Tatami mats: Take inspiration from this Japanese decor to elevate a minimalistic look

When it comes to doing up the house flooring, marbles, red floors, designer tiles or even wooden slabs are common ones that are seen all over. But have you heard of the Japanese tatami mats which when rolled over any kind of flooring changes its charm to a holistic zen-like ambiance. Enter most houses in Japan and you would be greeted by these woven mats with compressed rice straw or foam boards making up the inside. These have been prevailing over centuries and today marks more than just a home décor element, it is symbolic of comfort, tradition and displaying spatial harmony.

How Japanese tatami mats can ace the minimalism game for your home décor woes?

Before moving on to how tatami mats can shape the look of your homes, it is important to understand what tatami mats constitute. The top layer is made up of thick woven igusa grass. The core or inner filling is made up of straw and for modern mats; wood chips or foam boards are used. Moreover, the edges are often sealed with fabric borders with subtle geometric designs. As a result, these mats are firm but soft on the to walk and sit on. These give a very walking-on-the-grass feel when walked upon. They help in insulation and humidity control and hence are even placed on the windows. These are very standard size which almost fits most places in your home.

How tatami mats can change the look of your house?

There are several reasons which make tatami mats a popular choice to have in homes.  

Layout precision: In a Japanese household, actual room layouts are measured in units of tatami. This would mean something like 8- mat room or 4-5 mat rooms. This in turn helps on eto decide on the type of furniture and how big can they be. It would also help in deciding the window and door spaces.

Encourage minimal décor: A tatami mat is a very minimalistic vibe that makes up the room. In oder to match with it, the other elements of the room are also used in complementing fabrics, colours, and sizes. This would mean the placing of a low table, floor cushions, mid-size cupboards for storage and less furniture and more open spaces in the room.

Room usage: A tatami mat can not only be put on floors but also around the windows. This actually helps in differentiating the purpose of the rooms or the same room at different intervals. It can be a bedroom during the nights where one can layer up and sleep on the ground. During the day or late afternoon It can be converted into a cosy room for all your tea tasting experiences. Whenever required it can be spread luxuriously to welcome guests.

Natural look: Using tatami mats which are often mono-colour, made of natural and organic materials and simple looking, can make the room look very natural. You can use tones and undertones of warm colours, natural aroma and fragrances and light textures to decorate the room, keeping most of the space empty and open for light to penetrate and only a handful space minimally decorated for utilitarian purpose.

Acoustics: Interestingly, tatami mats not only make the room look good but also influences the soundscape of the room. Due to its make with organic materials it tends to absorb sound resulting in softer footsteps.

Cultural Impact: apart from home décor, tatami mats also impact behaviour in general. People tend to remove their shoes and walk barefoot on them. They also prefer to sit on the floors, cross-legged; which in turn corrects their postures too. Moreover, it forms a central part of tea ceremonies, meditation rooms, celebrations and martial art training rooms.

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