• Wood, Patina & Wabi Sabi

    svart och vit bild av åldrande händer

    interior design with traces of life

    February, 2025

    The reason why Norrgavel exists at all has a lot to do with patina. And a culture strongly associated with patina can be found in Japan. There, it is believed that traces of life add greater value to artefacts – whether it's a solid wood dining table or a ceramic teacup. This approach requires a deep connection to the natural material itself, often rooted in knowledge passed down through generations. It’s hardly surprising that Norrgavel’s founder has drawn significant inspiration from the country in the east, where the life philosophy of wabi-sabi influences everything from interior design to the broader approach to life.

    Nirvan Richter, founder of Norrgavel and the designer behind all the furniture in the collection, reflects on the ideas surrounding wood, patina, and the Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi.

    – In Japan, you don’t just buy a wooden table – you bring a piece of nature into your home. It is assumed that the table is constructed in such a way that it will continue to communicate nature even within the home. That’s where patina comes in, as an object that has gained patina is perceived as more valuable than one that is brand new. When we had a Norrgavel store in Japan in the 90s, we never received questions about solid wood tabletops moving. Of course they do! That’s a knowledge embedded in the Japanese soul. Late 20th-century generations in Sweden generally lack that understanding and see movement in wooden tables as a flaw in quality.

    "It is assumed that the table is constructed in such a way that it will continue to communicate nature even within the home.”

    It takes an understanding of how different types of wood move in order to work with wood compositions like those commonly found in Japan. The way wood joints are highlighted in Norrgavel's furniture is inspired by Japan.

    – If you want to capture the essence of what I longed for when Norrgavel was founded in the early 90s, it’s exactly these kinds of values that I wanted to infuse into our furniture. Furniture made of natural materials, where life is visible. The Japanese respect for materials and craftsmanship is truly beautiful, and we Westerners have long been fascinated by the Japanese approach. Ultimately, it’s an approach to life as a whole. That’s why we’ve chosen to work with solid wood – because on a veneered surface, you simply can't achieve that kind of quality, says Nirvan Richter.

    “Furniture made of natural materials, where life is visible. It’s about an approach to life as a whole.”

    Many people who buy a solid wood dining table initially have a somewhat anxious relationship with the material. There’s often a concern that a coffee cup will leave a ring on the tabletop or that dinner guests might spill red wine, leaving marks. But usually, it’s just that first mark that feels difficult. Over time, when you realise that signs of life on the tabletop are not only acceptable but actually add something positive, it becomes very relaxed and comfortable. However, it’s harder to connect with these values if you live a life where you’re rarely present in the moment. In public spaces, the challenge is slightly different due to the high level of wear and tear. In such settings, it may require more attention when using solid wood furniture with open surface treatments.

    – Patina is all about balance. Sometimes it can become too much, and when that happens, you can simply clean it. A light sanding and surface treatment are all that’s needed to restore the wooden furniture to almost new condition. You can do this practically an unlimited number of times. Living with furniture made from natural materials is about developing a dynamic relationship – much like with houseplants. Having houseplants is a kind of mini life lesson. Similarly, living with a solid wood dining table with an open surface treatment encourages a meditative approach, says Nirvan Richter.

    miljöbild på matbord med patina

    “Patina is all about balance. Sometimes it can become too much, and when that happens, you can simply clean it. A light sanding and surface treatment are all that’s needed to restore the wooden furniture to almost new condition.”

    Much of what defines Norrgavel is inspired by the same approach that underlies wabi sabi. However, sometimes a combination of glossy modernist surfaces and natural materials with patina can create a beautiful sense of dynamism in a room.

    – After ten years with Norrgavel, I visited my cousins in Denmark, and they had Ant chairs in different lacquered colours. It sparked something in me. Historically, I’ve been fascinated by modernism and functionalism – the graphic precision of lifeless surfaces that enhance the volume and the graphics of architecture and furniture. Patina, of course, diminishes those qualities. Since lacquer paints have become less environmentally harmful in the 2000s, I decided to introduce lacquer as an option at Norrgavel as well. A combination that can create a very beautiful dynamic. Because one does not exclude the other, says Nirvan Richter.

    “Instead of resisting change, embrace it. Ageing gives objects and people depth and character.”

    WABI SABI IN BRIEF
    Wabi sabi is a Japanese life philosophy and aesthetic that celebrates the simple, the natural, and the transient. It has roots dating back to the 15th century in Zen Buddhism and the tradition of the tea ceremony, where it developed as a counterbalance to excess and polished superficiality. Wabi stands for stillness, simplicity, and modesty, while sabi reflects the passage of time, patina, and the beauty of the worn. Together, they form an aesthetic and a way of relating to life that is about accepting and appreciating the perfectly imperfect.

    In a world where many strive for perfection and constant renewal, wabi sabi offers a different perspective – to see value in what is slightly askew, in surfaces with patina, and in the imperfect. It’s about embracing the present moment, finding beauty in simplicity, and understanding that everything is in a state of constant change. 

    Wabi sabi and interior design
    When wabi sabi is applied to interior design, it’s about creating a home that feels harmonious and alive rather than polished and lifeless. Natural materials that age beautifully – wood, linen, ceramics, and leather – play a central role. Furniture and objects with visible traces of time and craftsmanship give rooms character and warmth.

    Instead of striving for total perfection, the goal is a relaxed balance, where irregularities and worn surfaces are allowed to be part of the whole. Authenticity and calm. Sometimes, it’s easier to grasp the essence of wabi sabi by comparing it with modernism. While modernism is represented by mass production, future orientation, the perfect surface, and the artificial, wabi sabi stands for the handcrafted and unique, presence, surfaces marked by life, and natural materials.

    To decorate with wabi sabi is to create an environment where life is allowed to leave its traces – where the home becomes a place for peace, reflection, and presence. Wabi sabi is more a state of mind. A way of relating to life itself.

    BOOK TIPS – READ MORE ABOUT WABI SABI

    - Wabi-Sabi for Artists, Designers, Poets & Philosophers by Leonard Koren (Stone Bridge Press)
    - Wabi Sabi – Japanese Wisdom for a Perfectly Imperfect Life by Beth Kempton (Piatkus)
    - Wabi-Sabi Welcome by Julie Pointer Adams (Artisan)