What’s Trending in TV Units: Japandi Edition

The strongest Japandi trends in TV units right now are low, long silhouettes, natural timber in pale or mid tones, slatted and fluted door fronts, concealed storage and simple, tapered legs. Together these create a media wall that feels quiet and grounded rather than technical. The style takes restraint from Japanese design and warmth from Scandinavian homes, and it sits comfortably in most UK living rooms.

Timber is at the heart of it. Our modern wooden TV stands UK include many designs that already carry these qualities, from light oak finishes to warmer walnut tones, and our wider collection of modern TV units UK is a helpful reference if you want to compare timber with other materials.

Low and Long Silhouettes

Japandi rooms tend to sit close to the ground. Sofas are low, seating is relaxed and furniture rarely rises above hip height. TV units follow the same pattern. A long, low unit draws the eye horizontally, which makes ceilings feel higher and walls feel wider.

This works particularly well in UK homes with standard ceiling heights. It also creates a generous surface for a few carefully chosen objects, which is central to the look. Choose a unit that runs comfortably wider than your screen and keeps the top clear.

Slatted and Fluted Fronts

Vertical slats and fluted panels have become a signature of the style. They add texture without pattern, catch light gently and give a sense of craft. Slatted fronts also have a practical side: when spaced slightly apart, they allow remote signals and airflow to reach devices inside while still hiding them from view.

Look for slats that are evenly spaced and cleanly finished at the ends. The quality of this detail is what separates a genuinely calm piece from one that looks busy.

Timber Tones: Pale and Mid, Not Orange

Japandi favours honest timber. Light oak, ash and beech bring Scandinavian brightness, while walnut and smoked oak lean towards Japanese depth. Both are on trend. What tends to look dated is a strong orange or yellow cast, which feels closer to older pine than to the current look.

Many homes mix the two directions: a pale oak unit with darker accents, or a walnut unit beside light linen upholstery. If you are combining woods, keep the undertones consistent. Warm with warm, cool with cool.

Concealed Storage and Clean Surfaces

Minimalism is essential to Japandi, but it is a lived in minimalism. The aim is not an empty room; it is a room where everything has a place. TV units with generous closed storage let you tuck away consoles, remotes, cables and the general clutter of modern life.

Drawers with integrated finger pulls, push to open doors and hidden cable channels keep the front uninterrupted. When you choose a unit, think about what needs to disappear and make sure there is room for it.

Tapered Legs and Gentle Curves

Units that sit on slim, tapered legs feel lighter and let the floor run beneath them. This helps smaller rooms and adds a subtle nod to mid century furniture. Rounded corners and softly curved edges are also appearing more often, bringing a tactile, handmade quality.

A plinth base works too, especially in darker timbers, where it creates a more grounded, almost architectural look. The choice depends on whether your room needs lightness or weight.

Matt Finishes and Natural Texture

Gloss has little place in a Japandi scheme. Matt lacquers, oiled finishes and natural grain are what give the style its softness. The same applies to accents on the unit: stone, clay and linen feel appropriate, while chrome and mirrored glass tend to break the mood.

Black metal can work in small amounts, for example as thin legs or a slim handle, where it echoes the dark lines found in Japanese interiors.

Dealing With the Television

A large black screen is the least Japandi object in most living rooms. There are several ways to soften its presence:

• Mount it slightly lower on the wall so it relates to the unit rather than floating above it.
• Place a single large ceramic vase or a tall plant to one side to balance the dark rectangle.
• Paint the wall behind in a muted, earthy tone so the screen contrasts less sharply.
• Choose a unit wide enough that the screen occupies only part of the composition.

Some households also use a screen saver that displays artwork, which helps when the TV is not in use.

Styling the Top Surface

The Japanese concept of leaving space is useful here. Choose fewer, better objects. A shallow bowl, a single branch in a vase and a small stack of books is plenty. Keep colours within the natural palette: oatmeal, stone, charcoal, moss and clay.

Asymmetry feels more natural than strict symmetry. Group objects to one side and let the rest of the surface breathe.

Carry the Look Across the Room

A Japandi TV unit works best when the rest of the living room follows the same principles. A low timber coffee table in a matching or complementary wood ties the seating area to the media wall. Our wooden coffee tables UK sale include simple, pared back shapes that suit the style.

Textiles do a lot of work in these rooms. A flat weave or low pile rug in a neutral, textured weave grounds the furniture and adds warmth underfoot. Browse our modern rugs UK for natural tones that sit well beside timber.

A Colour Palette Beyond Timber

Although wood leads, colour still plays a part in a Japandi living room. The palette draws on nature: warm whites, oatmeal, sand, stone grey, soft charcoal, moss green and muted clay. These tones sit comfortably beside timber and give the room depth without distraction.

Walls in a warm off white or a pale earthy shade let a timber TV unit glow. A single darker element, such as a charcoal armchair or a deep green cushion, adds weight and stops the scheme from feeling washed out. Keep strong, saturated colours to a minimum; they tend to pull focus from the materials.

Black is used sparingly but deliberately. A thin black frame, a dark ceramic bowl or slim black legs echo the ink tones of Japanese interiors and give the eye a crisp point of reference.

Japandi in a Period Home

Many UK living rooms have original features: cornicing, picture rails, sash windows and chimney breasts. Japandi can sit beautifully alongside these details, provided the furniture stays low and simple. A long timber TV unit placed across the chimney breast, with the alcoves left mostly clear or fitted with plain shelving, respects the architecture without competing with it.

Painting period details in the same colour as the walls helps them recede, so the calm character of the furniture comes through. Keep window treatments simple, such as linen curtains or plain blinds, to let soft light fill the room.

In newer homes without period features, Japandi can supply the character the architecture lacks. A textured limewash wall behind the TV unit, a timber unit with visible grain and a single sculptural lamp give a plain room depth and a sense of craft, without adding clutter or relying on decoration.

Lighting With Softness

Japandi lighting is diffused and warm. Paper lanterns, linen shades and low table lamps create pools of gentle light rather than bright, even illumination. Place a small lamp on or beside the TV unit to give the wall depth in the evening.

Warm white bulbs flatter timber and keep the room feeling restful. Avoid cool, blue toned bulbs, which can make natural materials look flat.

Trends to Approach With Care

Not every popular idea serves the style. Heavily themed accessories, such as overtly decorative motifs, can make a room feel like a set rather than a home. Very busy slatted walls combined with slatted furniture can also overwhelm a small room. Choose one textured element and let it lead.

If you like the warmth of Japandi but want something a little more rustic, our guide to farmhouse TV units for UK homes explores a related, more relaxed approach to timber.

A Calmer Media Wall

Japandi is less a passing trend and more a way of thinking about the home. Choose a low timber unit with honest materials and hidden storage, style it lightly, and support it with texture and soft light. The result is a living room where the television is present, but no longer in charge.

Discover our timber and contemporary designs at Furniture in Fashion, with free delivery to most UK mainland postcodes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What colour is a Japandi TV unit?

Most are natural timber, ranging from pale oak to walnut. Matt black and soft warm neutrals also suit the style, provided the finish is matt rather than glossy.

Can Japandi work in a small UK living room?

Yes. Its low furniture, restrained colour palette and focus on hidden storage make it well suited to compact rooms.

How do I hide cables in a Japandi setup?

Choose a unit with rear cable ports and closed storage, run cables down directly behind the unit, and gather them with a simple fabric sleeve in a neutral tone.

Is Japandi the same as Scandinavian style?

They are related. Japandi borrows Scandinavian warmth and comfort but adds Japanese restraint, darker accents and a stronger emphasis on craft and empty space.