Wabi Sabi - by Lauren

Wabi Sabi is the ability to see “beauty in imperfection” and appreciate something that isn’t quite finished, crooked or random also known as a “haphazard beauty”. It means replacing elaborate decoration and designer products with something much more rustic and simple and keeping spaces open, clutter free and not overdoing it with pattern and decoration and learning to appreciate a bit of wear and tear. It is being able to ignore brands and labels and appreciate beauty from a different angle. It is being prepared to accept beauty in simple things and accepting the age and history of an item and where imperfections have come from. Although wabi sabi can be seen best in a clear space as this enables you to enjoy the true beauty and not become distracted by clutter. Wabi sabi is also used in Japanese interior design however they are traditionally very dimly lit and shadowed and contain no bright colours instead a carefully selected palette of greys, browns, black and greens are used to create a “womblike” atmosphere, they contain many materials that are prone to decay and ageing so that the room ages and changes over time and in the wabi sabi spirit becomes more beautiful. Although wabi sabi is a Japanese tradition I think that it is something that should be embraced by all. Vintage and second hand should be in every home as a bit of natural ageing and wear and tear adds charm and character to an object. However there is no reason not to take the object and add to its beautly with a personal touch and a bit of up-cycling. I think that wabi sabi is something that everyone should consider when thinking about replacing something as a lot of the time there is nothing wrong with the original object especially with the current trend of vintage and second hand becoming more and more popular.

here are my wabi sabi photos....