When it comes to Japanese interior decorating, paintings do tend to play a big part in it. Usually the paintings which the Japanese use in their homes are Chinese in style and they often can be fairly complex and interesting to look at. It is all about attention to detail and Chinese paintings offer the Japanese exactly what they are looking for, with some Japanese painters even preferring to paint in a Chinese style themselves.
Japanese Paintings throughout the Years
When you look back at Japanese paintings throughout history, you will see that in the Muromachi period, the paintings mainly told a deep story behind them. It wasn't until the Momoyama period in the 1500's to the early 1600's, that landscapes were introduced. They were generally quite large and they were produced on large screens.
Following on from that period, from the early 1600's right through until the 1800's, the Edo period took place and that was when the paintings really started changing. They started to resemble holy mosaics and were more Western Medieval in appearance. Woodblock style painting was also introduced shortly during this time.
From the late 1800's through to the early 1900's, the Meiji period took place. Following on from where they left off, the paintings of this era were very western in appearance. Paintings really started becoming more popular in this era too, with a number of painting schools opening up and offering different styles of painting. In particular, paintings that utilized black ink were really popular and they were known as ?Suibokuga? and it was taken from China with the influence of the Zen Buddhism.
However, the Chinese black ink paintings were not always appreciated by some of the Japanese. A man named Kano Masanobu and his son Kano Motonobu, planned to open up a Kano painting school which was basically a protest against the Chinese black ink method. Both vibrant and bright colors were introduced and they provided inspiration for Ukiyo-e designs.
Overall there have been many eras in which Japanese paintings have taken their inspiration. These days, women, landscapes and famous places are the most popular style of paintings that the Japanese like to have on their walls.
When it comes to a Japanese garden, you will notice that they are extremely well designed and they offer a sense of tranquility as well as fantastic style. All homes can incorporate a Japanese style garden and so if you are thinking of updating your garden with an interesting and peaceful design, the Japanese garden may just be for you.
Designing Your Own Japanese Garden
If you have decided to design your own Japanese garden, you will now need to know exactly what a Japanese garden entails. Basically every Japanese garden should have stones, water and plants and a bridge is also important. They are designed to be extremely pleasurable on the eye and so keep that in mind when it comes to designing where you want everything to go.
Whilst a Japanese garden mainly uses water, there is a variety which is known as ‘Karesansui' and that does not use any water in its designs at all. So it would suit somebody who does not like the thought of incorporating water into their garden for whatever reason. However, despite the fact that it contains no actual water, the aim of this style of Japanese garden is to give it the atmosphere of water. This is done through the use of pebbles and patterns. Low shrubs also come in particularly handy too so keep that in mind.
Plant wise, things such as cherry trees, ferns, moss and evergreens as well as bamboo, all make excellent additions to any Japanese garden. They can also imitate water quite well too. In order to create the sense of relaxation, rocks are also used, especially unusual looking rocks.
As the emphasis is on nature within a Japanese garden, no two lines are the same. Surfaces are unevenly placed and that allows you to focus more on the small details of the garden. Bridges and walkways are a particularly strong part of Japanese gardens and stones are used to give the impression of mountains. Everything is linked back to nature and that is why Japanese gardens are so stunning and peaceful.
The final thing to remember about Japanese gardens is that the stones that you use should always be placed in unusual ways. Triangular shapes are also quite common and lanterns are often placed near them to provide a magical and mysterious appearance. To the Japanese they also represent the female and male parts of fire and water.
Adam Peters has sinced written about articles on various topics from Bathroom Home Improvement, Exhaust and Home Management. Adam Peters is the author of many articles on subjects like decorating and published at http://www.home-decorating-reviews.com . A website with tips on. Adam Peters's top article generates over 823000 views. Bookmark Adam Peters to your Favourites.