How to decorate with Japanese art without it looking themed
One good Japanese print can make a room feel finished. Five can make it feel like a restaurant. The difference is restraint.
1. Start with one print, or a pair
Ukiyo-e, the Japanese woodblock prints of the 17th to 19th centuries, were designed to be looked at closely. A single print, or a pair from the same series, gives each one space. Hiroshige's Sudden Shower and Fireworks at Ryōgoku, both from One Hundred Famous Views of Edo, make a natural pair: rain and night, both over the bridges of Edo.
2. Mix it with the room you already have
Avoid the full set of paper lamps, bamboo and fans. A Japanese print looks best next to things from other places and times: a modern sofa, a Scandinavian chair, a plain linen curtain. The contrast is what makes it look chosen.
3. Frame it simply
The originals were small sheets of paper, and the prints are vertical. A thin oak or black frame with a white mount suits them; heavy ornate frames fight the flat colour.
4. Pick up one colour
Most ukiyo-e prints have one strong colour and several quiet ones: Prussian blue, rust red, pale green. Repeat that one colour elsewhere in the room, a cushion, a vase, a rug, and leave the rest neutral.
5. Size it honestly
Woodblock prints were made at roughly 25×37 cm. Enlarged too far, fine detail can soften. We print our Hiroshige designs up to 50×70 cm, and Sudden Shower, from a very high-resolution museum scan, up to 70×100 cm.