Windows and your Japanese Garden

February 28, 2012

Japanese Garden view from my Tatami Room

When I lived in Japan I had the joy of being in a traditional Japanese sukiya style home. At night the shoji screens were closed and then opened during the day providing an uninterrupted view of the garden. When the tatami room is opened up to the garden it is like sitting on a covered deck that feels like it is surrounded by the garden. This experience exists because of these multi functional rooms. We can simply roll up our futon mattresses and convert a sleeping room into a space ready for anyone. These rooms eliminate the need for decks and patios, which is important in country where space is precious. It is these rooms that are otherwise quite simple that allow such a wonderful interaction between its occupants and the outdoors, capturing the peacefulness and serenity the adjacent garden provides.

We have wonderful homes here in the US that have decks, patios, gazebos and other amenities that allow us to interact with the garden. However, we spend much of our time indoors and this even includes garden lovers. Of that time much of it is spent lying down and/or sitting. This brings up the topic of windows and opening up the view to the garden. As part of your garden investment it is worth the time and often the added expense to study the rooms adjacent to the garden to determine whether to add windows with low window sills. The idea of a low window sill not only for viewing the garden, but it is also for our health and wellness.

It is difficult to enjoy the view and the effects of our gardens with the windows that have high window sills. We need to be immediately adjacent to a typical window to view the garden. Bay windows improve the experience with lower window sills and start to allow a better view, but the wall area below the window still creates a barrier that is nice to remove. Wide windows that reach as close to the floor as possible are most preferred, creating an open view to your garden. Whether you are looking directly at the garden or doing other things, this therapeutic open connection to green space is good for our minds, bodies and souls.

Lastly, in addition to the consideration of adding tall and wide windows that reach the floor you also need to study the room and space plan appropriately to take full advantage and serenity you are creating. This includes the understanding that a deck should be located outside of the open viewing area. If this is not possible I would recommend that you consider eliminating a deck all together. Just a thought to help you maximize the enjoyment of your garden.

If you would like our help to study the views to your garden and the possibility of installing new windows please contact us, Niwa Design Studio, at 952-470-1882.

Posted in Asian Gardens, Garden Types, Japanese Garden Design, Windows