It’s almost impossible to flick through an interior design magazine, watch an episode of Grand Designs, or scroll through a Pinterest inspiration board without noticing the current popularity of minimalist home décor. It’s a very restrained style of decorating that requires a lot of planning and upkeep, but devout minimalists claim that this approach creates clear and tidy spaces that can help to make life a lot less stressful and even more fulfilling. (featured image clean minimalist workspace image Splash of Colour)
What is minimalism?
The general concept of minimalism first emerged within the New York art scene in the early 1960s. Creatives such as painters and sculptors grew tired of making abstract expressionist work that was supposed to convey a strong sense of emotion and spontaneity. So, as a result, many started to focus on creating sleek, geometric works that purposefully shunned what was typically accepted as aesthetically pleasing art, with artists like Sol LeWitt, Donald Judd and Robert Morris leading the charge. They wanted to see how much they could strip away from their creations without compromising their purpose — this is the principle that minimalism has been built on.
Minimalism in interior design
Decorating your home in a minimalist fashion is all about creating a sleek and modern space free of unnecessary furniture, frivolous decoration and clutter. You should also pick a simple colour palette and hide everyday items away wherever possible — you’ll find out how to do all of this below. By taking this approach, you’ll design a clear and tidy space where you can relax in the knowledge that your home looks fantastic and has everything you need.
Of course, everyone has their own preferences and sense of style, which don’t need to be compromised in the minimising process. It’s all about choosing the things that you love and giving them the space and attention they deserve.
 |
| Britton Bathrooms bath |
Why you should consider minimalist home décor
In recent years, minimalism has become less of a design trend and more of a lifestyle choice, thanks to the apparent positive effects that living in a tidy, purposefully-decorated home can have. Though, the fact that ways you’re likely to benefit from doing the same:
Minimalist homes look great
As mentioned earlier, minimalist interior design is all the rage, and the main reason for this is that sleek and modern homes always look impressive. This style of décor is both stylish and sophisticated. Plus, when you have a minimalist home, anyone that visits will get the sense that you’re someone who has their life completely under control. And we all want that, don’t we?
 |
| dotcomgiftshop.com hanging planter |
A clear space is a clear mind
According to psychologist Dr Sherrie Bourg Carter of Psychology Today, messy homes and work spaces can leave us feeling anxious and overwhelmed. Therefore, living in a clear space that’s decorated in a sleek and modern way has the potential to significantly lower your stress levels. By keeping your décor simple and any clutter out of view, you can make your home a much more relaxing place to live and you’ll be a lot happier for it.
You’ll save money
As minimalism is all about differentiating between what you do and don’t need, decorating your home in a minimalist fashion is likely to deter you from buying unnecessary items. You shouldn’t feel like you need more scatter cushions, ornaments or furniture when your home is minimalistic — having fewer things is the whole point. Therefore, you’re likely to save money, which can then be put towards experiences. And, as Dr Thomas Gilovich, a psychology professor who has been studying the question of money and happiness for over two decades, told Fast Co.Exist: spending your money on experiences, not things, is the key to happiness.
You’ll be more productive
A study conducted by Princeton Neuroscience Institute has found that “multiple stimuli present in the visual field at the same time compete for neural representation”. In other words: the more clutter you see, the more easily you’ll be distracted. Therefore, living in a clear and tidy space is likely to help you focus which, in turn, can increase your productivity.
You’ll have less cleaning to do
The fewer things you have, the less time and effort your home will take to maintain. Think about all of the time you currently spend cleaning and putting things away. By having a clear-out and arranging furniture sparingly, you’ll dramatically reduce the amount of tidying you have to do, providing you with more time to relax and enjoy your lovely home.
Tips for creating a minimalist home
It’s not easy to decorate your home in a minimalist fashion, so here are some tips for making the ordeal a lot less stressful.
1. Edit one room at a time
You’ll find it very difficult to declutter, decorate and reorganise your whole house in one go, so do it in stages. This will give you enough time to properly think about the things you want to get rid of, the furniture you need to replace, and the colour palette you’d like to go with. Taking a minimalist approach to decorating isn’t a race and most people take years to get to the point where they no longer need to declutter and feel they have just the right amount of stuff, so give it time — it’s the only way you’ll be able to make big changes that you can maintain.
