Since we’ve all been spending a lot of time in our living spaces, it’s a good idea to make sure we’re getting the most out of the space. Apartments have had to change from already being small multifunctional living and sleeping spaces to now being workspaces too.

Although people normally speak of spring cleaning, perhaps this year we might benefit from trying out some new home decorating ideas and décor in autumn, to ensure we have a nice cozy house ready for the oncoming winter.

If you’re lost for ideas on how to decorate a Japanese apartment, here’s some inspiration for interior design specific to apartments in Japan.

Bring the ‘outside’ inside

This phrase has been said frequently throughout the pandemic, often used to reiterate how important nature is in helping us feel calm and at home. For anyone wondering how to decorate a Japanese apartment, this is a great place to start.

Throughout history, people in Japan have interacted with nature to create beautiful results – take the bonsai trees or Japanese gardens for example. Nature has been part of Japanese décor through materials such as tatami mats. So, bringing a touch of the ‘outside’ into your interior design will work well in any Japanese apartment.

Houseplants are a wonderful way to brighten up living spaces and having beautiful foliage draping around the apartment can help to make it feel like a cozy house. The shades of green can have a calming effect and will look good in your apartment through all seasons.

Growing some herbs can bring color and nature into your apartment. It’s multifunctional décor, they’re practical for your cooking too! Consider some wintery herbs for an added cozy feeling – they may even make your apartment smell nice and herby!

Nevertheless, bringing the outside inside doesn’t necessarily need to be taken so literally in your interior design. Instead, you can incorporate floral and botanical patterns, earthy colors, and natural materials. Consider using bamboo materials, or rattan or wicker, which has become increasingly more popular over the last few years. This will still contribute to an autumnal calm and cozy house.

Dried Flowers

To build on the idea of bringing the outside inside, dried flowers are one of the most popular home decorating ideas now.

They work perfectly in autumn due to their warm, earthy tones and will last much longer than a bouquet of normal flowers, which makes them more sustainable too!

Unsure how to decorate a Japanese apartment? Simply putting a few dried flowers in a vase is an easy way to elevate your apartment and make it homely, which will work perfectly over the colder months. Many flower and plant stores sell dried flowers but they’re easy enough to make yourself too.

Blankets and rugs

Comfort has become even more important, and this carries through to our home decorating ideas. Why not add some comfort elements to your interior design by buying some blankets to layer on your bed and around the house? To make the blankets even more special, you could even try to make your blanket – homemade knitted or crochet blankets are popular now (it’s a nice thing to do when we are all spending more time at home)! This is a very personal thing that could make your décor feel homely for anyone thinking about how to decorate a Japanese apartment.

Contrasting textures can bring a cozy house vibe and they’re very popular through the autumn and winter months. Consider getting blankets in warm and natural colors; think sage and pistachio greens, terracotta, and autumnal oranges.

For even more comfort, coziness, and satisfying textures, we recommend getting a rug (or a few!). Having something soft under your feet instead of linoleum flooring can make a house feel like a home. Greens and oranges will look great in the winter months. This autumn layers have become increasingly popular, so you could consider layers rugs by having edges overlap for some trendy interior design.

Along this line of textures and comfort, some cushions will also work well, adding some personality into your interior design!

Candles and incense

Although it’s so easy, one of our favorite home decorating ideas is one of the most effective for making somewhere feel like your very own cozy house.

Candles can work wonders to provide relief from the harsh white lights that you find in most apartments in Japan. Not only can they be used as mood lighting, but you can play with different scents to make your home feel particularly autumnal.

Alternatively, you could try out incense sticks if you want more scents or even an air diffuser with some drops of essential oil.

Some small décor changes can help make your apartment feel more homely and this might make it feel more comforting throughout the colder months, so please try out some of our home decorating ideas!