The aesthetic that formed the basis for traditional Japanese architecture and interior design is nuanced and interesting. Reading In Praise of Shadows by Junichiro Tanizaki began for me a path towards appreciating the often stark and geometric choices. 

These photos of the Katsura Imperial Villa (16th Century) in Kyoto from Japanese American photography Yasuhiro Ishimoto  bring to the forefront the abstractions of shape, space and light in an amazing way.