Home Decor: A Guide to Minimalist Style

The minimalist style is the ultimate choice for the urban-modern homeowner. Minimalism embraces aesthetic simplicity, with well-edited rooms that include only pieces that will assist in achieving the maximum decor effect with the least amount of furniture.

The minimalist believes that clutter is a form of unnecessary distraction, and finds liberation and peace living in a home free of unnecessary furniture and devices. With less clutter, there is less visual stress, as our attention is pulled in multiple directions when a room is busy and full of things. With this in mind, if you’re considering embracing the minimalist life, here is our guide to master the style!

Follow these steps and embrace the minimalist mindset in your home!

Tight Focus on Visual Appeal

One of the rules of thumb when attempting to embrace the minimalist style is to edit and eliminate. Creating a minimalist space is an ongoing process, and that process starts with editing the current rooms of your home and selecting furniture and accessories based on form and function. Start with one room and remove a few items from it. Then, give it a few days and revisit it with fresh eyes. Ask yourself, what is not essential?

For items you continue to return to and question, you very likely not to need them. Edit and eliminate everything you don’t adore or require. The minimalist home doesn't necessarily need to be monochromatic or feature white walls only. Colour can be incorporated into rooms, as long as they aren't overwhelming or weighing down the space. Before beginning your full-blown decluttering, try making a mood board where you can focus on colours and textures that you like, while always keeping in mind that the goal is to keep things simple.

For a Minimalist Decor, Simplicity is Key

Source: Pixabay, Giovanni_cg

As we’ve stated, to be a true minimalist it’s about essentials only; the fewer pieces of furniture the better. When you are thinking about which pieces can be eliminated, remember to make selections without sacrificing comfort and livability. If you can live without a piece, then it has no place in your minimalist home. Except for furniture, your floors should be completely clear.

Once you’ve narrowed down the essential furniture items, donate, store or give away all unnecessary pieces so that you are not tempted to reintegrate them into your rooms. If you are keeping pieces, make sure to store them out of sight. 

Furniture in a minimalist home should be focused around a few essential pieces. For example, the living room may only have a couch, coffee table, lamps and a small and sleek television or entertainment center. We are looking for the senses to not be overwhelmed.  

Keep wall and furniture colours plain, simple, solid and subdued. If a room is donned in subdued colours, consider using an accent that is a bright colour to give the room a dash of life, like a single red chair in an otherwise monochromatic space.

Photo: Unsplash

Keep Surfaces Clean

Avoid placing little knick-knacks or decorations on flat surfaces and tables. These areas should stay clear minus one or two statement pieces. Stacks of books, papers or magazines are a definite no-no for the minimalist home. Think simple vases with just a few fresh flowers alongside one family photo. Walls themselves should be kept close to empty.

Avoid placing too many things on your walls, and keep it simple with one tasteful piece of art or design as a focal point to a relatively bare space. Avoid using heavy prints or fabrics for your curtains and window coverings. If you use curtains, consider choosing a fabric of solid colour, or streamlined, monochromatic blinds. There is no need for over-embellishment, clean lines and sharp pieces will assure that only the necessary items remain and command the attention of family members and guests!

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Photo: Pexels

Quality over Quantity

Create a minimalist home by focusing on one room at a time, and using each room to inspire the simplification in the next. When furnishing rooms, choose items that are high-quality and beautifully made, letting them stand on their own and speak for themselves. Objects and furnishings should be chosen with care, focusing on items that are pure and simple.

A minimalist home isn’t only about choosing precise pieces, but also about giving those pieces room to breathe. Designating a place for each item will help to keep order and maintain cleanliness in rooms. Allow ample space for your pieces to be truly appreciated. Practice restraint when furnishing rooms. As we mentioned, minimalism is a process, so don’t get overwhelmed if your home takes a bit of time to adapt to this calm and refined way of life.

Renovation projects to adopt a minimalist style

Repaint the home and prioritize solid colours

We often associate minimalist style with white and neutral shades. However, it is possible to work with other colours such as dark shades and even bright colours like royal blue or terracotta orange. To adopt a minimalist style, it is especially important to opt for solid colours with a smooth and even finish. Learn how to find a good house painter. 

Install storage that blends in with the rest of the room

If you are going through a process of adhering to a minimalist lifestyle, you will likely get rid of many of the things that are not useful to you. For what is left, it will be important to have access to storage spaces that harmonize with your decor. You can hire an interior designer who will find solutions that are tailored to your needs. You can also work with a carpenter who will be able to build storage furniture for you.

Remove cumbersome architectural elements

This might sound counterproductive, but if you want to adopt a minimalist decor style in your home, you may need to consider removing or replacing certain architectural elements. We think for example of mouldings or window frames which can be highly ornate. If you want a very fluid look, characterized by the presence of straight lines, you could replace these mouldings and window frames with plainer models.

Working with an interior designer to adopt a minimalist home decor

Are you looking to adopt a minimalist style in your home but puzzled about where to start? Do not hesitate to call upon the services of an interior designer to transform your rooms and adapt them according to your taste and needs!