9 Japanese Modern Living Rooms with Example Photos｜What Kind of Coordination Elevates the Level of Elegance?

1-1. Japanese modern living room with a view of the courtyard, which changes beautifully from season to season

武蔵野の家 ｜ Musashino house ( architect：Masatoshi Yashima & Yuko Yashima )

This house has a cool impression with its fair-faced concrete exterior. In contrast to the outside, the interior of this Japanese modern living room is boldly decorated with the warmth of wood.

The dining table, chairs, sofa, and other furniture are all in natural tones, emphasizing a sense of unity. Warm sunlight pours in through the large windows overlooking the spacious courtyard, further making the room a relaxing space.

1-2. Living room with soft light coming through the shoji screens（障子）

鴨居の家 ｜ Kamoi house ( architect：Masatoshi Yashima & Yuko Yashima )

To match the modern Japanese atmosphere of the living room, large shoji screens were used instead of curtains in this house. The ceiling and floor, which make the most of the beautiful wood grain tone, give the room a warm and relaxing feeling that only "Japanese" taste can provide.

In addition, furniture such as low tables and lighting fixtures add a beautiful modern touch. The unique sloping ceiling adds a playful touch.

1-3. A Japanese modern vacation home where you can fully enjoy the sun shining through the trees

旧道の山荘｜Kyudo Cottage ( architect：Yasumi Taketomi )

This vacation home, built on an old road in Karuizawa, uses "lattice doors" instead of curtains to ensure privacy and increase lighting. The Japanese-style lattice doors can be opened to reveal a large window, and you will enjoy the view as if you were looking at a painting.

The modern design and attractive lighting fixtures add to the sophistication of the space. It is a building that would be considered too good to leave as a vacation home.

1-4. Japanese modern house with gentle light illuminating the interior

牛久の家 ｜ Ushiku house ( architect：Masatoshi Yashima & Yuko Yashima )

This house in Ushiku, Ibaraki Prefecture, was also designed with an emphasis on Japanese modern taste. The living/dining room and guest room are located on the south side, which receives abundant natural light, while the bedrooms, study, and water area are located on the north side.

Although none of the rooms are completely partitioned, each has a different atmosphere due to the difference in floor level and the change in light coming in through the windows. The gentle light coming through the large shoji screens in the living room brightens the room during the daytime even without lighting.

1-5. Living room with log beams that have a strong presence, retaining the old minka（民家）style

湯沢の二世帯住宅　〜土間と廻り廊下の空気層〜 ( architect：Manabu Naya )

This is a two-family house renovated from a 150-year-old old house. The overall color scheme is a clean white, and the log beams in the back of the shed are dynamically expressed.

When renovating the house, the foundation was rebuilt from the ground up, and the old foundation and pillars were replaced. The entire house has been well insulated, making it a beautiful house that will last for another 100 years.

1-6. A house remodeled with old columns that feel timeless and comforting

residence jo mibu banba ( architect：Seiichiro Takeuchi )

Built in a traditional townhouse area called machiya（町家）in Tokyo, this is a house that has been remodeled while utilizing pillars that are still strong and usable despite their age. The age-old pillars, which give a sense of age, are found throughout the living room, bedroom, and Japanese-style room（和室）, creating a good old-fashioned atmosphere.

The cozy small living room also offers an attractive view of the courtyard with abundant sunlight shining brightly. Sitting in the one-person chair, you will be transported to an extraordinary place before you know it.

1-7. Japanese modern living rooms in rental apartments

asu apartment ( architect：Masatoshi Yashima & Yuko Yashima )

This is an example of renovation of an apartment in Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo. The ceiling and floor are made of wood, which gives a natural impression, and the windows are lattice doors, which give a Japanese taste.

Although it is a rental house, the design was handled by an architect who wanted to create a space that would fit well and be loved by the residents as they lived in it.

1-8. Wooden space with light and shadow

浜寺の家 ( architect：Akiyoshi Nakao )

This customer's request was for "a house like a Parisian apartment with bookshelves". So, what we completed is a house with a skip floor, making the most of "height" and "material taste" as shown in the photo above.

The overall design is a combination of various types of wood, allowing visitors to feel nature with their whole body. In order to incorporate Japanese elements, we also created a Tatami mat zone where you can take a breather.

1-9. A Japanese modern house with several favorite places

つづきまのいえ ( architect：Eitaro Satake )

In accordance with the good old Japanese house, this house has been designed to bring light and wind comfortably into the room. The living room has a Japanese-style lattice door and a dining table with beautiful wood grain, creating a relaxing atmosphere.

