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Dennis Cheok, creative director of Upstairs_, shows you how to craft a serene space inspired by Japan

Upstairs_ creative director Dennis Cheok shares tips on how to craft an interior with Japanese influences

Calming, simple and timeless—these words are frequently associated with Japanese design. It’s no wonder it continues to hold sway in the interior realm, drawing admiration from architects, designers and homeowners alike.

“The Japanese design language is unique in that it celebrates the negative space, shadows and imperfections,” shares Dennis Cheok, creative director of Upstairs_. “These are rare traits in an industry that is obsessed with perfection and building fast, and I think it can have a very profound inf luence on the way we envision our projects.”

Cheok was the lead designer of The Ryokan Modern, an apartment filled with Japanese inf luences. The project received the Best Living Room accolade at the Tatler Design Awards 2020 and was celebrated for being a beautiful tribute to Japanese culture.

“When designing with a nuanced aesthetic in mind, we begin to pay more attention to textures and forms, and lean towards materials and objects that lend a sense of artistry and poetry to spaces,” explains Cheok.

You can weave in subtle Japanese references by selecting organic materials and raw finishes to reinforce its pared-back appeal. “The most wonderful thing about the Japanese aesthetic is that the natural, ageing patina is celebrated and revered,” shares Cheok. “Bare concrete can be ‘Japanese’, simply by working with its unfinished brutality and elegance in purity.”