Wabi Sabi and Wellness: Embracing the Art of Imperfection

Wabi Sabi is an ancient Japanese concept that embraces the beauty of imperfection. Encouraging us to experience and see things without judgement, this aesthetic is simple and organic. Therefore, naturally, we have found ourselves drawn to it at Raft. Through soothing colour palettes, asymmetry, raw materials and relaxed design choices, Wabi Sabi style transcends trends and simply reminds us to accept the pleasures of reality.

"There’s a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in." - Leonard Cohen

"Careful! Put your drink on a coaster."

Accepting that reality is brilliant and the wear and tear of everyday life is what we're all about at Raft. Today, on our lunch break at Raft HQ, our Visual Merchandiser made a coffee for a customer. He popped it on the table for her and she quickly and politely picked it up, exclaiming "Don't get a ring mark on your table!". To this, Lubo explained that he has the same table at home and he never uses coasters. Why? Raft tables are made from sustainably sourced and reclaimed teak. Each piece is authentic with its own story and harbours knots, marks and memories from its journey to our showroom. By virtue of our teak furniture being handmade, each one is totally different and the rawness of our materials is apparent. We love the way that memories from everyday life appear on our furniture. Beyond this, it's actually pretty difficult to stain our tables with ring marks... and if you do, our Director, Mick Quinn, has just the trick to make them disappear!

Wabi Sabi Anecdote: The Cigarette Stain

One day, a woman came into the shop and asked for a stain to be taken off her tabletop. However, she requested that it be done on site. When asked why, she revealed that there was one stain in particular she didn't want to be removed. This stain came from her late mother who used to smoke at the table and rest her cigarette bearing hand on the side, leaving a uniquely beautiful stain and a memory.

Wellness and Wabi Sabi go hand in hand

Wellness is dominating interior design trends in 2022 because to put it simply, we've realised that we spend most of our time at home... so why not make it a sanctuary of relaxation? From boosting productivity and air quality with indoor foliage and organic materials to creating a sensory experience with tactile pieces and beautiful scents, wellness is well and truly at the heart of our approach to interior design this year.

1. Plants are always a good idea

Bringing the outdoors in is a key part of the wellness trend. The reason for this is that is has a wealth of health benefits and is also very pleasing to the human eye. There's nothing like indoor foliage to bring a burst of colour and life to your interiors. What's more, indoor plants improve air quality and have been linked with boosted productivity. 

2. Slow living (with real life in mind)

Invest in a sofa that allows you to live life how you need to. No piece of furniture is one size fits all; you need to figure out what's right for you. With a modular sofa you can live slowly and deliberately, personalising your space depending on your needs that day. Above is our Columbus Modular Sofa.

3. Your bedroom is your sanctuary

Since the start of the pandemic, our homes have doubled up as offices, classrooms and playgrounds. We're ready to reclaim spaces in our homes for relaxation. The main space to incorporate wellness decisions is your bedroom. We love fabric beds for a real feeling of tactile luxury. Alternatively, to really tap into the Wabi Sabi interior design aesthetic, opt for a low Cube Bed. This model will bring you closer to the earth, acting as a grounding mechanism. Add a rug for some underfoot comfort and style your bedside tables with some beautiful, glowing table lamps.