Create an oasis of calm with a Zen living space in your home

Inspired by the Japanese focus on wellbeing, simplicity and nature, Felicity Donohoe shares her tips to create calm with a Zen living space

Many of us have busy, chaotic lives and finding just a moment for proper relaxation can seem like a luxury. However, you owe yourself a place of peace and calm for those rare times you have to yourself. So why not revamp a room and give yourself some much-needed rejuvenation with a Zen-inspired space?

Designers who work with Zen-themed rooms will often focus on the bedroom but any room is a candidate for a calming influence – and the Japanese have made it an art form. Based on simplicity and nature, Ikigai focuses on wellbeing and purposeful living and, combined with Zen, is the ultimate decluttering tool for home and mind.

Simplicity is key with a tidy space at all times. Often built into the walls around the room, items are usually tucked away and brought out as needed, keeping the visual space clear and fuss-free.

However, your Zen space should always incorporate a “living element” such as plants, water, stone or wood. Bonsai and bamboo plants add some colour to the room, while water features provide the calming and soothing sound of the outdoors, bringing you closer to nature.

Colours are neutral reflecting the natural world around us. With their warm and comforting tones, wooden floors and surfaces help avoid the room becoming too austere or clinical, and for furniture, clean lines and elegant shapes are preferred over impact.

Light is natural, always soft and diffused. Many Japanese families will incorporate Engawa into their homes, the Japanese version of a porch or sunroom. Its sliding doors or windows allow the main room to be flooded with natural light and help keep it cool in hot summers, with natural air flow rather than air conditioning.

In keeping with this, fabrics and textiles are neutral, with linens, cottons and silks to hand, and woven tatami mats underfoot.

Form and function, natural and earthy should form the basis of your room accessories. The goal is to achieve a calm state of mind, and any potential disturbance or distraction should be removed. So why not give the electronics, mobiles phones and laptops a miss from your Zen space and find your perfect place of peace?

Senza day bed futon, £645, Futons Online.

Japanese screen, £103, Bimago.

Set of four Pucheng tea bowls, £26, Amara. Carmona Fukien bonsai with glazed pot, £34.99, Gardeners Dream.

Tatami low wooden fold-out table, from £127, Amazon UK.