Minimalism, the interior design movement inspired by 20th century Modernism‘s return to the basic functionality of art, is the perfect interior design movement for those seeking to reduce their household clutter and curate their home with clean lines and clever furnishings.
Minimalism is characterized by its neutral palette, geometric shapes and timeless elegance. But it needn’t be boring. Minimalist interior design allows for your selected personal and decorative items to have a larger impact on your home and life as they become the unobstructed centers of attention in the room.
Furthermore, with few possessions in each room, furniture and lighting become more than functional features in your space, but gain as much attention as any piece of art or sculpture on your walls or sideboards. A minimalist interior is therefore the ideal space in which to blend art and design.
However, a minimalist interior can be hard to perfect. A paired-back floor plan can often make a space feel uninviting or incomplete. No matter whether you’re after a cozy, contemporary or urban atmosphere, we’ve got the tips to make your interior a minimalist’s dream without compromising on that comforting feeling of home.
Choose a color scheme
When you picture a minimalist interior, you might imagine clean, white walls. Whilst pale and neutral color palettes are typical of minimalist interiors, your home needn’t feel like a museum. Blending off-whites, such as ecru, with warmer shades of beige, like sandstone and tan, can create a calm yet cozy environment. If the typical minimalist colors don’t inspire you, many minimalist designers choose monochromatic/tonal color palettes. By pairing different shades of one color your can create an edgy, modern interior that is still paired back.
When choosing art to complement your wall color, either choose a painting that uses the same tones as your interior, such as Julia A. Etedi’s In a Nutshell, or choose a painting with dynamic lines or an accent color such as Lia Chechelashvili’s Elusive Dance or Klaus Evertz’s Farbhandlung, to add an artistic focal point to your room.
Find your Furniture
When choosing furniture for you minimalist interior, remember that design pieces function much in the same way as art, creating visual harmony and reflecting your unique taste. Minimalism favors quality over quantity, so no matter whether you prefer furniture with a more industrial style, like Neal Aronowitz’s innovative Whorl Coffee Table, or the clean contemporary lines of designers like Christian Watson, be sure to find pieces which are crafted with premium materials.
Many minimalist designers are also reshaping our definition of functionality by conceiving of multi-purpose pieces. Seok-hyeon Yoon’s Relaxing Configurations can serve as carpet, blanket, or seat, thanks to their extra chunky knit design, making it perfect for those looking to declutter their space.
Look to Lighting
Fresh, crisp and invigorating, light is integral to minimalist design. In spaces with little decoration, functional features become the art pieces themselves. Lighting can therefore offer a creative opportunity, as is the case with Neal Aronowitz’s irredesceant glass and steel based Boro Boro Chandelier.
Light can also be manipulated to brighten a space by using mirrored surfaces and pale artworks. For example, Christian Watson’s Bennerly Mirror and Johan Söderström’s #302 Paper Cups are the perfect pairing for a shadowy corner.
Try Out Texture
Without careful consideration, minimalist interiors can feel sparse or bland. The secret behind perfecting minimalism is in the textural details. Incorporate different textures with multi-media art, woven or beaded pillows, and stone sculptures. To ensure that your decoration remains minimalistic, prioritize art and design objects that are within your chosen color-palette, adding only one or two deviations as a statement.
Now available on SINGULART are KUBO’s range sustainable and ethically made throw-pillows. Not only are they the perfect transition piece for first-time minimalists, but their neutral tones and sparse designs pair well with our offering of abstract art and sleek sculpture.
Add an Element of Nature
All good interior design rests upon balance. Slightly off-setting your clean lines and neutral tones with natural materials and images will help to harmonize your interior and creating relaxed and intimate setting.
In addition to a few houseplants, photography offers a sleek and minimalist way of introducing nature into your home. Similarly, wooden sculptures help to soften black and white tones and metal furnishings. And finally, for those looking to merge two features into one (in true minimalist fashion), try to find artworks that use interesting textures with subjects from nature, such as Lorna Scheepers’ Babylonstoren.
