We’ve gathered with you today to bring a whole new culture and philosophy to your kitchen. Rather than the classic Western minimalist interior approaches we know, this time we’ll be discussing a design idea with much deeper roots: Wabi-Sabi design, which originated in Japan. And how a brick backsplash can truly bring this philosophy to life in your kitchen.
What Is Wabi Sabi Design?
Wabi-sabi is a Japanese design philosophy that celebrates simplicity, imperfection, and the beauty of natural aging, unlike the beauty trends we pursue to avoid aging in the West. Instead of chasing perfection or brand-new looks, it finds beauty in things that are a little rough, worn, or asymmetrical.
It’s about noticing the charm, maybe in a thrifted wooden table that shows its cracks, or a handmade ceramic cup that came to you as a birthday gift with a small, uneven edge. A faded natural fabric, a rusted handle, or a natural stone with an irregular shape. They remind us that nothing lasts forever, and that’s what makes it beautiful. In Wabi-sabi, we let go of the idea of “perfect,” and choose to see warmth, honesty, and life in things that are simple and real.
At this point, within the “imperfect” philosophy of wabi sabi, one of the most beautiful products you can incorporate into your kitchen is the brick backsplash. Brick generally brings the raw appearance, the coming together of pieces, and the sense of a hand-crafted whole, despite its minor imperfections, to your home in precisely the right proportions. However, we have a difference here: these thin brick tiles have a leathered finish. While at first glance they may seem contrary to the entire wabi sabi kitchen philosophy, they will always remind you that you can reinterpret them.
Grounded & Earthy Tones of Bricks: Wabi Sabi Kitchen Design
Green Brick Tiles
Natural tile materials are essential for a Wabi Sabi kitchen. When you combine a natural material with green, nature’s most beautiful color, we achieve the perfect embodiment of the concept of “earthy.” This kitchen backsplash tile, which will bring the essence of nature and imperfection to your home, will easily bring you the Japandi design feeling you’ve been dreaming of, combined with other natural-toned kitchen cabinets.
Blue Brick Tiles
Wouldn’t you love to bring the deep blue waves and serenity of the sea to your kitchen with a blue backsplash tile that feels completely handmade? This design, especially when you choose a fluted brick, will give you the feeling of playing with the waves in your kitchen, and the serenity you’ll add to your daily coffee sessions will transcend even the most familiar boundaries. Don’t forget to include this design, powered entirely by water, in your Wabi Sabi kitchen!
Warm Yellow Bricks: Like A Soft Fabric on the Wall
A fabric that’s bright yet discreet enough not to steal the show. That warm yellow option, which will remind you of the energy of life and the vitality that comes with it, is now available. The sense of happiness and wealth you can bring to your home with this textured backsplash tile (no, we’re definitely not talking about material wealth) is just one of the advantages of this yellow tile.
Gray Brick Tiles: A Modernist Approach to Japandi
We suspect neutral tones are another tone you’ll definitely want to incorporate into this Japandi kitchen design, which prioritizes calm. While beige is often the first thing that comes to mind when we think of neutral, this time we’re considering a more intermediate tone like gray, a balancing element. Gray brick tile, with its striking harmony with wood tables and cabinets that are neither light nor dark, and its sense of unity with handmade ceramics, could be one of the best color options you’re looking for.
Red Brick Tiles: Wine Shades & Terracotta, Directly From Nature
When we think of imperfection and brick, I think the first thing that comes to mind is the familiar red clay brick tile option. However, for this clay-toned brick, we have a different, more innovative, and more interpretable idea, this time with a leathered finish. A red brick can bring the handmade feel of the captivating red earth to your kitchen wall tiles. Don’t worry about the color showing through if it cracks. This philosophy is based entirely on letting go of this idea and accepting mistakes, and we guarantee all our durable backsplash kitchen tiles.
Get Inspired by a Wabi Sabi Kitchen & More
We love designs that have a philosophy, a meaning, and a connection to their origins. At Country Floors, we strive to ensure that design is a space that truly bears your fingerprint, and we want to help you reflect all your interior design philosophies on this journey. Visit our natural stone tile showroom near you and let our design experts discuss how you can bring these inspirations to life!