Minimalism in interior design is a modern design trend that involves filling a space with the bare essentials to create a simple and uncluttered environment. Minimalism is defined by simplicity, clear lines, and smooth surfaces. Minimalism is more than just a design trend, but it’s also a lifestyle.
Did you know that the average household has over 300,000 items in it. This leads to the average person spending twelve days/year looking for items they can’t find. Minimalism helps reduce clutter, create a more streamlined lifestyle, and reduce stress. Minimalism isn’t just a design you adopt in one room, but everywhere including the living room, hallways, children’s rooms, kitchen, office, bedroom and bathrooms.
History Of Minimalism
Minimalist architects and interior designers came into prominence in the 90’s, preceded by a design culture that featured bright colors and complex interiors. Minimalism can be traced even further back to 1908, when an Austrian architect declared, “the most sophisticated among us prefer furniture and domestic accessories that feature plain surfaces and honest materials.”
Today, we call that minimalism.
Basic Tenets Of Minimalism
So what are some of the basic tenets of the minimalist style?
- Purpose: Everything should be functional and serve a purpose in the space. There is time to determine how a thing looks after determining what it does for the space.
- Restful: Always tend towards spaces being open and restful to the eye rather than stressful and chaotic.
- Less Details: You won’t find highly detailed furniture or excessive ornamentation in a minimalist space.
- Open Space: Minimalist interior design creates open spaces that operate as a background to what function is contained within them.
- Concise Pallets: Minimalist design features concise color pallets with a smooth consistency and a clear sense of direction. Minimalist homes are grounded with neutral colors like whites, creams, blacks, and grays.
Making Minimalist Design Feel Welcoming
Minimalism does run the risk of feeling soulless, especially when it’s overdone. Many people use minimalism as a crutch to simply own fewer things and spend less time worrying about their interior design. Small touches can make a minimalist design still feel welcoming and warm.
Monochromatic color pallets can create a warm atmosphere by mixing shades, tints, and textures to create a soulful dynamic. Don’t be afraid to add textiles like linen, wool, and cotton to the space to add warmth. Art that contrasts with the neutral decor can interrupt the pattern of the room and create a visual spark.
Final Thoughts
Minimalism may seem completely devoid of soul. However, when you fill a space with only things you care about the most, it fills both you and the space up naturally. Minimalism allows something other than the space to be the focus. It may be the view or what specific activity takes place in the room.
You know you’re finished with a design when a face functions well without it being overstimulated. Bela Development can assist you in achieving a minimalist design with a complete home renovation. Reach out to our team to discuss the average cost of a full house renovation and the cost of a full interior remodel.
