“We do not dislike everything that shines, but we do prefer a pensive lustre to a shallow brilliance, a murky light that, whether in a stone or an artifact, bespeaks a sheen of antiquity. . . . we do love things that bear the marks of grime, soot, and weather, and we love the colours and the sheen that call to mind the past that made them.” 
― Jun’ichirō Tanizaki, In Praise of Shadows.

In Japanese aesthetics,  the term wabi-sabi describes a way of understanding the world where the acceptance of transience and imperfection are valued.
It finds and appreciates the beauty that is imperfect, impermanent and incomplete in nature.
This results in characteristics like asymmetry, roughness, simplicity, austerity, modesty, intimacy, and an appreciation for the forces of nature that affect our tangible world.  It values the impact of time on matter and the resulting unique aura that objects acquire by being worn out, broken and fixed over time.
It sees beauty in the scars left by nature and is interested in the lifespan of matter itself and its poetic decay.

In a world where plasticky planned obsolescence is the norm, this is truly a breath of fresh air.
 Today we selected five projects that draw inspiration from this timeless concept. These designs are filled with interesting textures and interactions with light,  highlighting the vibrating essence of all objects in the room.