An apartment defined by Japanese aesthetics delivers to the senses irregular surfaces, cracks, old wood, unique artifacts. And it reminds us that beauty lies not in perfection but in its fading, in the object that wears out, in the wood that cracks, in the fabric that fades, in fragility as a part of life.
Wabi-sabi is one of the most profound and fascinating concepts in Japanese culture, an aesthetic philosophy that celebrates the imperfection, transience, and authenticity of things. Rooted in Zen philosophy, it invites us to look beyond the classical idea of perfection to discover beauty in the signs of aging, in the asymmetries and imperfections of everyday life, and also to stop hiding our own personal flaws.
It is not just a philosophy but a lifestyle that can also be manifested in objects and in the definition of the spaces in the home. Teaching us that not everything always has to be artificial, shiny, flawless, forever glam: neither us, nor the place that reflects us. The Bila Wabi Sabi apartment in Kyiv, designed by Sergey Makhno Architects, offers us (im)perfect ideas for making our home a haven of calm and authenticity.
Space as a sensory experience: the Kyiv apartment becomes a small, incomplete and personal temple in which to rediscover oneself and tranquility.
A wabi-sabi home focuses on simplicity: it is not decorative but makes room for the essentials. It is minimalist, because it does not conceive emptiness as absence but as space to breathe and reflect.. She loves organic shapes, natural colors, sturdy materials, wood, stone, raw fabrics that don’t need ironing, unfinished ceramics, warm lights that create atmosphere, materials exposed to use and time, often recovered or visibly repaired. It is a tribute to the beauty of every day, the invisible one, the one that few people see anymore, blinded by everything that shines, that is new, that may even be perfect but has no soul, nor memories.
Tactile exploration, first and foremost: rough clay-finished walls surround relaxation areas highlighted by scattered, special light points.
IDEE PER IL LIVING
In this 50-square-meter open space that encompasses the entire house, the emphasis is on texture and materiality. In this 50-square-meter open space that encompasses the entire house, the emphasis is on texture and materiality.
None of the choices is an invitation to chaos, but to recognize the warmth and welcome of a lived-in environment. Open spaces should be made uniform: perhaps with a common flooring throughout the house. It’s no coincidence that Ceramica Fioranese tiles belong to the Kintsugi collection, the ancient Japanese art of embellishing defects, which teaches us the value of recomposition, of highlighted and not hidden cracks, of fragments that become part of a unique, special piece.
Kintsugi porcelain stoneware tiles by Ceramica Fioranese with matter-on-top veining technology. – fioranese.it
Ogni zona dell’appartamento è un invito alla calma: il piccolo salotto definito da una seduta appoggiata su un tappeto sembra uno spazio zen, da riempire con complementi essenziali. Like Huggy, the Lago armchair perfect for welcoming unexpected guests. In fact, what at first glance appears to be a comfortable seat is actually a mattress wrapped in a cone and inserted into a cylindrical base. By removing it, the mattress unrolls. Even the base transforms: if you turn it over, it becomes a practical bedside table.
To warm up the room, a rug is the ideal complement: the vintage one from Rugvista is made using a Turkish rug between 20 and 50 years old as a base, subjected to an exclusive color neutralization process before being re-dyed. The result is a product that becomes more and more lived-in and authentic over time. The light fixtures are also special: the Byers pendant lamp by Las Sola has a design with suggestive curved glass that resembles a squashed, crumpled ball. Each one is different from the other.
Huggy armchair/mattress by Lago, designed by Brit Leissler, 130x80x78h cm, starting at €1,987 – lago.it
Vintage hand-knotted wool rug by Rugvista, 177×274 cm, €470 – rugvista.it
The choice of details is always fundamental, even more so in a wabi-sabi home where decoration is reduced to a minimum to highlight what is essential. Wardrobe doors, for example, can be made of rustic wooden planks. Originally designed as a sliding door, BB Design’s Barn Door is also perfectly suited to this purpose and is made from several planks assembled to look like a single piece. The Néo sofa table in solid raw beech by the French fashion house Bérengère Leroy is a graphic composition that plays with various geometric shapes, apparently in precarious balance. It is a sculpture handcrafted on request.
