Japandi Pairings: Dining Benches and Cushions

The most successful Japandi pairings combine a low, simple wooden dining bench with flat cushions in natural fabrics such as linen, cotton, wool or boucle, in muted earthy tones like oatmeal, clay, stone, sage and charcoal. Keep cushions thin, rectangular and neatly fitted, and limit yourself to two or three tones so the bench still reads as wood with a little softness added. Japandi blends Japanese restraint with Scandinavian comfort, valuing craftsmanship, natural materials and calm, uncluttered rooms. In this guide we start with choosing the right bench, comparing light Scandinavian woods with darker Japanese leaning timbers. We then look at cushion materials, the Japandi colour palette and four pairings that work, from pale oak with oatmeal linen to black stained wood with ecru boucle. You will also find advice on cushion shape and thickness, matching dining chairs, building the rest of the room and practical considerations for real UK homes with children and limited space....