Japandi: Defining It's Colors
- sales intheory
- Jan 13
- 5 min read
10 simple tips, A color theory guide for homeowners.
Japandi homes often look calm and effortless, but that calm comes from very deliberate colour choices.
It’s less about asking, “What colour should I paint my walls?” and more about asking,
“How do I want this home to feel when I walk in?”
If you’re drawn to Japandi but feel unsure about colours, this breakdown should help you make decisions with more confidence and less second-guessing.
1. Japandi’s Core Idea: Balance, Not Contrast for Contrast’s Sake
Japandi sits between Japanese and Scandinavian design. One is grounded, quiet and timeless. The other is light, practical and airy. The beauty of Japandi comes from how these two worlds meet.
In real homes, this often looks like:
Darker woods such as walnut or smoked oak
Paired with soft, milky neutrals on walls and fabrics
The contrast is there, but it’s gentle. Nothing is trying to stand out on its own. The darker elements give the space weight, while the lighter tones stop it from feeling heavy or enclosed.
If you already love dark carpentry, Japandi lets you enjoy it without turning your home into a cave.
2. The Base Palette: Neutrals That Actually Feel Good to Live With
Instead of starting with “grey or white,” think of colours you might find in a pantry or kitchen:
Warm beige
Oat and oatmeal tones
Taupe
Muted greys
Sand and light caramel
Soft browns and muddy greens
These colours are quiet, but they’re not flat. They work especially well with natural materials like wood, rattan, linen and stone.
A simple way to build a Japandi base:
Walls in a warm beige or oat tone
Flooring in light to medium wood
Carpentry in a deeper wood shade
Accents in muted green, sand or soft brown
Nothing is pure black or pure white. Everything is slightly softened, which makes the home easier on the eyes.
3. Why Bright White Often Feels Wrong in Japandi Homes
Many homeowners associate a “clean look” with bright white walls. In Japandi interiors, this usually works against the mood rather than for it.
Bright white tends to:
Make dark wood look harsh or overly contrasted
Highlight small imperfections
Feel more clinical than calming
Japandi favours whites that are gently warmed — cream, bone, chalky whites, or off-whites with a hint of beige. These tones keep the space soft and balanced, especially next to darker carpentry.
A simple test: hold a bright white paint card next to your wood sample. If it feels sharp or jarring, that’s your cue to go warmer.
4. Warm vs Cool Neutrals (and Why Warm Usually Wins)
You don’t need a colour wheel for this. Think about it in terms of feeling.
Warm neutrals have hints of yellow, red or brown. They feel cosy, relaxed and lived-in.
Cool neutrals lean blue or green. They feel crisp and sleek, but can sometimes feel a little serious.
Japandi homes usually lean warm because warm neutrals:
Make dark wood feel richer rather than harsh
Flatter skin tones, especially under indoor lighting
Create comfort even in very minimal spaces
Cool greys can still work, but they need to be very soft and carefully balanced. If your home starts to feel like an office, you’ve probably gone too cool.
5. Why Texture Matters Just as Much as Colour
In Japandi interiors, colour is only half the story. Texture does the rest of the work.
Instead of bold feature walls, you’ll often see:
Limewash finishes
Trowelled plaster
Subtle, handmade-looking surfaces
These finishes catch the light gently and add depth, even when the colour itself is very simple. This is why a “plain beige” wall can still feel rich and interesting.
Texture also makes a space feel more human. You can sense the hand behind it, rather than everything feeling perfectly flat and manufactured.
6. How Lighting Changes the Way Dark Wood Feels
Dark wood can feel warm and luxurious in one home, and heavy in another. The difference is often lighting.
A few simple truths:
In low light, dark wood absorbs light and looks much darker
Under warm light, it feels richer and more inviting
Under cool or bluish light, it can look flat or dull
For Japandi homes:
Use warm white lighting, not blue white
Layer your lighting: ceiling lights, wall lights, table or floor lamps
Avoid relying on a single strong downlight over dark surfaces
If you’re planning dark carpentry, always test samples under your actual home lighting. Showroom lighting can be very misleading.
7. Work with Materials First, Not Paint
One of the most common mistakes is choosing paint colours first, then trying to force everything else to match.
Japandi works best the other way around.
A helpful order:
Wood tones Decide on flooring and main carpentry first. These are the biggest “colour blocks” in the home.
Fabrics and soft finishes Sofas, curtains, rugs and dining chairs should feel comfortable alongside the wood.
Rugs or secondary flooring colours These help ground the palette and connect materials together.
Paint colour Only now choose a wall colour that supports everything else instead of competing with it.
When you start with materials, paint becomes the quiet background that ties the whole story together. That approach is very much in line with Japandi thinking.
8. Keep the Colour Range Tight
Japandi feels calm because it doesn’t try to do too much at once. Most successful spaces stick to:
Two to three main neutrals
One primary wood tone (sometimes two, but closely related)
One soft accent colour
When too many colours enter the space, even if they’re all neutral, the room starts to feel busy.
A good test: remove one cushion, artwork or accessory. If the room still feels complete, your palette is probably restrained enough.
9. Let Empty Space Do Some of the Work
In Japandi, empty space isn’t wasted space. It’s a design decision.
Large, uninterrupted areas of wall, floor or cabinetry allow the colours you do use to feel intentional. This is why Japandi homes can feel calm even with darker elements.
When choosing colours, think not only about what you add, but also what you leave alone:
Fewer feature colours
Fewer visual breaks
More breathing room between elements
Visual quiet is part of the aesthetic.
10. Always Test Colours at Different Times of Day
Japandi colours are subtle, which means they shift noticeably with light.
A warm beige might feel perfect in the morning, slightly yellow in the afternoon, and a bit flat at night. That doesn’t mean the colour is wrong — it just means it needs to be tested properly.
Before committing:
Paint a large sample, not just a small patch
Look at it in morning, afternoon and evening light
View it next to your wood, fabrics and flooring
Japandi is about how a space feels over time, not how it looks in a single moment.
At its core, Japandi is about comfort and calm. The right colours don’t demand attention; they support daily life. When chosen with care, they create a home that feels welcoming every time you walk through the door.
