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From Steph & Gian:
‘Japandi is a blend of
Japanese and Scandinavian
architectural designs...
This style really does fit nicely
within Australia. Prioritising
craftsmanship, sustainability
and minimalism, Japandi
blends wabi-sabi’s imperfect
beauty with hygge’s cozy
functionality, creating tranquil,
nature connected spaces
that inspire mindful living
and harmony.’

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This handbook will show you
how to achieve the Japandi
minimalist look and feel inside
and out and kickstart your journey
to creating a Japandi home. Steph
and Gian’s mastery of Japandi make
them the perfect collaborators to
guide you through the principles
and applications of Japandi design.
From the roof, to the windows, to
floorplans and handcrafted details,
this guide is designed to help you
create spaces that embody the
simplicity, warmth and elegance
of Japandi.

Japandi experts Steph and Gian of Japandi Estate will guide you through their extensive knowledge including practical insights, aesthetic inspiration and cost-conscious advice to help you create harmonious, sustainable and functional spaces that embody the timeless beauty of Japandi design.

Meet your guide
<h2>Steph & Gian</h2>

With Steph & Gian, Japandi Estate

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This Japandi facade uses dark vertical Axon™ Cladding contrasted with timber screens for shade and privacy, and a natural stone element to anchor the asymmetrical sloped roofline

Design Handbook 2025

04,Japandi

Ready to specify Hardie™ fibre cement products in your next project?

Hardie™ exterior cladding is perfectly suited to the modern architectural
lines of the Japandi home. The distinct minimalist and natural-look
exterior can be achieved using a range of Hardie™ solutions, including
Hardie™ Brushed Concrete Cladding for a textured, contemporary feel,
Hardie™ Fine Texture Cladding for a smooth, seamless finish, Axon™
Cladding for vertical detail that adds depth and Hardie™ Axent Trim
to create clean, defined edges.

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MCoastal Brushed Wide 1440x1440

Complementary Products

Hardie™ exterior cladding is designed to withstand Australia’s harsh climate, offering non-combustible fire resistance for bushfire-prone areas, as well as weatherproof durability against UV exposure, heavy rain, and humidity. Gian highlights that overhanging eaves and screens play a crucial role in providing shading, helping to regulate indoor temperatures and reduce reliance on heating and cooling. Resistant to warping, swelling and fire, Hardie™ cladding improves the home’s longevity and aligns beautifully with Japandi design principles of simplicity, harmony, and craftsmanship, ensuring both aesthetic beauty and long-term resilience.

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‘To minimise waste and clad most
efficiently, our approach is to start
with the cladding in mind.’
—Steph, Japandi Estate

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The subtle texture adds a touch of elegance without
overwhelming the simplicity that is central to Japandi
style. It is also perfect for creating a Japandi twist on
the board and batten look, the embedded sand-like
texture provides a fine matte finish against smooth
Hardie™ Axent Trim battens. The 1200mm panel length
makes it easy to adopt consistent yet unique spacings
to apply the battens, typically at 300mm or 400mm.

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The clean vertical lines evoke the fine detail of
vertical joint timber, fostering a sense of harmony
with nature that is essential to this style.

Cladding solutions

Dulux® Namjadji

Dulux® Light Rice

Scheme Two

Dulux® Black Caviar

Dulux® Adios

Dulux® Humble Dawn

Scheme One

A dark colour palette in the Japandi home features deep, rich
tones that evoke warmth, sophistication, and coziness. Balanced
with contrasting light interiors, it seamlessly connects indoor and
outdoor spaces, fostering intimacy and elegance while maintaining
the refined simplicity of Japandi design.

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Japandi

‘It’s essential that
the palette has depth
through three main
considerations–
texture, tone and
contrast, ensuring a
harmonious balance
between natural,
earthy hues and
subtle, muted shades
to create a tranquil
yet dynamic space.’
—Steph, Japandi Estate

Colour palette

Japandi design encourages flexibility in
floor plans and multi-use spaces through
open layouts, movable partitions like
shoji screens and adaptable zones that
seamlessly transition between living,
working and relaxation areas.
‘We’re seeing people treat their homes
as sanctuaries ... open-plan living and
outdoor connections support large
gatherings and evolving needs.’
—Gian, Japandi Estate

A light, minimal facade featuring Hardie™ Fine
Texture Cladding and Hardie™ Axent™ Trim
applied in board and batten style, can create
impactful visual and textural contrast to timber
accents and surrounding greenery.

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Large trees around a sloping site presented
a unique opportunity to design a granny
flat and rumpus room in the Japandi style,
featuring Hardie™ Brushed Concrete Cladding.
Designed by Alex Urena Design Studio.
Photo by Shaw Photography.

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The serene Japandi interior of Blewitt Springs
by Das Studio, blends Hardie™ Fine Texture
Cladding with earthy tones and textures as
an example of using functional and natural
materials to create a harmonious retreat from
busy life. Photo by Anthony Basheer

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Natural-look materials are typically used on the facade.
Japanese influences leans towards darker tones and
Scandi towards lighter tones.

