A country style home in a Japanese city

In this home, the social areas have been kept as open as possible, with dining, kitchen, computer space and living/tv areas all in a seamless, long room buttressed from above by rugged wood ceiling beams set off by snow white walls. 

The use of wood continues right through in the floors, dining set, open shelves and countertops; as a result this upstairs area is country rustic warm and welcoming.

The use of mismatched dining chairs helps create a cosy, homey feel--and they still go with the rest of the space, because the design theme seems to be centred on achieving a comfortable, rather than a high-fashion, space more than anything else. 

Also draw your eyes to the black, modern but country style stovetop and hood, helping take the room out of the urban bustle.

Also made of wood is the staircase leading from the upstairs living and kitchen areas to the downstairs private areas and front entrance. 

To protect the desired privacy in the bedroom, curtains have been installed at the top of the stairs.

The wall between the sofa and the stair space has been crafted by tipping a wood door horizontally, making for a truly innovative and distinctive addition to this home.

In the front entrance is the most sophisticated foyer shoe organiser we at homify have ever seen: it can store up to thirty pairs of shoes! Add to this that the designers have done something simple, cheap and unique here by just building several shelves instead of the usual store bought shoe rack or bulky foyer wardrobe. 

The trick with this design is being disciplined enough to put your shoes back so neatly all the time. But aside from that, this front entrance is wonderfully airy and light, all white – including the high beamed ceilings – save the organic wood front door.

At last, we have arrived in the downstairs bath and boudoir – and the laundry room, which is located just next to the closet shower. The bathroom sink is the first thing worthy of note: white and of a rustic industrial size and style, with stainless steel backsplash and tap – urban bohemian at its finest. 

Onto the bedroom, which has as well been kept light, with several built-in bookshelves, a white bed and a dash of bold black on the high wall near the ceiling. In keeping with the trend, a white curtain separate bath and bedroom, though a proper door has been fixed to separate these areas from the front entrance.

So we have gone from inside to outside and now we see this wonderful little white house in the context of its busy, cosy neighbourhood. The wee roof awning above the entrance has been covered in lovely white ceramic scallops, and the house itself stands out in white, reflecting the sun, and its wood door is ever-so-welcoming from outside.

If you enjoy this house's vibe, check out this other Japanese home, also filled with white and wood.