Books

Stillness | Japanese Aesthetics in Architecture & Design - Gestalten

$159.00

Stillness is a deeply reflective exploration of Japanese aesthetics in architecture and design, viewed through a Scandinavian lens. Created by Norm Architects in collaboration with gestalten, this striking volume weaves together architecture, interiors, travel, and philosophy into a quiet yet powerful visual narrative.

Juxtaposing imagery from Japan with Norm Architects’ own work, the book reveals centuries-old connections between two distant cultures that share a reverence for nature, light, craftsmanship, and restraint. It explores how stillness functions not as absence, but as presence. A space for reflection, harmony, and meaning.

At once an ode to Japan, a personal travelogue, and an aesthetic manifesto, Stillness documents Norm Architects’ decade-long journey to understand one of the world’s most revered creative cultures. Through architecture, gardens, interiors, and everyday rituals, the book examines how Japanese design embodies a profound harmony between the self and the surroundings.

Expert commentary from collaborators in both Japan and Scandinavia provides thoughtful insight into key design principles, making this book as intellectually rich as it is visually calming. A considered addition to our Japandi Style edit, our Scandinavian books collection, and any home that values quiet beauty and intentional living.


Why You’ll Love It

  • Explores Japanese aesthetics through a Scandinavian design perspective

  • Combines architecture, interiors, travel, and cultural philosophy

  • Features stunning photography and thoughtful editorial commentary

  • Celebrates stillness, light, craftsmanship, and restraint

  • A timeless coffee table book for lovers of Japandi and minimal design


Book Details

Photography: Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen
Creative Director: Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen
Art & Design Director: Christian Møller Andersen
Editor & Writer: Amy Woodroffe
Copy Editor: Julia Holzman
Editorial Consultants: Malene Wagner, Danielle Demetriou, Kate Klippensteen

Editors: gestalten & Norm Architects
Release Date: August 2024
Format: Hardcover, stitch bound
Pages: 304
Dimensions: 24.5 × 33 cm
ISBN: 9783967041583


Styling Tips

  • Style open on a coffee table with stone, ceramics, or natural wood

  • Pair with soft textiles and neutral tones from our Japandi decor edit

  • Display alongside Scandinavian or Japanese design titles from our books collection

  • Ideal for calm living rooms, bedrooms, or meditation spaces

FAQs

Is this book more visual or text-based?
It offers a thoughtful balance of serene photography and written insight. While highly visual, the editorial content adds meaningful depth rather than surface-level commentary.

Is this suitable for interior designers or architects?
Yes. While accessible to design lovers, it also offers substantial value for professionals interested in spatial philosophy, materiality, and cross-cultural design thinking.

Does it focus only on Japanese interiors?
No. The book intentionally juxtaposes Japanese architecture and design with Scandinavian work, highlighting the shared principles between the two cultures.

Is this a good gift?
Absolutely. Its refined aesthetic, high production quality, and universal design themes make it an excellent gift for design-focused homes.

Online Orders: 

 

How much is postage and handling? 

Within NZ, all overs over $100 are shipped free of charge (excluding some oversized items - in which case we will calculate your shipping cost when we receive your order) if your order is under $100 it is just $7 flat rate nationwide. 

Shipping to Australia is $29 flat rate for all orders under $200 (excluding oversized/fragile items) orders over $200 are free (excluding oversized items - we will contact you with a shipping quote) 

Can you ship internationally? 

Most items we can definitely ship internationally, some things (particularly fragile or oversized items) may not be able to be shipped, or may cost a little extra to send. Please feel free to get in touch if you would like us to get a freight quote for you or if you have any queries about international shipping! 

How long will my order take to arrive? 

We aim to dispatch orders within 1-2 working days, then courier is usually overnight for North Island deliveries and 2-3 working days for South Island deliveries. For rural addresses please allow an extra 1-2 working days. We can send overnight to South Island and Saturday deliveries are definitely doable too - just let us know! Please bare in mind we only a small team and although we process orders as soon as we can, occasionally they can take a little longer than these time frames. If you are needing an order before a specific date, please get in touch with us before you place the order and we'll ensure it is fast tracked for you! 

Can we return products if they're not quite right? 

Sure! We completely understand that sometimes buying online can be tricky and some things need to be seen in-situ for a decision to be made! Unfortunately we're not able to refund items unless they are faulty and no replacements are available, however we are more than happy to issue you a store credit which has no expiry so you can use it any time! We just require you to send it back to us within 7 days of receipt of the order in the original packaging and condition and all swing tags / labels etc still attached. We will process your store credit (of the value of the product excluding shipping costs) as soon as we receive it. Please note, there are some exceptions to this, such as some fragile items, furniture and products on sale. 

We have had an email saying our order is on the way, but it hasn't arrived yet? 

Most orders should get to you the next working day. South Island deliveries can take up to 2-3 working days and rural deliveries can take an extra day or two on top of that. However, occasionally courier companies do make errors and that can lead to a day or two delay. In the dispatch confirmation email and on your order confirmation page on the website (a link to this page is on your order confirmation email) you should be able to see a link to the courier company's website and live tracking updates so you can follow its progress to you - there is also a contact phone number for the courier company on that page should you wish to enquire about the status of your order. 