Natural-look exterior

Simple structures with clean, sleek lines. Roofs can
be flat, gabled, hipped or square pyramidal with deep
overhangs to protect windows from rain.

Minimalist architecture

Design features such as shoji (moveable screens),
fusuma (sliding doors) a tokonoma (recess or alcove),
genken (entryway), engawa (covered outdoor corridor)
and courtyards blur inside and outside.

Indoor-outdoor connection

Interior style is minimal without being cold, utilising
natural materials, neutral colours and simple layouts
with an emphasis on indoor-outdoor connectivity.

Interiors

Colours are typically neutral and within the same tonal
scheme to add warmth to the simple building form.

Earthy colour palette

Design features

04 Japandi 2025

Designed for a 16m frontage on a 500–550m2 block, this Japandi home seamlessly blends Japanese and Scandinavian design principles, creating a calm, nature-connected retreat. Multiple viewpoints to the central courtyard enhance the indoor-outdoor connection, inviting natural light and seasonal changes into everyday living. A flexible four-bedroom layout ensures adaptability, with the fourth bedroom serving as a TV room, guest suite, or multi-generational space, supporting a
home that is flexible, functional and serene.
Designed by Steph & Gian, Japandi Estate.

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Floorplan

Axon™ Cladding mixed with natural timber decking
brings a sense of calm to this courtyard.

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Japandi houses incorporate passive design principles to ensure energy efficiency. Insulation maintains consistent temperatures and eliminates drafts, while cross-flow ventilation, achieved through courtyards and strategically placed windows, ensures constant air circulation. Solar heat gain is managed with operable screens, highlight windows and roof overhangs, optimising thermal performance. Minimalist architecture features sleek lines, protective overhangs and low-maintenance, durable materials that harmonise with the environment.

‘Minimalism isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s about creating spaces
that function efficiently and reduce excess,’ says Steph.

Dark Hardie™ Brushed Concrete Cladding provides
a contrast against greenery in this home designed by
Alex Urena Design Studio. Photo by Shaw Photography.

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Japandi design fosters wellbeing through its deep connection
to nature. Visual and physical access to greenery promotes
mental wellness, with features like green walls and cascading
plants enhancing air quality and adding calming, natural elements.
Water features introduce a tranquil, stress-relieving ambiance
to the home. Large, expansive windows with low sills flood
interiors with natural light, improving mood and strengthening
the connection between indoor and outdoor spaces, further
supporting a sense of balance and harmony.

‘Japandi brings nature in: water
features, landscaping, tranquil
spaces...they all help evoke
calm and mental wellbeing.’
—Gian, Japandi Estate

The geometric lines of Stria™ Cladding 405mm create
a harmonious contrast to the organic textures of the
native landscape.

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Japandi design emphasises flexibility, offering adaptable spaces that
meet the changing needs of modern family life. Interchangeable rooms
feature sliding doors that open to nature, creating zones that seamlessly
transition between living and working. Breakout spaces provide versatile
areas for relaxation or productivity. Unique design elements, such as
movable shoji screens, fusuma doors and engawa corridors, enable
dynamic reconfiguration of spaces. Courtyards further enhance this
adaptability, integrating functionality with serene, nature-inspired design.

‘Spaces are interchangeable—a home office or gym one day, a media
room or guest area the next’ says Gian.

Cross-flow ventilation, achieved through
courtyards and a mix of large and
slim windows, promotes constant air
circulation, improving indoor air quality
and comfort. Solar heat gain is managed
effectively with operable screens, highlight
windows and roof overhangs, optimising
thermal performance throughout the year.
Additionally, low-maintenance materials
are selected for their ability to withstand
environmental challenges, ensuring
durability and long-term performance.

The Modern Homes Forecast 2025 identifies four lifestyle themes changing the way we design and build our homes today. Global and local changes are reshaping how we live, and here we show how Box Modern homes are evolving to reflect these shifts.

Lifestyle themes

Materials and textures in a Japandi home emphasise natural
simplicity, combining warm woods, smooth stone, soft linens
and brushed finishes to create a sense of harmony.

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The combination of earthy and tactile
elements contribute to a sensory
experience within Japandi homes.

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The dark tones of the exterior Hardie™
Fine Texture Cladding provide a striking
contrast to natural surroundings,
allowing greenery, stone and wood
accents to stand out while maintaining
a sense of harmony.

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Natural stone works as a great accent
on walls, fireplaces, exterior facades
and garden features.

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The soft, rounded shapes and
muted tones of river pebbles blend
seamlessly with greenery and water
features in Japandi gardens.

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The earthy tones of bluestone,
ranging from deep gray to soft blue,
align with the neutral color palette
that defines Japandi design.

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The interplay of brick and wood
finishes highlight the beauty of texture
and materiality in the serene, tactile
Japandi interior.

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The love of pure, light-filled
interiors is reflected in the choice
of pale woods, which create open,
peaceful environments filled with
warmth and tranquility.

