The last place I expected to see Wabi Sabi decor was our hotel in Arizona.  Lo and behold, however, at the Boulders Waldorf in Scottsdale, I was surprised by the beautiful ambiance of the “casita” where we stayed.  The unfinished wooden beams and floors juxtaposed against nature linen fabrics and raw silk pillows were very Wabi Sabi in aura.

I especially liked how the wood beams and ceiling were set against the fan, whose streamlined design was beautifully accentuated with its natural wood grain.

Each morning, we enjoyed breakfast on the deck, which featured salvaged tree trunks for tables and chairs set atop untreated planks.   Who knew Wabi Sabi could live so peacefully amongst high-falutin designs?

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Wabi Sabi celebrates the “mellow beauty that time and care impart to materials,” as eloquently explained by Soetsu Yanagi. To me, this bathroom from Notebook Magazine is an idyllic example of Wabi Sabi, with its aged wooden floors and the prevalence of weathered natural elements.

The best part about Wabi Sabi is that it does not involve high-brow design that has four zeros attached to the price tag.  Instead, some of the items you already cherish in your home could be quantified as Wabi Sabi, as are natural materials that are available through the hand of Mother Nature.

Happy Friday friends!  I wish you all a wonderful upcoming weekend — perhaps filled with Wabi Sabi inspiration and finds!

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What happens when you combine the lifestyle philosophy of wabi sabi with art aficionados and a beautiful spring day?   You enjoy the pleasures of a wabi sabi picnic, of course!

The Center for Outdoor Centmporary Art hosted a wabi sabi picnic to celebrate life, nature and imperfect beauty.  The imprompty wabi sabi tableaux was created by the hand of many artists and participants who each contributed a small treasures that represented waib sabi to them.

Doesn’t this weekend seem like the perfect time to enjoy a wabi sabi picnic?  It could be such a lovely potluck of design and beauty!

P.S.  If you have a moment, kindly meander over to Tea for Joy, a lovely British design blog who always inspires me to enjoy a cup of afternoon tea.  Lynne was kind enough to interview me as part of the 2009 Style Resolution Series!

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If you ask a Western individual what Wabi Sabi is, her definition will likely describe antique furniture and rusty patinas.   Interestingly, ask a Japanese person the same question, and her answer will focus on emotions, such as the momentary peace of solitude when a shadow is cast against the floor, or those impermanent, quiet moments in the rain as rays of light begin to penetrate the clouds.

This Light Locations room, with its time-aged moody and peeling walls, fleeting yet powerful light, gives the emotion of beautiful impermanence, which is a fundamental element of Wabi Sabi. While it may not qualify under Soetsu Yanagi’s explanation that Wabi Sabi celebrates “the mellow beauty that time and care impart to materials,” it does exude the emotions of fleeting moments that are hard to capture and quantify.

Do you share the search for the peaceful, humble, and fleeting feelings of Wabi Sabi?

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