At Yoko Kloeden Design, every project is shaped by a quiet respect for how architecture and interiors can support the way we live. Recently, I had the opportunity to share my story — and the philosophy behind our work — with The Sunday Times. I wanted to reflect on that article here, in my own words. You can read the full article here.
I grew up in Kyoto, surrounded by small, sensory details that leave a lasting imprint: the subtle shadows of bamboo across tatami mats, the scent of incense in temple gardens, the gentle light filtering through ‘Butterfly’ trees. These moments taught me early on that beauty isn’t always something you see — often, it’s something you feel.
Yet my early path took me far from the world of architecture. I pursued a career in business and finance, living between Asia, North America, and Europe. Over many years, days spent in airport lounges and soulless hotel rooms began to blur into each other. These experiences, while distant from my upbringing, eventually steered me back to a deeper longing — not simply for beautiful spaces, but for spaces that restore, nurture, and ground you.
When I moved to London in 2010, the idea began to form more clearly. By 2015, I founded Yoko Kloeden Design — not to follow trends, but to create homes that reflect the quiet values I carried with me from Japan.
In the Sunday Times article, I also spoke about Yūgen — a principle that sits quietly at the centre of our work. Yūgen is a deeply Japanese idea: the beauty of things left unsaid, of depth rather than surface. It’s found in a glimpse of mist between trees, the softened light on a worn stone path, or the space between words. In a world that often chases clarity and perfection, Yūgen values ambiguity, subtlety, and the unseen.
At the studio, we express this through five guiding principles:
Hikari (Light) – how light shapes the mood and rhythm of a space.
Ma (Space) – how negative space gives room for reflection.
Nagame (View) – how framing a garden or a single tree invites connection with nature.
Shizen (Nature) – how natural materials ground us in the seasons.
Taru o Shiru (Less is More) – how knowing what is enough creates lasting beauty.
These ideas shape every project we undertake. They are not about achieving a certain look, but about creating spaces that offer a deep, lasting sense of wellbeing.
Read more about Yūgen and how these principles shape our projects in The Quiet Beauty of Yūgen.
If you’d like to explore these ideas further, I’ve created a short email guide called Serene Spaces, which gently introduces our five principles and how they can be brought into your home. Sign up here.