On the left, Néo coffee table by Bérengère Leroy in solid raw beech, ø35x50h cm, €1,090- berengereleroy.fr;on the right, external sliding door in solid olive wood, Barn Door by BB Design, 4x95x215h cm (customizable dimensions), €1,157.68 – bbdesign.store
To visually expand a small space, play with light colors and mirrors. Agave offers one, Estia, with its unique charm, transforming any space into a work of art with its asymmetrical, antique-effect lines. It can be hung horizontally or vertically, adapting to your space and design preferences.
Estia antique mirror by Agave, 4x60x90h cm, €379 – agavequadri.it
Flowers and plants are also essential elements of a home. To store cut flowers, Casa Rialto offers special creations with a classic shape, reinvented thanks to unruly edges that bend in different directions. These are the Millerighe vases in clear glass: they have a finely ribbed surface and are handmade in Venice, available in 4 different sizes and shapes. To house potted plants, however, a raku ceramic bowl (an ancient Japanese firing technique) glazed in various shades of blue, sea green, and copper red can become the most charming planter in the house. The signature Laab Milano.
Millerighe clear glass vases by Casa Rialto, starting at €90 – casarialto.it
Raku ceramic bowl/vase holder by Laab Milano, ø12x7h cm, €260 – laabmilano.com
The sleeping area and living area of the Kyiv apartment share the same compact, minimal space. Despite being an open space, it is an intimate refuge populated by natural materials, neutral shades and raw textures. The light is soft, the details are handcrafted.
IDEAS FOR THE SLEEPING AREA
The term “Japanese bed” has evolved to refer to a low bed frame that recreates a minimalist style, yet offers some comforts that are hard to live without in the West. Vivere Zen offers Yama, a Japanese bed made of solid okoume wood with slats. It is only 11 centimetres high from the ground and guarantees peaceful sleep thanks to the use of natural materials, no glue, no screws.
Handcrafted, it is assembled with an interlocking system and is finished with vegetable oils. Even the bed linens choose natural fibers and imperfect details: the Lico sheet by Society Limonta, to be paired with the putty-colored pillowcases from the same collection, is a linen and cotton blend, finished with a hand-fringed edge stitching. The advantage of this sheet? Non è nato per essere stirato.
Yama Japanese bed by Vivere Zen, with solid okumé wood slats, 160/180x200x11h cm, starting from €1,152.78 – viverezen.it
In the sleeping area of the Bila Wabi Sabi apartment, pendant lamps are chosen to diffuse a soft, never invasive light. The shapes remain organic, the materials natural: the Illan suspension lamp by Luceplan enchants not only with its lightness. The simple concentric cutting pattern that shapes it, models the wood into a three-dimensional sculptural object, which reacts to the slightest movement of air. Even the light oscillates harmoniously! Furthermore, the structure (available in three sizes) is made with certified wood from correctly and responsibly managed forests, according to rigorous environmental, social and economic standards.
Lampada a sospensione Illan di Luceplan, design Zsuzanna Horvath, ø 60/80/100 cm, a partire da € 1.136 – luceplan.com
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Surfaces and coverings – matter that speaks
Il wabi-sabi pensiero applicato alla cucina di casa Bila prevede un tavolo di legno che sembra un’opera d’arte e che è il cuore attorno a cui ruota tutto il resto, comprese stoviglie e, ovviamente, teiere. Even in this environment, light caresses diners through a truly special source.
IDEAS FOR THE KITCHEN
Wood, wood, and more wood: natural, solid, robust, textured, reliable, exciting… These are all adjectives that fit perfectly with the Slide dining table in recycled tropical wood by Via Durini, unique precisely because it embodies the history of the material that shapes it. The workmanship is carried out using artisanal methods: every scratch, scar, stain, and patch of repair bears witness to the originality of a past reborn. The tropical wood recycled from old artifacts, boats, and abandoned buildings is simply cleaned, sanded, and expertly crafted to restore its dignity and give it a new lease of life.
Slide dining table in recycled tropical wood with double base by Via Durini, 110x260x78h cm, €3,581- viadurini.it
Suspended above the table, the chandelier creates the right atmosphere to accompany meals and daily rituals, to illuminate laughter and intertwining voices, thoughts and secrets, to witness the birth of new projects. It has generous dimensions and a soft silhouette, like the light it diffuses. This pictured is Lights of Scandinavia’s Feng Shui creation: a long pendant lamp in translucent acrylic, embellished with golden lines and featuring a fluid design that recalls waves, a symbol of harmony and movement.
