Modern furniture interest in the designs of the Japanese furniture has increased dramatically since Japan opened its borders to trade in the 19th century. The desire to create a simple and relaxing home environment surrounds the entire concept of Japanese home and interior design. The Japanese used the concept of ma, distance, or the space between two objects on the basis of their designs. MA is also described as a conscience that provides a feeling or a particular sensation in the person who walks into a room. Contemporary designers in Japan use the ma to design a room. When a piece like a Chair, a sofa or a bed is placed in a room, Japanese designer focus is in the space around the item to create the same environment.
This technique is particularly useful in designing Zen where simplicity and technology unite art and functionality. Japanese designers tend to wrap their designs in simplicity. Raw materials used in the finest furniture are rattan and bamboo. The dark wood is extremely popular, and the wood is primarily used due to the clean lines and produced forms. The furniture is usually reduced to a minimum, especially in a bedroom where the environment, space and simplicity dominate. With similar to Zen influence Japanese designs have taken over the Western world, with high demand for the work of modern and contemporary furniture designers.
The best designers of furniture, even in the United States, have begun to focus on Japanese or zen designs. One of the most influential designers was Kappei (Katsuhei) Toyoguchi who was instrumental in the creation of furniture standards that have been developed in the Japanese industry. Another designer of modern furniture that influenced Japanese trade is Watanabe Riki, who helped start the Japanese design Committee and the Committee of Japanese Industrial Design. He was also in charge of the interior design of some Japanese constructions extremely famous, as the Tokyo Hilton, using modern furniture designs. He is also known for the designs of furniture and materials that they were works of art, but still affordable in the 1950s, Riki came to United States to study and began to influence and add Japanese designs to American furniture designs. Today, many modern furniture stores carry the style that has been influenced by Riki or Toyoguchi. In the decoration of your home, consider using some of the Japanese furniture designs to create an environment in your room.