"Home is where the heart is..." Visitors to my home are welcomed with a calming sage green interior.
entrance
stairway
The photo above (left) is a view of the formal dining area from the living room. I brought the wallpaper and border to Japan in my suitcase from the USA. Generally speaking, the available selections of such interior designs are limited in Japan to beige, beige and beige (although this simple color scheme makes it easy to mix and match, it is a bit boring if you want to be bold and splashy--like me). The predominant colors in these two connecting rooms are maroon, green and blue. The drapes and the carpet pull out the blue in the wallpaper, while the sofa and matching ottomans draw out the maroon. The table, chairs and sideboards are all green ironwork (with clear glass on top) and are Italian in design (Medici pattern). The accents on the tables, and the paintings on the walls, are all deliberately chosen to fit the room's motif. The portrait above the mantelpiece was painted by a student of mine as a gift. The matching cloisonné vases, as well as the bronze dragon in the center, are from China. The ironwork hides the heating system, which is a kerosene oil stove. Homes in Japan are not centrally heated and each room has its own, independent heating stove. Rooms not in use are not heated. The ki is able to flow easily in and out, and all around, in this room (as well as all over the house), because I followed as closely as I could the principles outlined in the ancient Chinese art of placement and color, Feng Shui. Below (left) is the opposite view, looking from the dining area toward the living room.
formal dining area
formal living room
 
Todd Jay Leonard Next Back Home
 
The above photograph (left) is of the front entrance hall of my home. The louvered doors on the right were added after I moved in. Originally, the front hall was rather large, but not very useful or practical. I designed a winter coat closet and shoe box to fill in this empty space (behind the louvered doors). Initially, a door was located to the right that led into the kitchen area. This door was made into a pantry from the kitchen side, and the shoe closet from the foyer side. I can also store suitcases and a variety of other hard to store items in this spacious closet area that is from floor to ceiling in size. The photograph above (right) is of the stairway leading to the second floor. This area is directly around the corner from the front door. The same border motif winds around and up the landing. The photos on the left wall are vintage pictures of my family. The vase on the pedestal is cloisonné.
dining room
kitchen
 
 
This view of the dining room looks toward the kitchen. The original design had a double-sliding door to divide the kitchen and dining area. I chose to replace this with cafe doors and a pass-through. I don't like the idea of dinner guests being forced to view the kitchen directly while sitting at the dining room table. I do like, however, the idea of having it somewhat connected with an open-space that hides the mess that was made while preparing the meal, yet allowing for easy access. The sideboard can be used for dessert and coffee, or as a buffet for larger get-togethers. The green tablecloth covering the round corner table actually camouflages my stereo system that is hidden underneath it. This is a Feng Shui cure for potential poison arrows that are sometimes created by electrical cords and equipment. When guests are visiting, the music wafts through the two rooms without the hardware being an unsightly focal point of the room. The above photograph (right) takes us to the kitchen. The size of my entire kitchen's floor-space is probably about 6 feet. With this in mind, you can imagine how important it is to use every available inch of space. Every item has its proper place, and all fits together snugly. Although the refrigerator has three doors, and is considered "family sized" here in Japan, it is quite small to American standards. In fact, when my mother was visiting she called to my step-father to come look at the "cute little fridge." The shelf unit next to the refrigerator holds all of my appliances: Toaster oven, regular convection oven, coffee pot, hot-water pot, rice cooker and my Joe Foreman's lean-mean grilling machine. If the oven looks small...its because it is. A small-square baking dish is about as large of a pan as it can handle. No one has big ovens here like people have in the USA. The table is my own creation. I made it higher than the sink area because I wanted to have additional work-space while preparing large meals (Japanese counters and sinks are about six inches lower than those in North America). In addition, I wanted to have a table that not only fit the space I had available, but also would allow me to host casual suppers or light brunches in the kitchen (where at least four people could comfortably sit while eating). Also, I wanted it large enough to accommodate my morning paper, opened up and flat, while drinking my morning cup of tea.
louvered door
range stove
Welcome Family and Friends! A Personal Tour of My Home in Japan...