wabi-sabi

We interrupt our regularly scheduled programming to bring you the Brooklyn apartment of Aya Yamanouchi Lloyd, designed by Nadia Yaron and Ry Scruggs whose design firm Nightwood specializes in refurbished vintage pieces, deconstructed furniture and handmade textiles. Their philosophy is to “design and build with a down to earth yet airy aesthetic and sensibility to convey a modern rusticity that emphasizes hand crafted one-of-a-kind works of functional art… Old things, primitive practices, creative reuse and natural materials inspire us both.” Nightwood never use the term wabi-sabi on their website, but I think their work is the very embodiment of it. For a reminder, the Wikipedia definition is quite good: “Wabi-sabi represents a comprehensive Japanese world view or aesthetic centered on the acceptance of transience. The aesthetic is sometimes described as one of beauty that is ‘imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete.'” Ironically, the apartment’s owner is Japanese – with a name like Aya Yamanouchi, I can’t imagine that she is not – but again, I don’t think there was any deliberate link to the idea of wabi-sabi.

Many of the vintage pieces were sourced locally, including the bench and column in the entry.

The living room is full of recycled and reimagined pieces, such as the coffee table which had its old laminate top switched out for marble.

Visible upholstery tacks are part of the charm.

Each quarter stool is covered in a different fabric. Such fantastic floorboards too!

I am loving the birdcage and faux shadow painted on the wall – so whimsical!

Ry Scuggs built the frame and Nadia Yaron wove the fabric used to cover the chair.

The settee cushion is covered in kimono fabric, a great juxtaposition with the wire filigree.

The little night table lantern is so creative. I think it makes a great way to use some of the small Japanese milk glass fixtures we find here.

The Nightwood duo don’t have that many other full projects under their belt, although they have been collaborating on pieces since 2003. But there are a few highlights on their website including this Williamsburg loft, which is darker and smokier…