Lights of Scandinavia Feng Shui Translucent Acrylic Pendant Lamp, 30×100/120/150/180 cm, from €639.70 – lightsofscandinavia.com
Even the table settings follow the wabi-sabi philosophy, with crumpled tablecloths, plates that distort the perfect circular shape, unique glasses, and irregular teapots. To let us all remember that uniqueness is beauty. The Loira tablecloth by LisolaStore has a soft, worn look and is made of non-iron, stonewashed cotton with a pure linen border. Its naturally creased effect is highlighted by the garment dyeing which gives it a slightly variegated appearance. Si lava facilmente e non necessita di essere stirata. Sarah-Linda’s Indulge plates are small masterpieces of luxurious extravagance, crafted from genuine Limoges porcelain and handmade in France: no two are alike. Even glasses love to stand out, each with its own characteristics: the set of glasses offered by Bitossi Home not only offers nuances but also different designs, on the stem and the bowl.
Limoges porcelain plates, Indulge collection by Sarah-Linda: Indulge large dinner plate No. 6, 30x29x5.5 cm, €310 for the set of two plates; Indulge saucer No. 5 with hand-painted 24-karat gold rim, 17x18x4 cm, €162 for the set of two saucers; Indulge bowl No. 2 with hand-painted 24-karat gold interior decoration, 10.5x11x4.7 cm, €240 for the set of two bowls – sarah-linda.com
On the left, Loria tablecloth by LisolaStore in stonewashed cotton and linen, 140×180 cm €115, 160×230 cm €149, 170×270 cm €164, 170×320 cm €232, 170×170 cm €133 – lisolastore.it;on the right, set of 6 blown glass glasses in assorted shapes and shades by Bitossi Home, 23h cm, €110- bitossihome.it
Even two objects of the gesture are not immune to the charm of wabi-sabi: a teapot and a bread cutting board. La prima, custode di un rito che misura calma e presenza, è una creazione di Bloomingville. It’s called Ikigai, it’s made of stoneware and boasts a rustic charm in various shades of brown and beige, which may change color over time and with wear. The S/Lab circular cutting board by knIndustrie is made of solid larch and has a metal band that maintains its stability and enhances the natural beauty of the wood. The surface retains the annual growth rings, which reveal the age of the tree and make each cutting board unique. Perfect for both cutting and presenting dishes at the table with great personality.
On the left, Ikigai glazed stoneware teapot by Bloomingville, ø 21.5x19h cm, €54.90 – bloomingville.com; on the right, circular cutting board in solid larch S/Lab by knIndustrie, ø40x7h cm, €188 – shop.knindustrie.it
In Bila Wabi Sabi’s Kyiv apartment, even the open-plan bathtub and sink, raised on a podium, rebel against convention and are located where they shouldn’t be: they occupy the area intended for a balcony, enlarging the space and creating yet another relaxation corner opposite the sleeping and living areas. The guest bathroom, on the other hand, is rather small, but the space is extraordinarily textured, offering irregular surfaces, natural materials, and surprising imperfections to the eye and touch.
IDEAS FOR THE BATHROOM AREA
A freestanding tub is the unexpected solution in an open-plan space, but it has an exceptional visual impact. In a home inspired by the wabi-sabi aesthetic, the ideal solution is to include a bathtub like the Manacor by Arrelart. Carved from a single piece of river stone, it has a smooth interior that offers absolute comfort while the exterior maintains its natural beauty. The guest bathroom features a few, yet evocative, elements. Like the Orvane countertop washbasin by Kave Home in handcrafted Java marble, with a polished interior and chiseled exterior. Each piece features unique shades and grain, which release the full power of imperfection.
, 182x177x64,5h cm, € 5.950 – arrelart.com
Orvane countertop washbasin in Java marble by Kave Home, ø 40x15h cm, € 185 – kavehome.com
Project by MAKHNO Studio – makhnostudio.com
In copertina, un angolo della zona notte dell’appartamento Bila Wabi Sabi di Kyiv in cui ogni dettaglio – dai muri alle lampade alle lenzuola – rifugge la perfezione in nome dell’autenticità.
