Japandi lighting mixes the calm of Japanese design with the simplicity of Scandinavian interiors: natural materials, soft diffused light, low contrast and very little decoration. In a Japandi bedroom or living room, light comes from several quiet sources rather than one bright ceiling fitting: a paper lantern in a corner, a silk or fabric pendant, a stone or linen sconce on the wall. This guide shows which lights to use room by room, gives the real dimensions of our Japandi and wabi-sabi lights, and includes a simple method to work out how many lights a room needs.
The rules of Japandi lighting
- Natural materials: rice paper, kraft paper, silk, linen, rattan, travertine and wood.
- Diffused light: the shade glows; the bulb is never visible.
- Warm colour temperature: most of our Japandi lights are warm white by default (3000K where specified). See warm white vs cool white.
- Low and layered: lamps, wall lights and pendants at different heights instead of one central light.
- Muted colours: white, beige, cream, walnut, black details.
Japandi and wabi-sabi are close: wabi-sabi adds irregular, hand-made textures, such as the pits of natural travertine or a hand-shaded petal edge.
Japandi bedroom lighting
In a bedroom, keep the light low and soft. A typical layout uses a fabric or silk pendant for general light and one wall light on each side of the bed for reading and evening light.
| Model | Role | Size | Materials | Area (product page) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oval Linen Wabi Sabi Wall Sconce | Bedside wall light | W 20 × H 25 cm | Woven ribbed fabric, black mount | Not stated |
| Travertine Wood Cap Wall Sconce | Bedside wall light | Shade Ø 11 × H 15 cm; plate Ø 10 cm | Travertine, wood; touch switch | About 1–3 m² |
| Fluted Travertine Wall Sconce | Wall wash, up and down | W 9 × H 16.5 cm | Yellow travertine, LED 8 W | Not stated |
| Japanese Fan Wall Sconce | Statement wall light | W 35 × H 41.5 cm | Iron frame, cloth shade, E14 | 3–10 m² |
| Japanese Silk Oval Pendant Light | Ceiling pendant | Ø 40 × H 22 cm or Ø 50 × H 28 cm | Silk shade, metal fittings | About 5–10 m² |
| Round Silk Globe Pendant | Small pendant, bedside or corner | Ø 25 × H 26 cm | Silk shade, metal fittings | About 5–10 m² |
For the height of bedside wall lights, see bedroom wall lights: how high to hang bedside sconces.
Japandi living room lighting
A living room needs more light than a bedroom, so combine one large diffused source with one or two lamps at sofa height.
| Model | Role | Size | Materials | Area (product page) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wabi-Sabi Slanted Shade Floor Lamp | Reading floor lamp | Shade Ø 30 cm; H 173 cm | Fabric shade, iron column; foot switch | About 10–15 m² |
| Pleated Fabric Dish Pendant | Main pendant | Ø 50, 60, 80 or 100 cm | Pleated fabric, metal | 5–10 m² (Ø 50) to 10–15 m² (Ø 80, Ø 100) |
| Hand-Knitted Cloth Pendant | Main pendant | Ø 45, 55 or 65 cm | Fabric shade, metal fittings | About 10–15 m² |
| Large Acrylic Chandelier | Large room, high ceiling | D 60, 80, 100 cm or L 120 cm | Textured acrylic, painted iron | About 15–30 m² |
How many lights does a Japandi room need?
Each product page gives an approximate area that the light covers. Add them up until you reach the size of the room. Two worked examples using our own figures:
| Room | Combination | Total covered |
|---|---|---|
| Bedroom, 12 m² | Japanese Silk Oval pendant (5–10 m²) + 2 Travertine Wood Cap sconces (1–3 m² each) | About 7–16 m² |
| Living room, 15 m² | Pleated Fabric Dish Ø 80 (10–15 m²) | About 10–15 m² |
If the low end of your total is below the room size, add a lamp. Japandi rooms look best slightly dim, so the aim is several soft sources, not maximum brightness.
Mixing materials without clutter
- Choose one main material per room (paper, silk or fabric) and one accent (travertine or wood).
- Repeat a colour: black ribs on the silk pendant echo a black tripod or sconce mount.
- Rattan works too: see our rattan pendant lights guide.
For the Japanese side of the style, read Japanese lamps and pendant lights and our paper lantern lamps guide.
Not set on Japandi? Our bedroom lighting ideas and living room lighting ideas cover every style, from stained glass to space age, with real sizes.
To tell the two styles apart lamp by lamp, read Japandi vs wabi-sabi lighting. Choosing between a pendant and bedside wall lights? See pendant lights vs wall lights.
Comparing Japandi with its Nordic roots? Read Japandi vs Scandinavian lighting. For the right height of a bedside lamp or reading light, see bedside lamp height and reading lights.
Frequently asked questions
What is Japandi lighting?
Lighting that combines Japanese and Scandinavian design: natural materials such as paper, silk, linen, stone and wood, warm diffused light and simple shapes.
What is the best Japandi light for a bedroom?
A silk or fabric pendant for general light, plus a small wall light on each side of the bed, such as the Oval Linen (W 20 × H 25 cm) or Travertine Wood Cap (Ø 11 cm) sconce.
Which Japandi floor lamp suits a living room?
The Wabi-Sabi Slanted Shade Floor Lamp (H 173 cm, foot switch) next to a sofa.
See all 25 designs in our Japandi & wabi-sabi lighting collection, along with fabric & silk pendant lights and travertine & stone lighting.
