Zen Room Ideas

Open Space

• One distinct advantage provided by the Zen decorating style is the abundance of open space, which can be attributed to a lack of unnecessary items in the room. Whereas Western decorating styles encourage items like accent tables or decorative knickknacks on a shelf, the Zen style shies away from that. Instead, a space like a bedroom would only feature a bed, a few nightstands and a dresser with plenty of floor space between each item. The same idea applies to any room in the home. A decorator trying to create the open space of the Zen style should include only the pieces that are necessary for the function of the room.
  
  

Color and Balance

• Zen decorating is all about balance, which not only applies to how the furniture and accessories flow visually in a room but also the choice of colors. Although the colors used in Zen decorating primarily fall into the neutral palette, not all the colors of Zen are neutral. Interior decorators bring a bit of visual vibrancy to a Zen space by adding colors like red, jade green or chocolate brown. Set against a backdrop of a neutral palette, these colors provide statement areas. For example, one single wall in a room may be painted a deep color of red, which will create a focal point without overpowering the room.
  
  

Divider Screens

• Shoji screens play an important part in Japanese Zen decorating by allowing a homeowner to divide up the space without building another wall. These paper screens are constructed of white paper and wood panes. They're usually movable, allowing the homeowner to break up the space as needed. They also function as a screen for light from one room to the next, providing the decorator with the option of muting the lights in the room without changing the fixtures.
  
  

Accessories

• Although accessories are kept at a minimum in Zen decorating, there are some which work well in this setting. To bring a Zen feeling to the room through the accessories, the interior decorator would choose a bamboo plant to place in the corner. She might also feature Japanese wood block prints, framed kimonos or Japanese swords as wall art. A Japanese tea or sake set may adorn a low-lying coffee table. Burning incense housed in burners shaped like the Buddha may find a home on the fireplace mantel.