“North By North West" Bring the colours of your adventures alive: the inky depths of indigo dyes, patched boro & intricate shibori in your range of blues, the neutrals of rice paper & bamboo. The rich reds that stand out in Japanese temples, fire buckets and ceremonies. It creates a classic palette.

A bundle of hand-dyed thread bought at Aizen Kobo, the indigo dyer’s shop in Kyoto. They are fantastic just to have or to use as colour references for developing a palette for your interiors.

Japanese boro literally means rags and often comes in small pieces, patched and many times mended. Gather as many remnants as you like (I have so many!!) and layer them over a lounge to create an overall larger patchwork feel. I love the utilitarian quality of boro as it offers a kaleidoscope of indigo dyes in all its lifetimes.

Neutral tones of the handmade soap and wide-weave cloth make you dream of natural springs in Japan.

The colours of Japan can be the sole inspiration for your interior. My favourite Vivienne Westwood wallpaper panel functions as a bedhead and sets the tone for a mix and match of woodblock quilts, screen-printed and embroidered pillows. The zen of a Japanese garden or tea ceremony can be re-created. Tune in next week as I bring the inspiration found in Japan home to my interiors.

See the start of my Japanese journey here.