Deborah TorresMinimalism, the trend that has taken over the world currently has spent decades in the making. Minimalism began as an art movement in the 1960s and gained traction in architecture and interiors around the 1980s.
Introduction to Minimalism
Borrowing greatly from the Japanese way of living, the style focused on building around the essentials. It was also influenced by the simplicity and functionality of Bauhaus and the clean lines and use of primary colors in De Stijl.
What Does Minimalist Style Mean?
Simplicity is what minimalism is all about, and this is the main idea behind the ever-increasing popularity of a minimalist interior design.
Some experts relate a minimalist interior design to the modern interior design that puts a premium on the functionality and harmony of various elements and reduces unnecessary clutter or design elements to give the room a comfortable vibe and a relaxing atmosphere.
For homeowners, minimalist interior designers would often pitch the idea of having just a few elements to accentuate a space.
For instance, in highlighting a particular architectural feature intended for a room, designers could use intended lighting or a simple splash of color that blends seamlessly with the room.
This is done in such a way that the architectural construction and the design element are not in contrast with each other but are blended harmoniously, producing a pleasing aesthetic.
Different Types of Minimalist Design
Minimalism is a popular design trend that can be seen in many different forms. Some people may think of minimalism as being plain or boring, but that’s not always the case. There are many different types of minimalist design, from the very simple to the more intricate.
One type of minimalist design is called reductionism. This style focuses on using the fewest possible elements to create a piece of art or design. This can be done by removing details, using basic shapes and colors, or using typography to create a visually striking effect.
Another type of minimalist design is called simplicity. This style is all about creating pieces that are easy to understand and use. The goal is to remove any unnecessary elements, so that the user can focus on the task at hand.
Important Elements to Create a Minimalist Home
The objective of minimalism as with many other styles that evolved around that time was to cast off the values of excess consumerism and bring back the focus on what is most important. One of the early adopters of the minimalist style, Mies Van der Rohe summed it up with his now iconic words ‘Less is More’.
While it feels simple enough to create a minimalistic home, it requires careful curation of items to become a well-balanced space that inspires the zen in you.
Colors
Minimalism uses neutral colors as the starting point. Rooms in shades of white, greys and browns are seen often here taking up the majority of the space, with other colors used in smaller amounts. The color palettes contain a maximum of three colors to avoid the appearance of being too crowded. Colors that are analogous or just a few shades apart can be used to create a pleasing arrangement.
Declutter
As the name implies, minimalism requires the space to be minimal. That means decluttering and removing the unnecessary elements in the house. This does not mean that it should be a clean, sterile place. Keep any items that have significance, and the functional pieces. Even eccentric pieces work in short measures, as long as they don’t draw excess attention.
Furniture
For the use of furniture to be minimal, it needs to be function-oriented and simple. Look for multifunctional pieces and furniture with straight lines and smooth fluidity. Multifunctional furniture helps reduce the number of items in the space, and straight lines give a clean look to the room.
Decor
For minimalist design, the devil is in the details. Plants pair well with these interiors and work with most of the colors used. Paintings and graphic prints make excellent decor, up on the wall or shelves, or even set on the floor casually leaning against the wall. Mirrors with simple edges are also used as decor, often with a plant by the side.
Balance
Form a balance of elements by creating symmetry. Compose your items to be symmetrical in layout or color, and to balance each other out to ensure that one item does not take up the spotlight.
How to Create a Minimalist Home
It is always better to have a house with ample space. But it is not always possible to create such a spacious environment when you are super cluttered. People who are busy may often crave for that spacious place to dwell in but could to get it because they do not have the time to arrange the area properly to get that space.
In such a situation, one of the best ways that can be achieved is that of getting a minimalist interior design. There are a number of people who make use of this particular design to get an environment that is quite spacious.
It may seem quite convenient to have just the basics and stay away from the extras so that much space is retrieved. But though the minimalist design has become one of the favorites of many, it is not that easy to get this look for the houses.
If you are looking for such a minimalist design for your interior, here are some of the suggestions and tricks that you can surely make use of.
Settling With The Base
Whenever it is about decorating a house interior, the first thing on which you need to do your brainstorming is the shade of the walls. If the right shade is used, the right warmth and environment are reflected. Normally, when creating a minimalist design, white is the most favorite option that most of the designers go for.
But if you do not wish to get that all bleached shade on the walls, there are many more other color options that you can surely look forward to having. Undertones of yellow, greens, blues, earthen browns and many others can also do justice to your walls when you are thinking to have a minimal design for your interiors.
Clearing The Surface
Before painting the walls with the neutral color of your choice, it is very much important to get the surface ready so that you can check how it is looking. The best way is to clear out the surface because it is after all about the minimal interior designing.
If you are a busy person, you will come across a number of things that will be seen scattered on the surface such as on the floor, dining table, center table and even at times on the sofa. It is the time to remove all these objects so that you just have an empty canvas that you can decorate accordingly.
