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Contrary to ostentation and superfluous ornamentation, Japanese interior design feeds on  its cultures’ essential elements: panels and screens replace walls, doubling the space and giving rooms an airy feel; the futon, the classic Japanese bed that has done so well in the West; the tatami, the woven straw mat that covers the floors in some rooms; paper lampshades, lacquered wardrobes, folding screens…Many of these items have caught on in western society, but others are linked solely to the Japanese way of life, such that in Europe, minimalism has been reinterpreted, adapted to our customs and new types of housing. However, the basic concepts of this decorative tendency, simplicity, austerity and peacefulness, are maintained in western culture. Small buildings invite us to optimise the space and convert each room into a place where the space is fully used. 

Creating spaces

Small properties force us to use absence as a decorative style. The house will only contain the essential elements, and partition walls can even be done away with in order to gain space and light in small apartments. In order to separate the different rooms, you can strategically place certain pieces of furniture, such as sofas, bookshelves and wardrobes, in order to divide the lounge and the bedroom or the lounge and the kitchen. 

The largest area will be that devoted to the lounge and after that, you can allocate the remaining space to the kitchen, bathroom and bedroom. The latter can even be incorporated into the lounge, by including a sofa bed or a futon which is folded up and converted to a chair in the morning. Unnecessary ornaments are taken off the walls to make way for clothes racks or hooks for coats and winter garments. 

In the kitchen, we will measure the available space in order to assess whether there is room for the hob (pdf), fridge (pdf), sink, dishwasher, washing machine and some high and low cupboards for storing household items, tools and appliances. If this is the case, we will arrange the elements in a line and cover them with a work surface. If one of the electrical appliances does not fit in the kitchen, we can put the fridge in the lounge. Choosing a model with a retro design is more expensive than standard models, but it is appropriate for all kinds of properties. 
In the bathroom, innovation is on the side of new properties, with designs known as “minimal bathroom units”, with standalone modular structures which can be installed anywhere and have built-in cisterns, U-bends and inlet and outlet pipes. 

Multi-purpose and light furniture

Multi-purpose, light and mobile furniture is essential for rationalising space. It can be moved easily and used for different purposes depending on the inhabitant’s needs. 
Some safe bets are chairs which can be collected and piled up without taking up space, large and small light tables with foldable flaps and poufs, which can serve as a table, chair and container. Modular shelving can be progressively added to or reduced without complication and square cushions can be transformed into chairs, beds or tables, and stacked on top of each other at the end of the day.

Where wardrobes are concerned, the best option is to opt for systems with no internal separation walls (which allow you to use all of the space), with simple, thin and removable shelves with specific storage for the different garments and accessories. Structures that are made of aluminium profiles which are attached to the wall using a single point of support to carry shelves and hangers are also interesting, and can be complemented by boxes to store garments and accessories. This option is very practical and simple, and can be converted into a small wardrobe for a small property or a genuine walk-in closet for a large loft conversion. 

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