When a tatami mat arrives in the home – whether as a bed base, or a space for rest and relaxation in the living room or playroom – all the everyday objects in our lives take on a new practical and aesthetic dimension. Wherever it is placed, the tatami defines the space, organises it and enhances its appearance; and little else is needed.
All in all, the world of the tatami is diverse and full of possibilities. The furniture and accessories we need to have to hand can sit perfectly on it, creating a personal, eclectic and creative space.
Lighting is an essential feature in any room. Floor lamps – whether short or slightly taller – can sit perfectly on the tatami floor, either directly on the mat or on a small side table. It’s worth feeling free to mix styles, materials, colours and shapes, provided that the lamp’s design ensures that the part which gets hot does not rest directly on the tatami. Another ubiquitous feature in any room is side tables, with or without drawers.
Why not have a bit of fun by mixing styles and moving things around, reconfiguring the space according to the time of year? Living in a light, flexible space that breathes and changes is far more beneficial for our state of mind than we might think. There are things that don’t necessarily have to have a fixed, unchangeable place; everything is open to question and everything shifts. Sometimes, the traditional bedside table is just what that corner of the living room needs to feel tidy and bring it to life. An unexpected touch of balance and playfulness.
On the tatami mat, the Medan side table and the Pamela lamp sit side by side; both are available from futonllit.com. The illustration is by the artist Joan Caritg and is available from Ebra Natural.
In the corner of a tatami-floored room stands a small Cube table, with a paper lamp featuring a wooden base, handmade using the origami technique by XXX. In the corner, the Shoji screen covers a section of wall that we wish to conceal (with cables or sockets). All items are available for sale at futonllit.com
An ideal spot for reading and relaxing. The Pamela lamp and giant cushion, both handmade, are available from Ikiru.es. The fabric ball is a traditional Japanese toy, also available from futonllit.com.
photos:
Futonllit / nuriagregori&charliesorrel
The world on the tatami: the Zen-Mat – when practicality is beautiful
There are interior design philosophies that turn a lack of space into a virtue. Japanese-inspired rooms are full of solutions that allow you to vary their use and adapt them to your needs at any given time, without having to compromise on beauty, simplicity and style. In this regard, it is common to find cushions and thin, roll-up futons, such as the Zen-Mat, laid out on the tatami mats. This provides a comfortable yet firm surface that can be unrolled and laid out on the tatami (or on a parquet or tiled floor, where applicable), ideal for lying down to read, meditate or relax for a few minutes, rest your back, put your feet up, or do those lovely stretches that we put off due to a lack of space or suitable surfaces. It’s also an ideal place for little ones to play, roll about, crawl and feel free and at ease on a warm, cosy and completely natural surface.
In practical terms, the Zen-Mat is made from the same materials as a traditional futon: a soft layer of pure cotton, approximately 2 cm thick, inside a washable cover – also made of natural cotton – in solid colours, which can be easily removed via a side zip. As it is handcrafted to order, the dimensions can be tailored to the customer’s requirements. Once rolled up, the Zen-Mat takes up very little space; it can be used as a pillow for reclining, and it enhances the space on the tatami as another decorative item.
Various pictures of the Zen Mat in use. For meditating, reading, relaxing or stretching.
The Zen Mat is very easy to roll up and fold away, takes up very little space and blends in as another decorative feature. The range of coloured covers allows you to add a splash of colour to any room. Available from futonllit.com.
photos:
Futonllit / nuriagregori&charliesorrel
What’s inside my tatami mat?
The use of tatami has become remarkably widespread in the West in recent years. However, there is sometimes a lack of understanding regarding their composition, so it seems appropriate to discuss this traditional and essential element of Japanese interior design in a little more detail.
The tatami is made exclusively from natural materials. Inside, beneath the polished wicker mat that covers the tatami, lies a material called igusa, made from a herbaceous plant that is very common in Asia, the Juncus effusus (soft rush (in English, translated into Spanish as ‘junco fino’ or ‘junco de esteras’). It is a plant belonging to the rice family, with a compressed, cylindrical and spongy stem that gives off a gentle aroma and has also traditionally been used in perfumery and herbal medicine. The rush fibre undergoes a specialised process of compaction and heat treatment, which is highly rigorous and controlled, until it becomes the igusa, the filling in the tatami mats we have at home.
In specific cases, such as the panel flooring used in the practice of certain martial arts in the West, the filling may be a synthetic composite. Although these panels are also referred to by the traditional name ‘tatami’ by extension of usage, they in no way replace or are equivalent to the traditional, natural-quality tatami that has found its way into so many people’s homes.
Anyone who already has one will know that there is nothing more pleasant than a room with brand-new tatami mats, when they still give off that subtle scent of freshly cut grass. There’s nothing quite like feeling their texture, smelling them, and surrendering to the soft yet firm resistance of their natural surface.
Picture of a bush of Juncus effusus.
Photo: Meggar (CC BY-SA 3.0)