However, modernity has not been forgotten. The walls and lighting fixtures are unified in white, and the floor is a chic black color adding a style and creating a space where one can enjoy a modern Japanese taste.

2-1. Laying a usable "Tatami mat（畳）" in a corner of the living room

つづきまのいえ ( architect：Eitaro Satake )

The first point is to place a tatami mat in a corner of the living room, which is unique to Japanese-style houses. Tatami mat is one of the most representative Japanese items, so you can enjoy a space with a more modern Japanese taste by placing a Japanese-style room in the corner of the living room.

Another attraction of the Japanese-style room is its convenience and ease of use. A Japanese-style room in the living room can be used as a guest room. In addition, tatami mat provides more cushioning than wood flooring, so it is often used barefoot, and can also be used as a children's play area or a place to fold laundry.

If you want to create a strong "Japanese" element, try setting up a Tatami mat corner that can be used in a wide range of situations, giving a sense of Japaneseness at a glance.

2-2. Choosing a Scandinavian style sofa

板橋小茂根の家 ( architect：Ogihara Masashi )

If you are having trouble with sofas to place, we recommend "Scandinavian style sofas. If you choose a sophisticated Scandinavian-style sofa for a Japanese-style space, you can easily complete a Japanese modern living room.

Here you may be wondering, "Do Japanese and Scandinavian go well together?" Many people may be wondering, "Do Japanese and Scandinavian taste go well together? However, Scandinavian taste, which uses modern and beautiful design, and Japanese taste, which is simple but somehow calming, are an excellent match.

If you want to feel a strong sense of harmony, we recommend a low sofa with a seat surface close to the floor. Japanese people, who have traditionally lived on tatami mats, feel somewhat at home in a "low-seated lifestyle" where the line of sight is lowered. Another advantage is that the lower line of sight gives the feeling of a higher ceiling, making the room feel larger.

2-3. Adding modernity with indirect lighting

residence jo kamisannomiya ( architect：Seiichiro Takeuchi )

You may add a modern touch with "indirect lighting" that gives a sophisticated impression. Indirect lighting is lighting that reflects light off the ceiling or walls and illuminates the space with the reflected light. For example, indirect lighting in a living room can create a more sophisticated and chic space than an ordinary room.

Indirect lighting, however, has the disadvantage that it feels darker than direct lighting, which delivers light directly. For this reason, indirect lighting is not suitable for rooms where detailed work is performed. Indirect lighting is suitable for rooms where atmosphere is more important than practicality.

2-4. Curtain selection is also important

登り梁の家 ( architect：Yohei Tanaka )

To create an elegant Japanese-style modern living room, you cannot skimp on curtain selection. Curtains in living rooms with large windows have a large area in view when closed, so if you choose a design that does not match the Japanese modern style, it will ruin the atmosphere.

Curtain colors that go well with Japanese modern taste are natural colors (also called earth colors) such as beige, pale green, and brown. As for designs, solid colors or modest patterns will blend well with Japanese modern living.

In addition, since curtains that open horizontally often give a Western impression, choosing "shade curtains" or "roll curtains" that open and close vertically, as shown in the photo above, will bring the room closer to a Japanese modern impression.

Instead of installing curtains in living room windows, we also recommend installing "shoji" screens that provide a sense of peace and quiet. Shoji screens, which let in just the right amount of warmer light than curtains, will allow you to enjoy a bright space while ensuring your privacy.

2-5. Wallpaper can bring in a sense of fun

You can also create a playful Japanese modern living room using wallpaper with a Japanese taste.

Wallpaper, which occupies a large area of a room, can be transformed into a space with a variety of tastes depending on the pattern chosen. For example, even in a simple and plain room, wallpaper with Japanese-inspired patterns such as bamboo, plum, and cherry blossoms can be used in certain areas to accentuate the space.

If the entire room is wallpapered with patterned cloth, the space will look gaudy and unsettled, so it is recommended to use accent cloths in parts of the room.

2-6. Easy to create a Japanese taste with "Igusa Rugs（い草）”

If you do not have the space to create a Japanese-style room, you can easily add a Japanese taste to your living room by laying out a "Igusa rug" made of the same material as tatami mats.

Rigusa rugs come in a wide variety of designs. For example, there are pop designs with a patchwork style, modern Japanese designs with brown colors, and black-colored designs that give a modern and stylish impression with a Japanese feel.

Please try to select a "Igusa rugs" that matches the atmosphere of the Japanese modern living room you desire or the room you are currently in.