A minimalist interior design is about having a clean aesthetic with minimal furnishings and clutter. It focuses on creating a peaceful environment to relax and enjoy simplicity. If you want to achieve this in your space, you’re in the right place. We have some ideas for you.
First things first. What is minimalism? It’s an art movement that emerged in the early twentieth century and has continued to be adopted by interior designers and homeowners today. What began as paintings, sculptures, and photographs blossomed into a way of life, including how homes are designed.
As an art concept, minimalism is about the beauty inherent in simplicity. And so, when applied as an interior style, the emphasis is on clean, simple lines rather than ornamentation. So, what exactly do you need to do in your home to achieve this? Read on to find out.
Ways to Create a Minimalist Home
These days, minimalism is more than just a design aesthetic. It’s also a lifestyle and philosophy. Although we will not delve too deeply into minimalism as a way of life, we’re emphasizing its core value: owning fewer things. You’ll find that this is the main idea behind this simple guide on making your interior space minimalist.
Here are a few things you can apply to make a minimalist home.
White Walls
White is nearly synonymous with minimalism. It’s a timeless color, very minimal indeed, and the brightness will make you fall in love with your home every time you step in. There is a reason why the happiest people on the planet reside in Denmark and other Scandinavian countries—minimalism might be a contributing factor.
You can never go wrong with white when painting your walls. It’s a popular choice among many homeowners, even when they don’t have a minimalist space. White adds more life and energy to a room than any other hue. Plus, white walls create the feeling of a larger space because it amplifies natural light.
If you want to spruce up your space with color, choose muted hues and a monochromatic palette to keep the space looking minimal.
Concealed Things
While minimalism is about having fewer material possessions, in interior design, this often translates to displaying fewer things. One approach to making your home more minimalist is to keep your belongings out of plain sight.
We all have our favorite knickknacks and decor. But, again, a minimalist house is free from visual clutter. Choose only a few of your favorite items for display, and for the rest of your things, store them away. Storage spaces should have doors to hide everything. Doing this also helps you maintain clean lines throughout the space. So, choose storage with doors and lids made from materials that don’t necessarily stand out.
It’s not wrong to hold onto the things that mean something to you and make you happy. Cherish your possessions, but keep the clutter in check for a minimalist vibe in your home.
No Visual Clutter
As explained in the previous section, minimalism is a philosophy that emphasizes owning fewer possessions and experiencing more in simplicity.
But taking the minimalist path isn’t always easy, especially when excessive consumerism is the subliminal messaging we’ve been getting since birth. So, baby steps first. Before you purge your belongings, just ensure you don’t add more to what you already have unless absolutely necessary. You can best avoid visual clutter if you don’t have so many things, to begin with.
The next step is decluttering. When you declutter, focus on retaining functional things and those you need daily. But definitely eliminate unused stuff that has been sitting on your shelf for years.
Clutter has no place in a minimalist house. Develop the practice of having fewer possessions and donating items you no longer use. You’ll soon find that you’re surrounded by a cleaner and freer space with things that keep your heart warm.
Balance
When it comes to minimalist interior design, balance is key. It’s essential to keep the look of your home clean and clutter-free while still creating a space that is inviting and welcoming.
The best way to achieve this balance is to create visual harmony between your furnishings and the overall color palette of your home. Neutral hues are typically recommended for minimalist designs, as they easily blend with all other colors and things.
Open Layout
Gone are the days of stuffy, partitioned spaces, where there’s always a wall between one room to another. Minimalist homes often embrace an open-plan layout, and it’s a good thing because it encourages your eyes to move (straight and freely, without interruption) and appreciate the continuous straight lines.
An open-plan space invites more natural light and provides better flow and function. This layout typically features a combined dining-living room, kitchen-dining room, or the trifecta, a combined kitchen-dining-living room.
Natural Elements
Displaying natural elements is key in a minimalist home. Many people think that minimalist interiors are devoid of warmth and life. But that’s not really the case, especially if you integrate nature into your space.
With all its simplistic beauty and luster, hardwood flooring easily provides a natural element to your space. If you don’t have hardwood floors, it’s not really a problem because there are many ways to make your home au natural. One, you can opt for solid wood furniture, and of course, you can always decorate with plants.
Lush and lively foliage makes a room more vibrant, and the great this is you don’t have to buy more décor or furniture. With plants, you get to maintain the minimalist impact of your space while bringing in nature. Aside from live plants, you can also have linen curtains, rugs made from jute, rattan baskets for storage, or large crystals for centerpieces.
Clean and Multipurpose Furniture
To embrace minimalism, as you know well by now, is to have fewer things. One approach to this is opting for clean, multifunctional furniture. Handpick every piece of furniture, ensuring each one delivers maximum utility:
- Ditch the bulky, armed sofa for a simple sectional or a settee for a simpler look. Better yet, choose a couch with hidden storage or doubles as a guest bed.
- Use nesting tables as your coffee table (instead of an actual one). They can also serve as side tables and even extra seating for guests.
- Go for ottomans that also function as storage with a lid. They can also serve as side tables or footrests and provide additional seating when guests are over.
- Use console tables also doubles as desks for work and study.
The Takeaway
Developing an eye for recognizing what you need to run a functional lifestyle takes time and experience. If you’re setting up a new home or just moved to a different area, think carefully about what you actually need and how you use things regularly. Get rid of all the clutter - you don’t need it. Donate, store, or toss those things you don’t often utilize.
Stop saving things and assuming that you need them for later. This weird obsession with collecting for an unknown future is actually what’s keeping a lot of people from decluttering. So, don’t let your unfounded fears of a phantom need keep you from having a clean and healthy home.
Another thing a minimalist home is defined by its inhabitants. What you consider minimalist may not be minimal enough for another person. But remember that you get to decide how your home should look, not some person with a blog (like us, haha!).
If you want a minimalist home, keep the basic ideas in mind. Take it as a guide, not a rule book, because you can decide the kind of space you want. It also helps to understand minimalism more as a concept than a style trend. Modify as you go, remove clutter, and arrange items until you're satisfied with your home.
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First published on April 6, 2022. This article has been updated.