Japandi style guide for graphic designers

The Japandi style has been rising rapidly in popularity, blending the simplicity of Japanese minimalism with the warmth and functionality of Scandinavian design. It’s been a hit in interior design, shifting consumer and creator interest and, in turn, influencing the graphic design industry.

This blog will answer the question that's being increasingly asked: “what is Japandi style design?” We'll also walk you through how to apply the calm, balanced aesthetics of Japandi to your graphic design projects. We’ll explore its signature color palettes, key elements, and practical ways to create Japandi-inspired designs.

What is Japandi style?

Japandi style is a minimalist, calming design aesthetic that focuses on the core principles of balance, organic elements, simplicity, and purpose.

It's largely influenced by, and is the combination of, two minimalist design philosophies: Japanese interior design, known for its simplicity and harmony with nature, and Scandinavian design, which prioritizes functionality and coziness (also known as hygge). When combined, these two styles create the clean, balanced, and calming Japandi style aesthetic. 

The focus on organic textures is also influenced by the Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi (finding beauty in imperfection), another design trend we explore in our 2025 graphic design trends report.

Other influences in this trend stem from Bauhaus and Bohemian styles as well as influences from the artists Yayoi Kusama, Henri Matisse, and Picasso.

The core of Japandi style focuses on:

• Simplicity: Reducing clutter and focusing on essential elements.
• Functionality: Every piece is incorporated with purpose or intention. There’s no “fluff” or clutter. While a style such as maximalism is loud and cluttered, the Japandi style is quiet, soft, and minimalistic.
• Natural inspiration: Elements like wood, stone, and organic shapes are a central component of Japandi style, both for art and interior design.

For graphic designers, these principles can be applied by creating clean, uncluttered designs that feel functional yet visually soothing. Think about how you can strip away unnecessary elements and focus on the purpose of your design: how it influences a space and makes the viewer feel.

The Japandi color palette

When it comes to the Japandi color palette, it’s all about neutral tones and natural hues. This aligns with the “nature-inspired” core design element mentioned above. Japandi style avoids loud, saturated colors. In fact, it’s essentially the exact opposite, embracing soft, muted shades.

Japandi color palette examples

Soft neutrals: light grays, beige, and cream.

Hex codes: #E6E4E0, #D5CABA, #F4F0E8, #C19E85, #E1CFC2, #8F837A

Earth tones: warm browns, terracotta, and sand.

Hex codes: #CC9A7A, #753730, #A36844, #C67E50, #D5B88D, #F4F0E8

Muted greens: olive, sage, and forest.

Hex codes: #C19E85, #8F837A, #B9B99D, #606C5A, #B0B9A7, #D5CABA

Dark neutrals: deep black, charcoal, or navy.

Hex codes: #F4F0E8, #354252, #14153C, #090A20, #5E5E5E, #858480

Incorporating Japandi interior design concepts into graphics

The Japandi approach to interior design emphasizes clean lines, open spaces, and a minimalist aesthetic. 

To compare with the maximalist trend again, think of the frequently used design elements of maximalist decor and design: smooth, plastics, and glass. In contrast, Japandi style decor and design celebrate the natural elements of wood, natural fibers, and organic textures.

These concepts can easily translate into graphic design, influencing texture, layouts, and compositions.

Here’s how you can apply Japandi interior design values to your work:

• Clean lines and minimalism: Stick to simple, cohesive shapes and avoid over-complicating your layouts.
• Balance: Create symmetrical compositions that feel open and uncluttered.
• Negative space: Just like in interior design, negative space is key. Let your designs breathe by incorporating plenty of white (or neutral) space.

Japandi decor elements for visual inspiration

One of the defining characteristics of Japandi interior design is the use of organic textures and handcrafted decor. As graphic designers, we can draw inspiration from these elements when creating visuals.

Common Japandi decor elements include:

• Wooden furniture with clean lines.
• Handcrafted ceramics.
• Textures like stone, linen, and wool.

You can bring these elements into your designs by incorporating natural textures, like woodgrain patterns or stone-like surfaces. These can add depth and warmth to otherwise minimal designs, creating a more inviting and tactile experience.

How to design Japandi art

Japandi art is a unique fusion of traditional Japanese art—like calligraphy and ink wash paintings—and the modern minimalism seen in Scandinavian art. And creating Japandi-inspired art comes down to two main principles: minimalism and nature. Whether you’re designing a poster, a logo, or marketing materials such as one-pagers, keep these concepts in mind.

If you're ready to create your own Japandi-inspired graphic design, here’s a starter guide to get you going:

Start with a simple layout

Focus on clean lines and an organized structure. Notice the balance executed in the poster below—the text and imagery is all in alignment, creating the illusion of lines and forming a well organized composition. The easiest way to accomplish clean lines like this in your designs is by leveraging grid and ruler layout tools.

Incorporate natural textures

Add texture overlays or organic patterns to bring warmth. Kittl has an image library with a nearly endless supply of textures and backgrounds. You can easily add these to your design to achieve the perfect, textured look that feels raw and natural. 

Use typography that best suits the Japandi style

Focus on fonts that are simple but still have character. Sans-serif fonts and clean typefaces are an excellent choice that align with the simplicity of the style. But the fonts that beautifully complement the Japandi design style are raw looking, inky calligraphy style fonts. Typewriter-style fonts work wonderfully as well as they mirror a vintage, printer press vibe. 

Below are a few font examples that beautifully align with the Japandi aesthetic that you can find with countless others—all included in Kittl's font library.

If you're ready to start designing now, you can access this list of Japandi-style fonts here.

Play with negative space

Don’t be afraid to leave large areas of whitespace! By avoiding clutter and excessive elements, you can better create designs that are balanced and feel calming. See the set of posters below—they rely heavily on white space (it's most of the composition). They use simple black dots and lines as a stark (but not overwhelming) focal point.

Incorporate natural motifs

As we’ve mentioned, the Japandi style, whether for graphic design or interior design is all about the incorporation of nature! Think organic shapes, plant-inspired patterns, or wood and stone textures.

Choose a muted color palette

Keep it soft and earthy, with dark accents for depth. You can use the Japandi color palette examples above to get started! Another great way to build color palettes that align with the Japandi style is to get inspired by nature. Reference our guide to building the best color combinations that explores how you can pull colors from an image—such as a photo of natural elements—to create genuine, nature-inspired palettes.

Bonus tips for using the Japandi color palette in graphic design:

• Start with neutral backgrounds and add imagery with earthy tones for contrast.
• Use dark accents sparingly to add depth.
• Play with texture to emphasize the natural vibe, like grainy overlays or organic patterns.

Incorporate Japandi style into your next graphic design project

Whether it’s minimalist decor, calming interior design, or packaging with natural textures, Japandi’s influence is strong. And this trending art style offers graphic designers a beautiful adaptation of minimalism, that combines functionality and simplicity with the warmth of organic tones and textures.

It's an excellent style to master if you're looking to grow your graphic design skills as it encourages constraint—less is more with this style!

Ready to try out Japandi in your next project? Start a new project and get started with the palettes, fonts, and textures explored above!