Is Minimalism for You?
When designing and decorating your home, you may have heard the term “minimalism” tossed around by contractors and designers. It’s good to know what your decorating style is when planning your dream home, so it’s time to ask; is minimalism for you?
What is Minimalism?
Minimalism can be found in art and music, but it’s featured prominently in architecture and home design. It emphasizes clean lines, limited ornamentation, a neutral color scheme, and natural materials. It also emphasizes functionality over aesthetics and usually leans towards monochrome in terms of colors. Minimalism can be found across many cultures, but most people associate it with Japanese and Scandinavian homes.
How Do I Achieve a Minimalist Look?
Despite emphasizing “less is more,” minimalism can be tricky to do well. If done wrong, a room can look cold and unlived in, which isn’t the point of the design. You need to do more than just place the bare essentials in a room against a white backdrop.
The appeal of minimalism to many is that it is light, simple, and functional. Everything has a place and purpose in the room. There is a lack of clutter, which can make small spaces feel more open. For some, this brings a sense of serenity that might not be found in busier, more ornate rooms.
The key to achieving a minimalist look to your home is to embrace natural light, functionality, simplicity, and consistency. For example, in a dining room, you know the necessary items will be a table and chairs. You should make sure these key pieces of furniture all go together. They don’t necessarily have to be a set, but they should have similar simple shapes, design, and materials.
Another thing to consider is how to keep things organized so clutter is at a minimum. You don’t need to get rid of all of your trinkets to achieve the look. Instead, make clever storage solutions a priority when designing a room. Hidden compartments that make the most of empty space can be a huge benefit to a minimalist aesthetic.
Minimalism Doesn’t Have to Be Boring
While minimalism isn’t for everyone, it’s not as “boring” as some might think it is. The key is to find ways to bring interest to a room without needing a whole lot of color or unnecessary items. One good way is to use interesting textures to pull the focus of the room rather than the actual stuff. This creates depth and warmth without the need to fill the room with more than the essentials.
Sharp, clean lines can also make a room both simple but striking. When you don’t have a lot of ornamentation and trimmings, it’s hard to hide imperfections. That’s why architects and interior designers work hard to make sure everything is aligned and level. There is a sort of elegance in simple perfection that makes minimalism stand out.
Minimalism is a very trendy, modern design style. If you’re the sort of person who feels less is more and doesn’t want an abundance of decorations, it could be the perfect style for you. Contact us today to begin designing your dream home to emphasize the minimalist aesthetic.
