Small spruces to welcome a new season are a common ritual across the world. But Japanese homes have been inaugurating seasons in interior design long before and across more frequent intervals. 72 micro seasons, to be exact. And around the year, there are two significant resets these homes practice.
"The tradition of koromogae (衣替え) — a biannual ritual observed on the first of June and the first of October — sees households change not just their wardrobes but their soft furnishings, tableware, and ceramics," says interior designer Yoko Kloeden. Rather than a simple change in bedding and a turn of decor, this aspect of Japanese design transforms every space and routine to feel in tune with the Earth.
But why should your home practice seasonal adaptability? And how can this custom influence the Western calendar we follow? Let's talk about it.
Why Do Japanese Homes Change Interior Design With Every Season?
"Japan divides its year into 72 micro seasons, each named for a specific natural event — ‘the plum trees begin to bloom’, ‘the first peach blossoms’ — and that level of attunement shapes how people live at home," says interior designer Yoko Kloeden.
"We cook seasonally at our house without a second thought, but extending that same instinct to the wider home brings something deeper. Think about how rooms open and close, what sits on the table, and even how light is filtered."
She explains that a space that acknowledges the season keeps its inhabitants present and connected. Tying into this year's home wellness trends, this level of connection is increasingly what people are seeking from their interiors.
Spring
When it comes to resetting your home for spring, Yoko explains that making your living spaces feel light is the key. "The home opens up after winter. Heavier fabrics give way to linen and lighter cotton in the form of throws, table runners, and even noren, she says.
"Sliding screens are drawn back to reconnect rooms with the garden. Where winter turned the home inward, spring turns it outward. The shift is not purely aesthetic, either. Lighter materials help the home breathe as temperatures climb, and the renewed openness to the outdoors lifts the mood after months spent indoors."
Japanese noren is a dreamy way to dress up your interior thresholds for the season.
A simple table runner, like this khaki number from M&S, can elevate your spring tablescape ideas.
I love the idea of styling these minimalist embroidered cushion covers on a beautiful couch.
Summer
Welcoming summer into your home is all about focusing on making it feel breathable and bright. "Sudare (簾), bamboo blinds, are hung at windows and on verandas to filter harsh sunlight while allowing air to move through," she says.
"Fūrin (風鈴), glass wind chimes, appear near openings. Their sound has a psychological cooling effect that has been valued for centuries. Tableware shifts from warm stoneware to cool glass and lacquer. The boundary between inside and garden becomes as porous as the house will allow."
This stained glass mobile will reflect splashes of inked light all across your home.
A cool glass carafe is the best motivator to stay hydrated in the summer.
This Rise & Fall bedding is one of my personal favorite sets to usher summer into my sleeping space.
Autumn
When resetting your home for fall, Yoko recommends tapping into wool, heavier throws, and richer tones. "Noren are changed again, this time for heavier fabrics in deeper colours. Tsukimi (月見), the tradition of moon-viewing, calls on a vase of pampas grass placed by the window to frame the evening sky," she notes.
"Even the garden is experienced differently. What was once lush and open in summer turns golden and quieter. Then the home follows suit, drawing attention from the garden back toward the hearth."
A light rice paper pendant is one of those things you'll find in Japanese homes that make so much sense.
A stylish log bucket is another accessory that comes in handy around this time of year.
For your moon rituals or just a pocket of flora, this vase from Westwing is perfect for fall.
Winter
And lastly, the winter reset. "The kotatsu — a low heated table draped with a thick futon — becomes the household’s centre of gravity. Meals, reading, and conversation all happen around it. Then, heavier bedding layers up," Yoko notes.
"Where summer sought porosity, winter seeks warmth and enclosure. The rhythm of opening and closing, lightening and layering, is what gives a Japanese home its life. And it's a rhythm any home can be designed for."
This Cozy Earth Bubble Cuddle Blanket is the soft finishing touch to my plush winter bed.
These twisted candles from Broste Copenhagen are a romantic way to welcome winter.
Since this cool time of year is when hot cocoa, warm cider, and comforting teas are brewed, this mug set from HueGah Home is perfect.
Another design principle that shapes daily rituals is that Japanese gardens are an extension of the indoors. It further nurtures the relationship between the natural and material world. And for more aesthetic advice from around the world, subscribe to the Livingetc newsletter.
