Exploring Creative Design - Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka
Tiled plunge pool retreat concept. (Image generated using Midjourney.)
At Studio Apercu, we constantly seek inspiration from global sources to infuse into our interior designs. Travel opens our eyes to fresh palettes, unique textures, and innovative material applications.
Recently, our director, Liz, travelled to Japan, a country steeped in cultural heritage and, apparently, a hotspot for Australian and Italian tourists in 2024! As promised in our last blog, we’re excited to share some of the abundant interior design inspiration we discovered in Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka. We hope it inspires you to integrate elements of the Japanese aesthetic into your next interior design project.
Japanese Tiles: A Versatile Medium
We adore Japanese tiles for their varied texture, colours and shapes. We are fortunate to access some beautiful Japanese tiles here in Melbourne, such as those of the Nagoya Mosaic -Tile Co.
We usually covet them for internal applications in Melbourne - primarily our kitchens, bathrooms and laundries. However, our trip revealed their extensive use as external cladding in Japan. From subway stations to office buildings, hotels and retail outlets, tiles adorned a myriad of facades.
Japanese tiles frequently found as external cladding. (Photos: Liz Hall 2024.)
As interior designers, we are primarily concerned with, well, interiors. However, in Australia, our indoor spaces frequently transition into our outdoor ones. You will undoubtedly be familiar with the enclosed patio, outdoor BBQ kitchenette/dining area or pool enclosure.
So, inspired by the ubiquitous Japanese tiles seen on our recent trip, we have been inspired to use them more creatively in future projects. We look forward to exploring unconventional applications in internal/external transitional zones. For example, what about a stunning tiled plunge pool courtyard or a secluded outdoor reading nook?
Sun-drenched indoor/outdoor tiled reading nook. (Image generated using Midjourney.)
Pattern and Texture: Essence of Japan
Pattern and texture are ingrained in Japan's essence, evident in everything from its native flora to high-end retail window displays and architectural beauties.
We marvelled at the floral-textured plaster panels in Ginza's Loro Piana store, used as a backdrop for its latest collection, and were struck by the building facades that employed shape, pattern and texture to stunning effect. Examples included the Mikimoto head office, featuring irregularly arranged abstract-shaped windows that transformed into glowing jewels in the evening, the Louis Vuitton stores throughout the major cities and the impressive Prada store, designed by Herzog & De Meuron, in the upmarket Aoyama district.
Pattern and texture transform the Tokyo shopping district of Ginza into a fascinating, eye catching, spectacle. From left to right - Loro Piana window display, Mikimoto head office and Louis Vuitton store. Photos: Liz Hall 2024.
The ephemeral beauty of cherry blossoms, pale and delicate and omnipresent during our visit, sparked ideas for incorporating timeless elegance, serenity and even a touch of whimsy into our designs. We can envisage these blooms or similar adorning wallpapers, textiles, and decorative accents. Certainly, the soft texture and hues of pink and white would lend themselves as the basis for a calming space, such as a nursery, within a home.
A soft floral wallpaper mural for a child’s room inspired by the Japanese cherry blossoms. (Image generated using Midjourney.)
Bold and Nuanced Colour Statements
The design inspiration that is Japan also stems from its endless colour statements – both bold and nuanced.
Vibrant restaurant facades in areas like Tsukiji and iconic landmarks like the Sensoji Temple, showcase saturated colours that harmonise perfectly with complementary hues. In contrast, subdued greys of ancient, weathered buildings offset newly opened soft pink cherry blossoms. All provide a depth of inspiration for future projects.
Bold red, also the ‘colour of the moment’ at Milan Salone del Mobile 2024, can be found in the old (e.g., Sensoji Temple, Tokyo, and the bright vermilion torii gates at Fushimi Inari Shrine). It often sits beautifully with complementary colours, such as livid grey-blue. Photos: Liz Hall 2024.
Kimono fabrics and contemporary art exhibitions in Kyoto highlighted deep, saturated colours and patterns, while Osaka's culinary scene, food markets, izakayas, and street food stalls, teased with vibrant hues and enticing textures.
Whether it be a vibrant kitchen or bathroom space or sumptuously covered furniture pieces in a living room, the wealth of colour and pattern combinations will provide plenty of inspiration for our interior work.
Bold, red kitchen concept. (Image generated using Midjourney.)
Embracing Tradition and Imperfection
Steeped in history and tradition, where ancient temples and tea houses coexist with modern cafes and boutiques, Japan is a country that embraces contrasts – from the vast, tranquil grounds of Osaka Castle with an abundance of cherry blossoms to tiny hidden away, ramen bars in reimagined buildings, and from rough-hewn wood of traditional machiya townhouses to the sleek steel and glass of the modern city skyscrapers.
This juxtaposition of old and new, the traditional and contemporary, will inspire us to embrace an interplay of textures and materials, injecting soul and warmth and creating visually dynamic and tactilely engaging spaces.
Contrasts. Ginkakuji cho, Kyoto; Fendi store, Shibuya, Tokyo; and Imperial Palace, Tokyo. (Photos: Liz Hall 2024)
The diverse range of design inspirations garnered from our Japanese travels will undoubtedly influence our approach to creating functional and beautiful spaces. Our approach to design is shaped by our passion for realising a client’s dreams for their space, but we cannot help but be influenced by our own experiences throughout that process.