The last autumn leaves of the year. Set within a Japanese-modern space created through DIY. — DIY renovation of a 40-year-old house.

Lately, the air has remained crisp and dry, just like winter.

One moment it feels freezing, and the next, the warmth of a month ago returns...

Perhaps due to the dry air, there seems to be a lot of news about fires lately.

Please, everyone, be extra careful with fire hazards.

Now, at this threshold of winter, I have decorated our entryway with the last Japanese maple leaves of the year.

Things passed down, and life today. My late grandmother’s large vase takes center stage in the entryway gallery.

The last Japanese maple leaves of the year, placed in a lampshade. Breathing new life into an object that had already fulfilled its original purpose.

■ Giving new life to "what is discarded."

The vase holding the Japanese maple is actually a glass lampshade that was no longer in use.

I kept it by my side, thinking, "Could this be used for something?" before throwing it away. When I placed it inside a black basket, both the size and the atmosphere were a perfect match! With just a single idea, it has become my favorite corner of the house.

The morning light streaming in from the east is incredibly refreshing and feels wonderful.

■ A gallery adorned with the works of my late grandmother.

A large, round vase that radiates a powerful presence in the gallery space. This is a piece created by my late grandmother.

I found it while cleaning the house and decided to display it here. It brings me such joy to see how it transcends time to blend so naturally into my life today.

In the foreground, I floated fallen maple leaves in a glass dish. The way the light reflects and sparkles is truly beautiful—I find myself completely enchanted by the sight.

A morning moment of beautiful light reflections. The fallen leaves floating in the glass dish signal the end of the season.

A sun-drenched, Japanese-modern entryway. We renovated this 40-year-old house to be completely barrier-free.

■A 40-year-old house DIY renovation, undertaken entirely on my own.

In fact, everything you see here—the walls, the floor, and even the wooden shelves in the foreground—is part of a DIY renovation I tackled entirely on my own this year.

The concept for the renovation was simple: Simple and Stylish.

• Walls & Ceiling: Finished entirely in Japanese lime plaster (shikkui) for its natural humidity-regulating properties.

• Floor: Rebuilt the subfloor from scratch and packed it with insulation. Since this 40-year-old house originally had no insulation, this will finally keep the winter chill at bay.

• Barrier-free: Leveled the floor with the adjacent room and finished it with floor tiles for a completely flat surface.

• Clock: Designed and crafted an original clock to perfectly complement the space.

During the renovation, I was so consumed by the work that I didn't have the luxury of keeping a record.

Now, I find myself thinking, "I should have filmed it and uploaded it to YouTube!" But having created this space from top to bottom all by myself, there is a sense of comfort here that is truly irreplaceable.

■ Living with Cats: Wisdom of Japanese Modern Design

Since we live with a cat, I installed escape-prevention lattices across all openings (center and left of the photo).

These are not ready-made products; they are lattices I built from scratch to perfectly match the atmosphere of this house.

I was worried that adding lattices might make the space feel cramped, but instead, they’ve added a distinct "Japanese-modern" charm that I’ve truly grown to love.

■ Toward a New Season: 40-Year-Old House - DIY - Renovation - Japanese Modern

It wasn't just the entryway—I refreshed the entire house on my own, including the bathroom and other wet areas.

There were certainly struggles along the way, but the time spent in this reborn space is truly exceptional. I hope to share more of these details with you little by little on another occasion.

As I gaze upon the last Japanese maple leaves of the year, I look forward to quietly welcoming the height of winter in this home—a place I’ve shaped to fit my own style, alongside my cats.

(40-Year-Old House - DIY - Renovation - Japanese Modern)