We haven't received a dispatch confirmation email yet? 

We aim to dispatch orders of in stock items as soon as we can - most of the time that is the same or next working day but occasionally it can take 2-3 days as we are only a small team and some weeks are busier than others. It also pays to double check in the item's products description on the website as some products have shipping times of up to 7-10 working days or occasionally longer for custom made products or products from overseas. We do this on products that we don't carry large quantities of stock of, so that instead of the product showing up as sold out, we leave it up on the website so you're still able to purchase it and we send it out to you as soon as the new shipment of them arrives. 

Do you offer trade discounts? 

We can sometimes offer you a discount if buying a particular product in large quantities, or if buying for a business or commercial fitout. Trade orders must be over $400 and the discount depends on the purchase amount, but feel free to get in touch with us to enquire about this! 

 

 

Services 

 

Do you offer hire services? 

Most products are able to borrowed for photoshoots, staging etc. The daily price to hire is roughly 5-10% of the cost of the product (but varies depending on quantity of products borrowed and the hire duration period. We also require a 50% deposit which is refunded on receipt of items back :) We do prefer pick up and drop off for this service, however shipping options can be arranged. please feel free to email us (contact@fluxboutique.co.nz) to discuss this service.  

Do you offer interior design services? 

We do! We have both in-home and e-design packages available. Every design package comes with store credit so it works out to be really great value if you are thinking of buying products from us anyway! We are also working on a bunch of 'get the look' packages which have all the work done for you and come with great savings. Keep an eye on our Instagram for these! 

I don't have the budget for a full interior design package, but I'd love to get you to come around and give me a few ideas?

Sure, email us at contact@fluxboutique.co.nz and we can arrange a time that suits you! If you're not Bay of Plenty based we are able to travel, or you're welcome to just flick us an email and we'll do an online consultation! 

I'm not sure which combination of prints to get or what sizes?

We know how hard it can be to pick the right combination of prints for a space, how to arrange them, or what size to get for a specific space. Flick us an email with a photo of the bare wall and a bit of the furniture around the wall, a few measurements of the furniture or wall they're going on (for us to get a sense of scale), and the prints you're tossing up between and we'll superimpose the prints onto the wall to help you envision it! 

Do you offer print framing services? 

We sell frames in A5, A4 and A3 sizes, and we can get A2 and A1 prints professionally framed (but still super affordable) as well. If you want to buy both the print and frame (in A4 or A3 size) we're more than happy to frame it for you, just pop a message to us in the notes box at checkout. 

I'm not sure what plant to get with which planter! 

We're more than happy to help you find the right combo! Flick us an email and we'll get back to you as soon as possible! Stay tuned for a blog post with a few of our most popular combinations :) 

Are you able to make custom furniture? 

Sure can! Drop us a line and we can discuss it! 

I am wanting to create a green wall or plant installation in our space, are you able to create this for us? 

We love creating greenery installations! Prices vary depending on size and scope but happy to give a free, no obligation quote for your project! We can either give you a quote or we can work with a specific budget. 

I would love to create an everlasting bouquet for our home, but not sure which flowers to get, can you create a bouquet for us?  

Of course! Drop us an email with some inspiration images for us to go off and a budget and we'll send you some options to choose from.

 

Other 

Are all your products available to view in store? 

Due to space limitations, unfortunately our full range isn't available in store, but feel free to get in touch with us if you're wanting to view a particular product and we'll make sure it is available for you when you're planning on stopping by :) We're also in the process of setting up a showroom to showcase a bigger range of our products and services. Keep an eye on our instagram for the showroom opening date! 

We'd love you to stock our products, how do we go about this? 

We're always on the lookout for new and exciting brands! If you think your range might be a good fit for our store, please send us an email with a catalogue and we'll get back to you as soon as possible. We do prefer to be able to see products in person, so if you're able to send out a sales rep to see us or send us some samples that would be awesome! If coming to visit in person, please do get in touch with us first to book a time so we can make sure someone is free to meet with you :) 

Are we able to use your products for a magazine editorial or photoshoot? 

Sure, we can usually send products out free of charge for photoshoots just drop us a line and we'll let you know! If you're just wanting to use an image, we're happy to send you high res clear cut images. We can also hire out products if you're just needing them for an event or for home staging or styling :) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How much is postage and handling? 

All NZ orders over $100 are shipped free of charge. If your order is under $100 it is just $7 flat rate nationwide. (Please note: these prices are excluding oversized and some fragile items - we will calculate your shipping cost when we receive your order)

Can you ship internationally? 

Most items we can definitely ship internationally, some things (particularly fragile or oversized items) may not be able to be shipped, or may cost a little extra to send. Please feel free to get in touch if you have any queries about international shipping! 

How long will my order take to arrive? 