2. Start with the furniture
When deciding what should stay or go, focus on your largest possessions first. You should be thinking about which pieces of furniture you can get rid of without sacrificing comfort or livability. You’ll obviously need the bare essentials like your sofas, dining table and bed. So, unless any of these need replacing, you can consider those permanent fixtures. Then, think about removing any other pieces that you don’t need. This will ensure you have a clear foundation to decorate around.
Once you’ve decided what to do with all of your large pieces of furniture, you can then go on to make decisions about all of the smaller, less vital things you own.
3. Choose your storage solutions wisely
The minimalist properties that you see online and in magazines aren’t always liveable: sometimes they’re just for show. However, there are people out there who do actually enjoy living in minimalist homes. This is because choosing to decorate your house with minimalism in mind doesn’t necessarily require you to throw all of your belongings away in the name of tidiness. Instead, you should try to focus on installing smart, inconspicuous storage solutions, such as cupboards and sets of drawers that blend in with your colour scheme.
4. Add colour and warmth with soft furnishings
Minimalist doesn’t have to mean cold and sterile — you can ensure your home remains an attractive and comfortable place to live by carefully choosing soft furnishings that complement each room. The likes of cushions, rugs and curtains are also ideal for injecting some personality into your space. When used tastefully, they can add a small and welcome dash of colour to an otherwise subdued room. Plus, if you like to update your décor every once in awhile, they’re relatively easy and affordable to replace.
Rugs are a great place to start, as they can really pull a room together and help to give living spaces a cosy feel. We recommend opting for a plain design, as they won’t distract from your purposefully simple décor. Also, as minimalist spaces can look somewhat cold and bare, large rugs would help to create the best balance in the likes of living rooms, dining rooms and bedrooms.
 |
| Soft rug armadilo-co |
5. Choose a subdued colour palette
A minimalist home doesn’t have to be all white walls and black furniture — you can still choose a colour scheme that reflects your own personal style. For walls, neutral colours like light grey and beige are particularly popular, as they create simple blank canvases that are easy to build upon. However, don’t be afraid to choose something a bit more unusual if you feel so inclined. A subdued shade of almost any colour will look great with complementary furniture.
Once you’ve chosen a room’s wall colour, look for two or three other hues that work well with it. For a minimalist feel, we recommend going for a colour scheme that is tonal or harmonious. Tonal colour schemes combine multiple shades of the same colour. So, for example, if you painted a room’s walls pale blue, furniture and small decorations that are grey-blue or even navy would look great. Meanwhile, harmonious colour schemes bring together hues that are close on the colour wheel, such as blues and purples.
6. Use simple art and decorations to add interest
Contrary to popular belief, having a minimalist home doesn’t mean you have to shun all decorations and artwork, but any you do choose to display should be especially simple. Try placing a single glass vase of flowers on your dining room table, or hang one large piece of minimalist art in each of the rooms you redecorate. This will add personality and a certain sense of charm to your home without taking away from its general aesthetic.
Having a tidy, minimalist home not only looks great, but it can help you to enjoy a less stressful and more fulfilling life overall. Who could say no to that?
Beautiful Location is Important when Searching for a Home
Lazy girl guide to how to survive Easter when you spending it on your own with loads of chocolate ideas.
How to move a house quickly, tips and hints.
Oh I do love looking at homes like these, but with four children, minimalist living is just not an option. Love this post though. Kaz x
I would love to live like that, but with five of us crammed into a four person house the size of a shoe box it's impossible. I am trying to declutter though, one bit at a time.
I so wish I could have a place that looked like this!
Sadly with a son around who loves to take out 50 toys at a time I don't think it would work 🙁
Such an amazing way to live though, so neat, clean & sterile!
Thanks for your tips x
Totally my favourite style. Although I like adding more organic textures, like concrete and wood, whilst keeping it all minimal.
I had never thought of it as a lifestyle choice rather than a design choice but I suppose you are correct! I'm currently picking furniture out for my new bedroom and this has given me inspiration – thank you!
minimalist is my favourite. less is more and these are great tips!
The images in this post are literally the dream! I have SO much clutter but I'd love to live in a more minimalist way. It's really impacted how I feel about buying excess things like products, and even made me think more about the PR samples I accept these days x
I love minimalism. I'm not a big fan of gadgets and useless objects so that's perfect for me. I'm still trying to declutter my wardrobe but that's more difficult for me.
Mika
These homes are so gorgeous! I wish mine looked a little more tidy and minimal like this as opposed to being filled with clutter.
Emma – UK Book, Beauty & Lifestyle Blog