One of the surprising perks of running a small business is meeting a wide number of new people and gaining fresh perspectives. I had a perfectly good (British) education, in which I excelled in my chosen subjects, but it may have been just a little narrow and I apparently haven’t worked too hard to broaden it since 
So when talented silk artist Ellen Brook mentioned that she is fascinated with Wabi-Sabi, I found myself scrambling to Google before my ignorance was revealed. Upon discovering the meaning of the Japanese term, I was struck by its applicability to our homes and expectations for how we live. With the world’s eyes turned towards Japan, I did wonder whether it was inappropriate to post what might look like a ‘bandwagon’ piece today, but perhaps this is the perfect time to remind ourselves how much we can learn from this incredible culture.
Dwyer Design
Thanks to Wikipedia, I learned that wabi-sabi is sometimes described as beauty that is imperfect, impermanent and incomplete. It nurtures all that is authentic by acknowledging three simple realities: nothing lasts, nothing is finished, and nothing is perfect. The distinction is made between this aesthetic and the Greek values of beauty and perfection, often upheld in the West.
It's The Little Things
Think for a moment, have you been striving towards the ideals of the ancient Greeks? Would you instead feel more relaxed, more content, more ‘at home’ in your home if you could appreciate the beauty of your imperfect and unfinished surroundings? And would your organizing projects be less daunting if you could view them as a transient work-in-progress, where the perfect solution is only a myth?
It’s true that wabi-sabi appears to favor a natural, minimalist approach, so you cannot simply point to your clutter and declare you have embraced the aesthetic. However, if an organizing dilemma has been troubling you, it’s OK simply to make a start and recognize this is a journey towards improvement, where some rough-edges and irregularity can and should remain.
Adwait Kher
For more tips on moving away from perfection in favor of the wabi-sabi approach, you can check out Home Design Find and Apartment Therapy.
If you would like friendly, confidential Professional Organizing help to turn chaos into calm, contact me to take the first step toward a sorted, stylish space.
I have no trouble at all moving away from perfection! Love shibui (the dignity of wear), and wabi+sabi too ~ even on my face.
A beautiful philosophy that I would do well to apply to everything in my life.
Wonderful post, going to share it on our facebook page. Thank you!
I do like the open concept of Wabi-Sabi. I also love Wabi-Sabi covered peas. They’re frickin’ delicious.
Great concept and good to know more about Wabi-Sabi (and no I did not really know what it was before I read your post!) x
Personally, I’m sort of wobbly sobby – highly unfinished but not prone toward accepting it.
Could you work towards “wobbly jolly” instead?
And here I thought wabi-sabi was a hot Chinese mustard.
(Is it “fair” to leave a FIRST EVER comment here that is full to the brim and running over with my irreverent sense of humor???)
I am all about the Wabi-Sabi, just never knew there was an actual term for it! So often we strive to have our homes magazine perfect and guess what? That isn’t real! Even worse, it isn’t authentic or unique. What makes us, as human beings, is the imperfections, the differences, the quirks, the paint that dripped on the leg of a desk and you said, “let it go, I am not sanding this baby again.”
Embrace the real, the natural, the flow of life and you will develop dimension and character.
I love your line, “you cannot simply point to your clutter and declare you have embraced the aesthetic”!
I think where I have trouble is that we westerners tend to envision designs with the “perfect” end goal in mind, and then when you’re part way to perfect, it ends up just looking unfinished in a very UN-wabi-sabi way. I would love to get better about designing things a little more imperfectly, if that makes sense. (And no — I’m not saying I’m a perfect designer. Ha!)