As the chaos and noise of the world drones on, people are becoming increasingly driven to find serenity in their surroundings, and what better place to do so than one’s home? Japandi, a unique blend of Scandinavian warmth and Japanese restraint––not to mention one of the most notable design trends of 2026––affords spaces that are minimal but not sterile, simple yet surprisingly comforting.
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In answer to today’s very human need for calm, renowned 1508 London’s Design Director, Giovanni Medina Marenco, implemented Japandi elements heavily at the firm’s recent project, Mandarin Oriental Residences, Beverly Hills. Despite its growing popularity, Japandi isn’t treated as a newly trending stylistic label at 1508 London, as it is aligned with how the U.K.-based firm has always approached design.
“Our work has long focused on creating spaces that are calming, restorative and rooted in natural materials, light and thoughtful restraint,” says Medina Marenco of 1508 London’s design theory. “Those principles naturally overlap with Japandi’s emphasis on simplicity, craftsmanship and wellness.”
At the Mandarin Oriental Residences, Beverly Hills––a project focused on serenity, warmth and tactile quality––it made sense to borrow from the philosophy of Japandi design, giving an authenticity to the inspired new spaces. Each residence was designed not only to look exquisite, but to be a place of respite and in turn, support well-being.
It seems effortlessness in the home has become underrated, but with Japandi on the rise there is hope that design can go back to basics in the most luxurious sense of the phrase. Sustainable, gracefully aging––both in appearance and trend––rooted in simplicity and basking in sunlight.
“Japandi isn’t just about clean lines, it’s about how those lines feel. It’s not about having less, but about meaning and keeping what resonates,” says Medina Marenco of the perfect balance that is struck with this particular style.
When you enter one of the homes at Mandarin Oriental Beverly Hills, you’ll be greeted with gentle natural light across pale woods and cool stone, and an immediate sense of relief. Japandi mixes simplicity with soul in its refinement of each space: think swooping curves that soften the room’s corners, natural grains for a grounded sense of tactility and finishing touches that look hewn by hand rather than machine. Soft neutrals and intricate layers ensure the space feels warm, not empty.
For these residences, it was of the utmost importance to incorporate sustainable materials that age with integrity. From marbles with organic variation and woods with visible grain to fabrics that retain inviting color and texture, each was chosen for its honesty. In a world where the next best thing is only a click away and fast-fashion, decor and everything in between is king, a space that is crafted with intentionality and built to last becomes all that more appealing.
“Sustainability here isn’t performative; it’s embedded in durability, authenticity and respect for natural materials,” says Medina Marenco. “When a home is designed to endure, it becomes sustainable by nature.”
Everything is placed with the intention of bringing the beauty and tranquility of the outdoors in, while sculptural elements and slight curves mellow the interior architecture. Meticulous details such as the inside Japanese gardens, the stone bathtub overlooking the city and easy timber tones all carry a whisper of the shift toward quiet luxury with purpose. When a home is designed to ground, calm and reset rather than to overwhelm, it becomes a sanctuary, not a space one is desperate to find relief from.
At the Beverly Hills property, the landscape wasn’t designed as a backdrop, it was intended as an elemental part of the West Coast architecture. The area has a long-standing relationship with light, landscape and indoor-outdoor living making the Japandi narrative intrinsic in this design context.
“In this project, nature sets the tone, even in more intimate moments, like the bonsai garden vignette you pass through before entering the living area,” says Medina Marenco. “These transitions, like a framed view of greenery or the way terrace stone meets interior flooring, create a sense of continuity in which the home feels like it’s breathing with Beverly Hills.”
Magnificent floor-to-ceiling windows frame the palms and hills the way one might frame artwork, allowing “the exterior to become a living composition.” Special care was taken in the forming of the living areas especially, to evoke the sense that the horizon line is a part of the design palette.
The seamlessness of the property’s indoor-outdoor living is a hallmark of iconic Swiss landscape designer Enzo Enea’s projects, and what Enea characterizes as “the creative intertwining of the soul of the house with its surroundings.” This connection to nature is evident in the use of greenery and organic materials throughout like the Jade Tree gardens for the interior spaces and the serene flora-filled rooftop oasis.
“Japandi provides aesthetic discipline, while biophilia brings emotional grounding. That relationship is apparent throughout the residences… [with] spaces that shift in mood as the California sun moves,” says Medina Marenco. “Together, they create homes that feel centered and deeply human.”
The collection comprises 54 branded residences, each combining the comfort and spaciousness of a private home with the unrivaled service and amenities of the storied five-star Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group. A private rooftop pool with daybeds and cabanas; holistic wellness space; on-site spa services, sauna and steam room; a relaxation terrace; and a rooftop fitness center with an outdoor yoga terrace and private training room, to name a few. Select residences are home to the previously mentioned interior gardens from landscape designer Enea who conceptualized the property’s central courtyard and rooftop as well.
The property is located in a quiet, walkable area of Beverly Hills just minutes from lively Rodeo Drive for a neighborhood feel without sacrificing the luxury and convenience expected of a city synonymous with opulence. Designed for the ease of discerning owners, residences are available for immediate occupancy from $2,550,000 for one-bedrooms to $6,250,000 for three-bedrooms, with penthouses also available (pricing upon request).
While the concept may seem new to many of us, Japandi design actually originated in the 1860s when Japan opened its borders after ending its isolationist policy which prompted Danish designers to visit. They found common ground with Japanese artisans in their fondness for minimalism, craftsmanship and natural beauty, and over the course of a century the fusion matured.
Influences of Scandinavian hygge or cozy contentment and Japanese wabi-sabi, the aesthetic and philosophy of finding beauty in imperfection and impermanence, ultimately shaped the highly coveted hybrid-style we know today. At its core, Japandi is about finding the comfort in a space that draws together functionality, warmth and most importantly, intentionality.
Established in 2010 and renowned for creating extraordinary spaces worldwide, 1508 London is an international interior design and architecture firm with studios in London, Dubai, Bangkok, Singapore, Sao Paulo and Miami. The designs that 1508 London yields are not formulaic or style driven, but rather emanate from “measured principles inspired by history, geography and the architectural vernacular.”
With over a decade’s experience––from architecture and both interior and technical design to FF&E (furniture, fittings and equipment) and procurement––1508 London’s work catalogues creating bespoke interiors for the finest homes, hotels, luxury developments and superyachts.
For more than 60 years, Mandarin Oriental has been building a rich and proud history as one of the most illustrious names in luxury hospitality. The Group’s flagship property, The Mandarin, opened in Hong Kong in 1963, and later, in 1974 they partially acquired The Oriental in Bangkok, which has been acknowledged as one of the world’s most fabled hotels. Representing some of the very best in hospitality, these two infamous properties merged to create the brand Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group.
Over the next 20 years the Group opened hotels across the continent and the impeccable service of the brand became deeply rooted in its distinguished Asian heritage. Mandarin Oriental continued to expand globally and first brought their award-winning luxury hospitality to the U.S. by way of San Francisco in 1987. Today, the brand has multiple properties in key cities across the U.S. and a global portfolio of more than 40 hotels and branded residences.
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