Earthy materials such as stone,
limestone, cedar, oak and mahogany,
combined with neutral tones or
contrasting light and dark woods,
inspire creativity in the Japandi
home by blending natural beauty
with functional design and evoking
a sense of calm and balance.

‘The tactile surfaces
of natural materials
are an essential part
of the Japandi sensory
experience, inside and
out. It’s about creating
Japandi moments
throughout the house.’
—Steph, Japandi Estate

Materials & textures

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Download the Japandi Design Handbook as a PDF

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Discover Japandi-style house designs in our 2025 forecast by James Hardie. Embrace Japanese minimalism, Scandinavian simplicity, and expert cladding solutions.

Japandi Style House Forecast 2025 | James Hardie

Both Japanese and Scandinavian design styles are
characteristically minimalist in their approach whilst
also prioritising comfort, making them an ideal pairing.

Similarities extend to how both styles draw inspiration
from local pioneering principles – Wabi Sabi in
Japan and Hygge in Scandinavia. The Wabi-Sabi
worldview appreciates the imperfect, impermanent,
and incomplete beauty of the natural world. Hygge
(pronounced hoo-ga) is an obsession in Scandinavia
encompassing a feeling of cozy contentment and
well-being through enjoying the simple things in life.

Ultimately, the shared aesthetics create a style that
is both easy-going and sophisticated. Natural-look
materials take pride of place, promoting a simple
home environment filled with quality items. Where
the two approaches diverge, their differences
complement each other. Where Japanese interiors
are sleek, Nordic ones are rustic. The richer colours
of Japanese design help to keep the stark, crisp
palettes of Scandinavian homes from feeling clinical
or cold. Japandi homes are built for wellbeing, with
neutral colours, simple layouts and indoor-outdoor
connection, providing a sense of tranquility.

Japandi’s focus on efficiency, sustainability
and thoughtful simplicity creates spaces that are not
only beautiful and functional but also environmentally
conscious and resource-efficient, aligning with modern
priorities in sustainable architecture and design.

Japandi design emphasises efficient
building techniques by incorporating
streamlined energy systems, simplified
construction methods, water-efficient
features and durable, sustainable
materials. These choices minimise
waste while maximising functionality,
ensuring an environmentally harmonious
and highly efficient living space.

‘Japandi homes prioritize passive design
—cross-flow ventilation with big sliders
reduces the need for air conditioning’
says Gian.

Japandi-style homes are designed to
be sanctuaries, fostering tranquility,
balance, and connection to nature.
Gian notes that people are increasingly
treating their homes as places of refuge,
where open-plan living and seamless
indoor-outdoor connections allow for
both moments of quiet retreat and
spaces for gathering.

By integrating natural materials,
expansive windows, and thoughtfully
designed landscapes, Japandi homes
embrace the biophilic benefits of
feeling closer to nature, enhancing
our wellbeing in everyday life.

A closer look at this Japandi facade highlights the
combination of complimentary materials—dark
Axon™ Cladding used against timber and natural
stone accents to create visual texture and depth.

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The use of Axon™ Cladding continues through to
the rear of the home, with addition of Hardie™ Fine
Texture Cladding and Hardie™ Axent™ Trim applied
in board and batten design.

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Japandi is a hybrid architectural style combining Scandinavian functionality and Japanese rustic minimalism to deliver comfort and a connection to nature.

Serene, easygoing & minimalist

Japandi homes prove that thoughtful design can
replace unnecessary square meterage. Steph and
Gian emphasise that a well-planned, flexible layout
eliminates the need for excessive space while
ensuring every room serves multiple purposes.
Sliding doors, built-in storage, and adaptable living
zones allow spaces to evolve over time—reducing
the need for costly extensions or future renovations.

2 Use cladding to modernise without demolition

Sometimes it is possible rather than demolishing
and rebuilding, to apply James Hardie cladding over
an existing brick facade offers a cost-effective way
to transform a home’s exterior. Gian highlights that
this approach eliminates the expense of demolition
and structural work while delivering a fresh, modern
aesthetic. It’s a smart way to elevate street appeal
and extend a home’s lifespan without a full rebuild.
While this Japandi home is a new build, the pair have
great experience with transforming facades adding
value to your home through elevated street appeal.

3 Invest in passive design for long-term savings

The biggest cost savings can come not just in
the build, but in how a home performs over time.
Steph stresses that passive design principles,
like cross-ventilation, large eaves, and strategic
window placement, significantly reduce
reliance on air conditioning and heating.

When collaborating with your architect, consider
briefing in zoned living to create a balance between
public and private spaces, using a central courtyard
as a natural divider. Incorporating deciduous
plants provide shade in summer while welcoming
light in winter. Steph loves a thoughtful material
palette—combining Hardie exterior cladding
products with timber and stone—adding depth
and warmth, for a refined yet minimal aesthetic.
Prioritising these elements will help you design a
harmonious, functional, and visually cohesive home.