objects, calmer palette, open space. Strip a room back until items can breathe. Then stop.
Use Natural materials décor
Raw timber, stone, linen, clay, reed, cork. Rough-sawn pine next to glazed ceramic = texture party.
Feel Everything
Layer rough with smooth, soft with hard. I leave unvarnished beams so guests run their hands along them.
Repurpose
Give new jobs to old pieces: crates as shelves, mailboxes as bread bins. An orphan chair leg became a towel hook in my bath remodel.
Honor Transience
Enjoy flowers when they wither, leaves when they curl. A dried hydrangea beats a plastic one every single time.
A Peek Inside My Projects
Vintage floors stay scratched. I seal for hygiene but never sand slick. The scars keep the soul.
Mixed pottery on open shelves. Matte, glossy, tall, squat – nothing matches, yet it sings.
Neutral base, inky accent. Indigo can act like a neutral while adding depth. Thanks, plant dye.
Old textiles as art. I framed a patched ikat. Clients thought it was a six-figure masterpiece.
Industrial leftovers get second lives. A factory gear became a candle plate. Zero waste, maximum edge.
Quick-Hit Tips You Can Try Tonight
Swap crisp cotton for washed linen. Wrinkles welcome.
Rescue one “flawed” item. Chip, tear, stain – put it front and center.
Let paint peel (a little). A hint of under-layer adds depth money can’t buy.
Bring in one rough timber piece. Even a breadboard counts.
Dry your next bouquet upside down. Watch it brown gracefully.
The Mindset Shift
Wabi-sabi isn’t a style you buy, it’s a pace you adopt. It says:
“Slow down. Notice the small stuff. Value the life an object has lived”.
When clients grasp that, their homes feel calmer – and so do they.
Homes age, just like we do. Let them. The Baileys’ book reminded me that real beauty hides in the cracks, the frays, the hand-thrown wobble. Design gets interesting when we stop buffing every surface and start listening to the stories objects tell.
if you’re ready to get started on your own wabi-sabi journey, head over to my beginner’s guide here.