One In, One Out
It happens that when you move into a house, you get a lot of space in the drawers, in the cabinets and anywhere else. But slowly, things get piling up and due to the busy schedule; you even do not have the time to sit one fine day to throw out the things that you do not need anymore.
For such situations, the philosophy of ‘One In, One Out’ actually works in a great way. As per this philosophy, you need to make sure that whenever you are getting a new thing in the house, you need to throw out a thing from the old pile. Initially, you need to carefully remind yourself to do this but soon this will get into your habit and you will do this automatically. When no extra items are getting piled up, no doubt space is also maintained in a much proper way.
Stylish Storage
In order to get a good amount of space, it is important that things are not scattered on the surface. One thing that can be done is to get great storage solutions where you can stuff these items. Look for stylish storage units that can save your space as well as can also provide you with a great look.
Make Use Of Different Textures
If you have used a single shade such as blue for the walls, it may even provide a cold look at times. To warm up the temperature, you can make use of different textures such as velvet for the curtains or rugs on the floor of the same color tone to get the look.
Go For Quality
Though you wish to have a spacious interior, again it should be comfortable also so that people can feel welcomed. Hence, choose the right furniture that does not gather up much space and are also comfortable enough to make people feel at home.
The last trick is obviously to keep it as simple as possible. Always make sure to take one step at a time and you will be able to get the exact minimal design to make your area spacious enough.
Best Minimalist Interior Designers
Check out these top-of-the-line minimalist interior designers we have curated for your next interior design project.
Alix Lawson
This English-Australian says that ‘conscious minimalism is not so much a case of lacking but lessening.” She described minimalism as “reducing volume while increasing the sound quality” One of her notable projects is the extensive Dubai Hills Estate – a luxury apartment and villa complex at the heart of Dubai.
Her team, Alix Lawson Studio, designed the Dubai Hills Estate so luxurious yet simple. She even commissioned artworks from all across the globe to add finishing touches to the project. Dubai Hills Estate is one of Lawson’s most notable projects as an interior designer.
David Hicks
Hicks is known as one of Australia’s leading brands for modern interior and building design. The main idea behind Hicks’ brand is to promote streamlined spaces with an elegant feel achieved by the layering of sophisticated materials.
He is best known for creating modern-designed projects that won him several national and international design awards, including the IDEA awards, Belle Coco Republic Design Awards, and the Australian Interior Design Awards, to name a few.
The Macedon Residence is one good example of Hicks’ amazing skills in using interesting architectural features coupled with a few understated furniture or design materials that give the project timeless elegance.
Sharon Blaustein, B Interior LLC.
For Blaustein, minimalism and functionality should always be considered in designing projects. She believes that a minimalist-designed space should include an open floor plan, abundant lighting, and simple and well-built line furnishings.
Robert Brown, Robert Brown Interior Design
For Brown, every piece should be functional and add value to space. He believes that in a minimalist dwelling, ‘form’ is highly important.
He illustrates this by giving an example of a dining room with a table and chairs that “speak to one another” in terms of their form. The things to consider here are line, color, and mass, among others.
Annette Fromme, Annette Frommer Interior Design
Fromme believes that functionality and practicality are important elements to achieve a minimalist interior design. “Shapes should be quite uncomplicated, and colors and textures should harmoniously blend,” she said.
Joseph Dirand
Creativity is definitely in Dirand’s blood with a photographer father and a fashion designer mother. Like other minimalist interior designers, Dirand has proven the worth of his philosophy, “Less is more,” with his designs for boutique stores of luxury retail brands such as Balmain and Givenchy, to name a few.
Dirand‘s interior design is distinctively known for his penchant for marble, minimalist color palettes, and well-spaced furniture.
Amelia Rozas (Decorilla Design Company)
Architect and Interior Designer, Amelia Rozas credits her family of architects as the source of her creativity. She believes that art and design are essential elements in expressing one’s individuality.
Rozas describes her work as ‘eclectic’ and is known to combine styles to create a uniquely-designed space.
Robert Di Stefano (Decorilla)
One of Decorilla’s flourishing designers on minimalist interior design is Di Stefano who is also backed up by a bachelor’s degree in Architecture and a master’s degree in Interior Design.
For over a decade, Di Stefano has worked with several companies including high-end retail chains. Di Stefano emphasizes that storage plays a big role in the design of a minimalist space as it effectively hides clutter that would otherwise destroy a clean and serene space.
Renata Pfuner (Decorilla)
Pfuner is known for her interesting approach to design that fuses elegant flair with emphasis on minimalism. She says space ‘is more than an interior; it should be a source of positive energy.’
She describes her work as possessing ‘timeless elegance’. “Iconic beauty appeals to our hardwired sense of harmony, balance, and symmetry. That is why classical lines never go out of fashion; never die,” she said.
