How do you choose the interior pieces that shape your living space?
When you live in a rented flat, the structure itself—the layout, the wallpaper and the like—does not tend to vary very much. Our home, too, is a rented flat.
It was around the time I was thinking how nice it would be to create a more personal and comfortable space, by thoughtfully bringing decorative elements into daily life, that we released our interior collection, Cloth for Living Craft. These richly expressive textiles can be used in many different ways depending on the person, making them just right for shaping the atmosphere of the home.
What kind of scene might they create when brought into the house? Curious to find out, we asked people with a thoughtful approach to living to try them in their own homes.
This time, we visit the home of Mr Yoki Kosuge, who runs the shop archipelago in Tamba-Sasayama, Hyogo. He chose the following pieces.
・Double-Weave Sashiko Long Floor Cushion
・Double-Weave Sashiko Multi Cloth
・Sashiko-Stitched Cushion Cover
・Hand-Stitched Tapestry (Chirashi)
Drawn to the climate and landscape of Tamba-Sasayama in Hyogo, Mr Kosuge and his wife began a satoyama way of life there in 2015. In 2016, they opened the select shop archipelago together. Mr Kosuge also styled the photography for Cloth for Living Craft.
**A flexible textile: the Double-Weave Sashiko Multi Cloth**
As the name suggests, this piece can be used either as a covering or laid out flat. With its weight and the way the edges are finished, it feels entirely natural whichever way it is used.
“I’ve always liked things that allow for a range of uses.
The Double-Weave Sashiko Multi Cloth folds up and can be carried easily, so there are all sorts of ways to use it. You could lay it in the back of the car, for example, or use it when camping. It has a certain thickness, but because it is still a cloth, you can simply wash it if it gets dirty. It can be used in many settings, not only at home.”
“As something to drape over furniture, it also works well when a sofa starts to show a bit of wear, or when you want to cover something.
That was one of the ideas I suggested when styling the shoot as well. It can also be placed at the foot of the bed, or used as a large blanket.”
“I like things that can be used flexibly, so even with furniture such as chairs and desks, I tend to choose pieces that fold up or can be moved around easily. A straightforward example would be the zabuton cushion. What is good about a zabuton is that, unlike a sofa or chair, it can be moved freely, and once you place it down, a place to sit naturally appears. The Double-Weave Sashiko Multi Cloth works in much the same way. When you lay it down, it gives purpose to that place.”
“The two sides are different colours, so in summer you might turn the lighter side upwards. I thought it was interesting that both sides could be enjoyed.”
**A long floor cushion that invites you to lie down**
“With the long floor cushion, of course you can simply stretch out on it, but you can also fold one end over to make a pillow, so there are many ways to use it. However you use it, once you sit down, you naturally begin to relax.”
“When styling the shoot, I let my own wishes slip in a little. Fold one end over, lie on your front and rest on your elbows—it feels ideal for reading.”
“With both the multi cloth and the long floor cushion, I found that the double-weave sashiko fabric, with its softness of expression created through dyeing and its muted mid-tone colours rather than anything vivid, was especially easy to bring into a home like ours. It suits a Japanese house with wood at its centre, and it has a quiet elegance.
It adds a kind of tactility to daily life, or perhaps a sense of light and shadow. I usually feel it is important to allow a certain darkness in the home. To properly feel that something is dark is, I think, necessary for one’s peace of mind. That is why our lighting is generally kept low... There is perhaps a tendency in our home to value the shadowed side of things. These colours and textures felt to me like the sort that draws out the beauty of shadow.”
**A hand-stitched tapestry at ease in both Japanese and Western interiors**
“I think there are many different patterns for the hand-stitched tapestry, but among them I especially like Chirashi. It has not only a gentle charm, but also a sense of modernity, which is appealing. We displayed it in the tokonoma alcove of a Japanese-style room, but I think it would also work well on the wall of a Western-style room.”
“As an object, it is good that it is not just a single thin piece of cloth, but is carefully made right through to the lining. I think people have an instinctive, physical sense for these things. Even without looking closely, we can perceive thickness and quality. With the hand-stitched tapestry, you can recognise that sense of quality at a glance.”
**Choosing the things that shape daily life**
“When I choose things for everyday use, I always think about whether I will tire of them. The things we bring into daily life are chosen on the assumption that we will use them for a long time, and once they are part of the home, we rarely part with them.
So I do not buy things just for the moment. I keep looking, stubbornly if necessary, until I find something I truly want. By choosing in that way, I feel I have become better at seeing, over the long term, what I will continue to use and what I might one day grow tired of.”
“Even if something has no practical function, I think the things we live with still have an effect on us day by day, so whether they feel right to you is important. If something works on the mind, then in the end it is also working on the body.
It is not like a quick-acting remedy. It is more like herbal medicine—something that works gradually, until one day you realise you somehow feel better. Even without being conscious of it every day, there are things that seem to affect us softly simply by being there. I think we keep close to us the equivalent of good herbal medicine.”
“Bringing Cloth for Living Craft into the home this time reminded me again how much I like the function and expression created by techniques such as sashiko and sakiori.
The act of stitching and weaving gives the fabric strength, while the slightly rough or softly raised texture, and the irregular, non-uniform surface, create a character all of their own. When brought into an interior, they sit beautifully. At the same time, they are not patterned, nor do they make an excessive statement, so I think that is part of what makes them easy to live with and unlikely to wear thin over time.”
<Profile of Mr Yoki Kosuge> Born in Saitama Prefecture. After graduating from university, he worked as a brand planner at a select shop from 2007. In 2015, drawn by the climate and landscape, he began life in Tamba-Sasayama, Hyogo Prefecture. In 2016, he opened the select shop *archipelago* with his wife. By focusing on the environment and process of buying, he aims to slow the pace of consumption.
<Featured Products>
・Double-Weave Sashiko Long Floor Cushion
・Double-Weave Sashiko Multi Cloth
・Sashiko-Stitched Cushion Cover
・Hand-Stitched Tapestry (Chirashi)
Text: Eriko Ueda
Photography: Haruhi Okuyama
