Zen art is based on principles from Zen Buddhism, which follows seven guiding concepts to achieve an authentic design that encourages relaxation. 

In zen-inspired homes, relaxing outdoor spaces are key to promoting calm environments, with well-thought-out designs where nothing is randomly placed. A clever combination of natural materials, greenery and sculptural elements is the key to a successful zen garden.

Let’s explore how to design a Zen-inspired home with outdoor spaces that encourage relaxation.

Use the Seven Zen Guiding Principles

Zen garden design is structured around seven Japanese guiding principles: 

  • Austerity (Koko)
  • Simplicity (Kanso)
  • Naturalness (Shinzen)
  • Asymmetry (Fukinsei)
  • Mystery or subtlety (Yugen)
  • Magical or unconventional (Datsuzoku)
  • Stillness (Seijaku)

Your zen garden should incorporate most or all of these elements to create a calming space that you’ll want to relax in and escape the stress of daily life.

It’s all about creating a safe sanctuary to unwind in while celebrating the art of simplicity through well thought-out landscaping design. 

Biophilic design

The key to a perfect zen space is through incorporating greenery and natural materials as much as possible. Biophilic design is a wonderful way to create visually appealing and harmonious spaces, connecting you to the natural world.

Natural Materials 

The use of natural materials incorporates one of the guiding elements of zen – naturalness (Shinzen). As human beings, we crave a connection to nature and including these elements into a garden design makes the space feel warm and inviting. 

Materials like rocks, gravel and stone are often used in zen-inspired spaces as they create a grounding element and represent the human desire for eternity. Thoughtfully designed landscapes like those seen in a tranquil retreat landscape project show how these materials can work together.

There’s a lot of symbolism in Japanese culture and many materials have connotations like this.

Calming Colour Schemes

For a calming garden space, you must use the right colours to promote relaxation. 

Cool-toned colours like blues and greens are associated with nature and tranquillity, as well as neutrals like beige and white. Warm yellows, reds and oranges are energising and you’ll find they pop when complemented with green and white. 

These are excellent colour choices for creating a peaceful and calming space. Just remember to keep in mind the different bloom times of plants to maintain a consistent colour theme. 

Subtle Greenery 

Foliage is a great way to add texture and a sense of calm to your garden. The key here is to keep the garden well-kept and manageable as you don’t want your zen garden space to resemble an unkept space. 

Add a range of plant species and textures to give variation to the design and more focal points for the eye to be drawn to.

The best landscaping projects ensure minimal upkeep and maintenance; choose low-maintenance evergreens and hardy shrubs as they won’t need replacing every year.

It’s good practice to keep the garden neat and tidy through regular weeding and decluttering to maintain the calming aesthetic.

Why not bring the outside in and incorporate this biophilic design inside the home too? This extends the relaxation of the garden and creates a flow from the outside in. 

Outdoor Seating 

Adding a stone bench or wooden table is a good way to incorporate natural materials while providing an area to sit and relax. 

Sharing outside spaces with others will allow you to connect and form bonds while surrounded by nature. Connecting away from enclosed spaces offers a much more relaxing atmosphere and gets you away from the many distractions inside the home.

Introduce Relaxing Features

In zen-inspired spaces, all elements have their place. Luxury garden landscaping is all about striking a balance between the right number of materials, textures and accessories but still keeping a calm, minimalist space.  

Water Features

Relaxing by water calms the mind and creates a tranquil atmosphere. Not only does the look of water give relaxing connotations, but the soothing trickling sounds also act as a natural stress reliever. 

Garden water features like water blades, spheres, monoliths and streams create a focal point to improve the ambience of your garden. Many don’t require a lot of maintenance as long as they’re not placed below trees or plants where they could get clogged up.

Create Relaxing Sounds 

Include leafy plants, bamboo and ornamental grasses in your garden and you’ll get a soothing, rustling sound in the wind. This creates a natural windchime, giving a gentle, airy sound to your garden. 

If you want the real deal, opt for a classic wooden or metal windchime for a louder sound, which can be a great way to block out sounds of traffic or busy streets.

Draw the Eye to Statues and Sculptural Elements

To add a focal point to your garden, incorporate statues or sculptures to add another level of character. These can also serve as a source of inspiration for meditation or solely as a symbol to promote mindfulness and a sense of peace. 

This might feature Buddha statues or stone lanterns, but you can choose whatever sculptures you like to make the garden uniquely yours. Large rocks can also act as sculptural elements and you can bring in other natural materials like sand, pebbles or gravel to create more of a feature.

Just remember to focus on soft shapes rather than hard edges to create a more inviting aesthetic. 

Outdoor Lighting 

Once the natural light from the day has gone, soft mood lighting like warm solar lights will illuminate your zen garden in the dark. Opt for warm lights rather than bright white lights as this won’t have the same calming effect. 

Any lights will work, but solar lights in particular are a more eco-conscious choice and will automatically come on in the evenings once the light has faded. 

Lighting is often an overlooked aspect of home landscaping, but it allows for more time to be spent outdoors during the evenings, especially in the darker months.

Create a Pathway 

A stone pathway offers a great way to wander around a garden mindfully and also provides a sense of direction towards or away from focal points.

Pathways have a practical purpose but also a design element; they can be tailored to your particular garden, keeping it unique. In the evenings, you can light up this pathway with solar lighting so it can be appreciated at all times of the day.

Simplicity is Key 

If you follow the guiding principles of stillness (Seijaku) and simplicity (Kanso), your zen garden will encourage relaxation. Having too many elements, textures or colours will make your garden look confused, so it’s best practice to keep things simple and free from clutter. 

Create Your Very Own Zen-Inspired Sanctuary

Relaxation means different things to different people and creating a zen garden is all about choosing a sanctuary that works for you. It’s about creating a space that incorporates the right level of design features while keeping things simple and uncluttered. 
Working with a landscaping company will help you create the perfect zen garden space, with high-end materials and a bespoke approach to bring your vision to life.