When it comes to home designs, a minimalist approach can bring a breath of fresh air to any home. The understated details and lack of clutter gives you more room to breathe in your living space, resulting in an overall zen home setting.
Minimalist decor is very similar to modern or even mid-century modern furniture so, what's the difference? The main principle of minimalist home design is only to incorporate the essentials. That means fewer accents, decorations, or unneeded furniture. It typically implies clean, monochromatic color palettes, open space, and sleek lines. This overall provides a stress-free, uncluttered vibe!
While there is more space in minimalist homes, there are fewer design elements you can be creative with. Luckily, there are ways to incorporate some aspects into minimalist living to give the area some character and we wanted to share some with you!
Curate, Don't Clutter
The leading practice of minimalist design is only to use the essentials, which means small little accents or home decor finds might not fit in. You might be tempted to bring home little decorative items, paperweights, posters, or plants to bring in some personality. However, this might lead you down a very cluttered path. The small little accessories will add up, and the amount of room you have in your living space will get smaller. Most clutter is a pile-up of unnecessary items that seemed nice in the store but quickly became a part of the clutter you need to clear.
The good news is that you don't have to give up decorative elements altogether. Instead, you have to focus on carefully curating your decor one piece at a time. When adding a certain accent to a minimalist space, you need to remember that it will greatly impact the overall design. Think of yourself as the curator of an art museum you're filling a big empty space with a small collection of art pieces. If you can only pick a few pieces to determine the overall vibe of the room… you won't just pick out the first thing that catches your eye; you're going to make very thoughtful choices.
That being said, if you want to add some decor to your home, you should take it seriously. The minimal design will make your choices stand out. So, you want to take the time to find something you want to represent the personality you want your living space to have! This might look like custom paintings, a piece of meaningful memorabilia, a mid century planter, or even a luxurious decor item you've always wanted.
Incorporate Exciting Textures
If you've already committed to a minimalist design approach in your home, there will be very few elements that you can get creative with one being textures. At first, it might make sense to build your essential home elements to look cohesive. But if you're limited to only essential items, it's easy to get too matchy-matchy. For example, if you buy rugs to match the couch and the seating, the lack of variety will start to look unwelcoming. When everything looks and feels the same within the interior design, there's no indication of character that will make it feel like a home. If you still use the same textures for all of your limited choices, it might end up looking like a boring waiting room.
So, how can you keep your style simple without making it feel boring? The answer here is to incorporate a variety of textures to liven up the mood. By mixing in different textures, you will be adding a new visual interest while also bringing in a more lively aesthetic. Begin this method by considering what kind of furniture and other essentials you will include in your minimal design. Then, look into different texture options you might like to see in your home and what pieces they would work well with. Take the Flag Halyard Chair for example, with its contrasting metal, flag line, leather and sheepskin elements that all perfectly meld together and provides great visual interest.
A great place to start is with pillows! While your sofa might not be covered in throw pillows, you can still have three pillows with different feels maybe one that's fluffy & cozy, another that has a more dynamic design (knit, beaded, patterned, etc.), and then one more throw you can keep simple like the minimalist approach. The same goes for throw blankets!
As for furniture pieces, you might want to focus on whether you want more natural wooden elements such as the Wishbone Chair or sleek modern metals such as the Wassily Chair. For comfortable, big designs like your sofa, think about which fabrics will make you feel good. If you choose the textures that make you feel welcome in your home, they will help reflect your welcoming personality!
Carefully Picked Colors
When you think about minimalist interior design, it might not seem very colorful or even exciting. You might be picturing plain color palettes or simple styles. It doesn't have to be like this! Believe it or not, you can have a minimal design with an eclectic personality. The best way to brighten up the styles is with a splash of color that makes you happy to be home.
When there are limited elements of design you're working with, adding one colorful piece can make a big difference. This doesn't mean your living space needs to incorporate every color of the rainbow just the ones you love!
The first step is to set the foundation of your color palette maybe you want rustic natural tones, cozy shades of gray, or modern white surroundings. Once you have your color foundation picked out… the fun begins! You can browse different home designs online, or you can start to think about the colors that bring you joy.
Maybe you love deep forest greens, golden yellows, flirty reds, or bright blues! That's up to you to decide. Once you find the colors you love, you can pick out designs that bring them to life in your home! For a statement splash of color, a colorful armchair such as a Pelican Chair will get the job done, along with other big design elements (like painted walls). From there, you can sprinkle in smaller doses of color with blankets, pillows, or simple decor to compliment your visual style.
Your home design may be minimalist, but your options for style are limitless.
A home doesn't need a wide array of things that portray your aesthetic & personality. To give a home character, it needs to be thoughtfully curated with every little detail. If the details in your space make you happy, your design choices will bring life to your home!