We aim to dispatch all in stock (non pre-order / special order items) orders within 1-2 working days, then courier is usually overnight for North Island deliveries and 2-3 working days for South Island deliveries. For rural addresses please allow an extra 1-2 working days. We can send overnight to South Island and Saturday deliveries are definitely doable too - just double check with us before placing the order. If the item you are purchasing is a preorder item, we state the ETA on the products' page, these are however just estimates and delays do occasionally occur which are beyond our control. Please also bare in mind we only a small team and although we process orders as soon as we can, occasionally they can take a little longer than these time frames. If you are needing an order before a specific date, please get in touch with us before you place the order and we'll ensure it is fast tracked for you!

We have had an email saying our order is on the way, but it hasn't arrived yet? 

Most orders should get to you the next working day. South Island deliveries can take up to 2-3 working days and rural deliveries can take an extra day or two on top of that. However, occasionally courier companies do make errors and that can lead to a day or two delay. In the dispatch confirmation email and on your order confirmation page on the website (a link to this page is on your order confirmation email) you should be able to see a link to the courier company's website and live tracking updates so you can follow its progress to you - there is also a contact phone number for the courier company on that page should you wish to enquire about the status of your order. 

We haven't received a dispatch confirmation email yet? 

We aim to dispatch orders of in stock items as soon as we can - most of the time that is the same or next working day but occasionally it can take 2-3 days as we are only a small team and some weeks are busier than others (especially during peak sales periods). It also pays to double check in the item's products description on the website as some products have shipping times of up to 7-10 working days or occasionally longer for custom made products or products from overseas. We do this on products that we don't carry large quantities of stock of, so that instead of the product showing up as sold out, we leave it up on the website so you're still able to purchase it and we send it out to you as soon as the new shipment of them arrives. 

Can we return products if they're not quite right? 

Sure! We completely understand that sometimes buying online can be tricky and some things need to be seen in-situ for a decision to be made! Unfortunately we're not able to refund items unless they are faulty and no replacements are available, however we are more than happy to issue you a store credit which has no expiry so you can use it any time! We just require you to send it back to us within 7 days of receipt of the order in the original packaging and condition and all swing tags / labels etc still attached. We will process your store credit (of the value of the product excluding shipping costs) as soon as we receive it. Please note, there are some exceptions to this, such as some fragile items, furniture and products on sale so please ensure you contact us prior to returning. 

 

Payment & Billing Name

The name that will appear on your cardholder statement after a purchase will be “Flux Boutique.”

Acceptance of Terms

By visiting or shopping at Flux Boutique online, you agree to these terms and conditions. Please read them carefully.

Product Descriptions

We aim to describe all products as accurately as possible. However, descriptions and other content may occasionally contain minor discrepancies. If a product is not as described, you may return it in unused condition for an exchange or store credit.


Returns & Exchanges

Change of Mind

If you’re not completely satisfied, you may return items within 7 days of receipt in original condition (unused, unwashed, and in original packaging) for an exchange or store credit.
Refunds are not offered for change-of-mind returns.

  • Email contact@fluxboutique.co.nz with your invoice number and reason for return before sending items back.

  • Return shipping is at your cost.

Sale Items & Special Orders

  • Sale items: Eligible for exchange or store credit only (no refunds).

  • Special orders: Final sale (no change-of-mind returns).

Faulty or Not as Described

If a problem is minor and can be put right, we’ll repair or replace the item within a reasonable time.
You may choose a refund or replacement if any of the following apply (as set out in the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993):

  • The item is significantly different from its description, sample, or demo model.

  • The item is unsafe.

  • The item is not fit for its normal or agreed purpose and can’t be fixed easily within a reasonable time.

  • We can’t repair or replace the item within a reasonable time.

What counts as a “reasonable time”?

There’s no fixed number of days—it depends on the item and remedy. We aim to resolve minor issues as quickly as possible. Reasonableness may consider:

  • The type of fix needed (simple swap vs complex repair)

  • Stock/parts availability and service logistics

  • How essential/urgent the product is for normal use

  • Clear, prompt communication and agreed timeframes

If we can’t put the problem right within a reasonable time, you may choose a refund or replacement under the CGA.

Packaging & Condition

We’re unable to accept unused goods returned with damaged packaging unless they are faulty.

Shipping Charges

Freight charges are non-refundable unless the goods are faulty. For faulty returns, we will also refund the reasonable cost of returning the goods to us—please contact us first for instructions.

How to Return

  1. Email contact@fluxboutique.co.nz to request a return and receive instructions.

  2. Send items (well-packed; trackable and insured shipping recommended) to:

    Flux Boutique
    270 Maunganui Road
    Mt Maunganui 3116
    New Zealand

  3. Once your return is received and assessed, we’ll email you to confirm your exchange or store credit (or the applicable remedy under the CGA if the item is faulty).


Legal

All purchases are subject to the Fair Trading Act 1986 and the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993. Nothing in these terms limits your statutory rights.

Contact

Questions? We’re here to help: contact@fluxboutique.co.nz.

We are more than happy to offer discounts for bulk purchases or designers.

The minimum order is $400, discounts start at 15% but the more regularly you shop the bigger the discount you'll receive.

Please get in touch with us contact@fluxboutique.co.nz for more info.   

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