We specialize in: Japanese Interior Design, Japanese Furniture Design, Japanese Traditional Carpentry and Woodworking, and solid wood floor installation. We also offer, traditional Tatami room design and installation. In addition, painting, decorating, and textured wall effects. Our design influences range from Japanese minimalism to modern Japanese architecture. We are highly experienced with full out commercial and residential renovations as well as smaller builds and modifications. We pride ourselves in providing excellent project management, which ensures that your deadlines and budgets are met. We have a passion for all facets of Japanese style and design. We can even build Tatami rooms, which are traditional Japanese rooms used as bedrooms or “Washitsu” Tea Ceremony rooms. Tatami are special flooring mats made from woven rice straw.
History
Tatami have a 1,300-year history. The fruition of Tatami mats came to be as a means of creating a barrier to keep the damp out from the exposed stone floor underneath the room. Tatami is derived from the verb “Tatamu”, “folded and piled”. The mats are made from woven rice straw and covered in woven softened rushes “Igusa”. Standard mats are 45mm thick, though 55mm mats are considered a greater luxury. Traditionally they are 180cm x 90cm (though other sizes are now available) since the mats are twice as long as they are wide they are easily arranged on the floor. In homes the mats should not be arranged so as 3 or 4 corners meet. An inauspicious layout is said to bring bad fortune. A common way to house the mats is to encase them in a wooden border. As of late, the core of the Tatami mat are made from compressed wood chips or even polystyrene foam.
Custom
It is customary to remove your shoes and wear slippers when you enter a Japanese house. However, Tatami are considered so sacred that you must not even walk on them with slippers.
Tatami rooms are used as bedrooms and tea rooms, the tea ceremony is an important part of Japanese culture.
When used as a bedroom, futon mattresses are layed directly on top of the Tatami. These are generally stored during the daytime and the room is given over to waking life. However, western beds can also be incorporated into a Tatami room. When the room is used as a tea room, the furniture often consists of low tables “Kotatsu” with cushions on the floor or legless chairs “Zaisu” to sit on.
Cost
As far as pricing goes, there are many different types and sizes. Allow us to put together a quote for your Tatami Room of your dreams.