Japanese Room (nihonma), Edwards, CO

This versatile 7 tatami-mat traditional Japanese room (nihoma) can serve as a guest room, a dining room, a family room. In the room center is a 3’x6′ low dining table made of black ash and large enough for inviting guests to enjoy a traditional Japanese hotpot. A recess in the floor (horikotatsu) allows for Western-style sitting and provides a storage space for the table when not in use. The room is framed with southern cypress. The ceiling is Western red cedar, and traditional Japanese mud plaster (juraku) is used on the walls.  The room is enclosed by sliding glass doors and yukimi shoji screens (the screens open both horizontally and vertically).  The tokonoma  or alcove for displaying art, is constructed with cypress, Dutch elm, and rosewood.